The Ultimate Belizean Adventure: Exploring The Country's Diverse Natural Wonders

Belize is a small country with a lot to offer. From ancient ruins to natural wonders, here are some of the best things to do in Belize.

Explore Maya ruins

Belize was once the centre of the Maya empire, and the ruins of this ancient civilisation are scattered throughout the country. Caracol, in the Cayo District, is the tallest human-made structure in Belize. Other popular sites include Xunantunich, Cahal Pech, and Lamanai.

Scuba dive the Blue Hole Natural Monument

The Great Blue Hole is a famous dive site located off the coast of Belize. This underwater sinkhole is known for its unique ecosystem and stunning coral formations.

Party on Caye Caulker

This laid-back island is a popular spot for backpackers and younger travellers, offering a chilled-out Caribbean vibe, great snorkelling, and a lively bar scene.

Search for jaguars in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize is home to the highest concentration of jaguars in the world, and the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is the best place to spot them. The sanctuary is also home to a diverse array of other wildlife, including bird species, black howler monkeys, and snakes.

Go birdwatching

With over 500 avian species, Belize is a birdwatcher's paradise. Head to Black Rock Lodge near San Ignacio to learn from some of the country's top birding guides while immersing yourself in the jungle.

Go tubing through a cave

One of the most popular ways to explore Belize's caves is by inner tube. Float through crystal rock formations and learn about Maya history and mythology.

Horseback ride in the jungle

Saddle up and explore the Cayo District's dense jungle on horseback. Take in the stunning mountain vistas and keep an eye out for the local wildlife.

Visit the Belize Zoo

The Belize Zoo is home to an impressive array of rescued animals, including jaguars, keel-billed toucans, scarlet macaws, and howler monkeys. It's the perfect place to learn about Belize's diverse wildlife.

Explore Maya ruins

Belize was once the centre of the Maya Empire, and the country is scattered with ruins that offer an insight into the history and culture of this ancient civilisation.

Caracol

The largest Maya ruin in Belize, Caracol is located in the Cayo District, within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. Once the centre of power in the Maya world, this site was home to over 120,000 people. The Caana pyramid is the tallest man-made structure in Belize. Visitors can trek across the 30 square miles of jungle, plazas and even a star-gazing observatory.

Altun Ha

Close to Belize City, Altun Ha is easily accessible, with hardly any steep inclines. Visitors can wander across grasslands to discover the two major plazas and pyramids of the site. Altun Ha is so beloved by Belizeans that its outline appears on the country's money and on the logo of Beliken, the national beer.

Xunantunich

Xunantunich was the first Maya ruin to open to the public in 1950. Visitors must take a ferry from San Jose Succotz and travel along the Mopan River to reach it. It is an active archaeological site, so it is not uncommon to encounter archaeologists and field researchers. The site features a sprawling El Castillo temple, six plazas and remnants of over 25 palaces and temples.

Lamanai

Lamanai is the longest continually occupied site in Mesoamerica. It is located on the New River in the Orange Walk District and features a swathe of jungle close to the New River Lagoon. There are three Mayan temples in the Lamanai archaeological reserve: Mask Temple, High Temple and Temple of the Jaguar, along with ball courts.

Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech means "place of ticks" in modern-day Maya. This site was once the royal acropolis-palace of an elite Mayan ruling family who lived there during the Classic period, from around 1000 BC to 800 AD. The site consists of seven plazas and over 30 structures, including temples, residential buildings, ball courts, an altar and a sweat-house, all situated on just two acres.

Scuba dive the Blue Hole

Belize is a world-class destination for scuba diving, and one of the most thrilling dive sites is the Great Blue Hole. Perched in the centre of Lighthouse Atoll on the Belize Barrier Reef, this famous underwater sinkhole is a dark chasm that divers can explore to a depth of 400 feet. It is home to a unique ecosystem of coral, tropical fish and mysterious stalactites.

If you're an experienced diver, you can explore the Blue Hole's underwater tunnels, caverns and rock formations. You're unlikely to encounter many creatures, though the occasional shark has been spotted. Even if you don't dive, you can still snorkel around the hole and the nearby reefs.

The Blue Hole is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, along with six other areas surrounding the Belize Barrier Reef. It was created during the last glacial period, around 10,000 years ago, when a cave roof collapsed.

To reach the Blue Hole, you can take a 20-minute flight from Belize International Airport to Ambergris Caye, or take a boat from the boat terminal to San Pedro.

Party on Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is a chilled-out Caribbean island with a backpacker vibe, where younger travellers congregate and get around on foot or by bicycle. While it's not known for its nightlife, there are still plenty of places to party on the island.

The Lazy Lizard Bar & Grill is a casual, comfortable, family-friendly restaurant and bar. It's located at the Split beach, the main attraction on Caye Caulker, thanks to its seaweed-free waters.

The Barrier Reef Sports Bar is another popular spot, known as the community living room, where locals, expats, and tourists gather to watch sports, listen to live music, play trivia or darts, and dance.

For a daytime party on the beach, Caye Caulker has you covered. There are also coffee shops, ice cream shops, lounges, wine bars, and a nightclub for those looking for a more relaxed evening.

Caye Caulker is busiest from January to April during Belize's dry season, so this is the best time to visit if you want to experience the island at its liveliest.

Search for jaguars in the jungles of Cockscomb

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is the world's first and only Jaguar Preserve. It covers 150 square miles of tropical forest in Southern Belize and is home to the largest concentration of jaguars in the world—over 200 jaguars. The sanctuary is also packed with the absolute best hiking trails in Belize, with 20 miles of maintained hiking trails ranging from easy one-hour strolls to four-day expeditions.

The best way to get to Cockscomb Basin is by car rental. Upon arriving at the cut-off point on the Southern Highway, you will have to drive for about 6 miles through a dirt road before arriving at the entrance of the site. You can also get there by taking a bus and taxi combo, hitchhiking, or hiking all the way.

The sanctuary has trails of all kinds, starting with a self-guided walk and other short tracks of under a mile that cut through different habitats. There are also progressively more demanding paths that lead to swimming areas, waterfalls, and up to the pine forests of the basin's rim. The most popular trails include the Curassow Trail, Rubber Tree Trail, Green Knowledge Trail, Gibnut Loop, and Tinamou Loop.

If you are interested in searching for jaguars, consider taking a night hike as this gives you higher chances of seeing wild cats like the jaguar, puma, ocelot, and jaguarundi. You can also visit during the rainy season, as wildlife is more active during this time, especially at the beginning (June and July).

Camping at the reserve or staying in a cabin available on-site can also increase your chances of seeing a jaguar. The cabins at Cockscomb are rustic and do not have air conditioning or fans, so be prepared for the heat and mosquitoes.

While spotting jaguars is not guaranteed, you have the possibility of spotting other wildlife, including 300 species of birds, howler monkeys, agoutis, ocelots, monkeys, lizards, snakes, tapir, and coatamundis.

Go birdwatching

Belize is a birdwatcher's paradise, with over 500 species of birds to spot. It's a great activity to do while enjoying other activities, too, as you can go birdwatching while zip-lining, kayaking, or hiking.

If you're an avid birdwatcher, there are plenty of hotspots to see sought-after species rarely found elsewhere. Some of the best places to go birdwatching in Belize include:

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

One of the best bird-watching locations in Belize, this 44,000-acre preserve was established in 1984 to protect resident and migrant birds. It's one of the top birding spots in the country, with tens of thousands of birds congregating during the dry season (February to May) when food is scarce elsewhere. The wetland habitat includes lagoons, swamps, and waterways, supporting a diverse range of birds such as the Jabiru, Northern Boat-billed Heron, and Snail Kite.

Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve

Birdwatching is a popular activity in this reserve, with species including the Rufous-capped Warbler, Crossbill, Pine Siskin, Stygian Owl, and Eastern Bluebird. If you visit during autumn and spring, you may also spot the Hepatic Tanager and Chipping Sparrow. This is the most likely place in Belize to see the rare Orange-breasted Falcon.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

While this sanctuary is most famous for being the world's only Jaguar Preserve, it also supports a rich variety of birdlife. The many ecosystems within the sanctuary provide habitats for forest species, pine woodland birds, savanna species, riverine-associated birds, and those found at higher elevations.

Caracol Archaeological Reserve

Located in Mountain Pine Ridge, this Mayan Ruin site is one of the last outposts of the Keel-billed Motmot, a globally vulnerable species. Other birds you may spot here include the Ocellated Turkey, Crested Guan, and Great Curassow, as well as colourful toucans and trogons.

Aguacaliente Wildlife Sanctuary

This nature reserve in the Toledo District of Southern Belize is an important breeding ground for many birds. Common sightings include Cormorants, Wood Storks, Great Blue Herons, Little Blue Herons, Tri-coloured Herons, Whistling Ducks, Sandpipers, Stilts, Swallows, and Flycatchers.

St. Herman's Blue Hole National Park

Just 12 miles south of Belmopan City, this park is known for its sapphire-coloured cenote and cave, but it also has well-maintained trails that make birdwatching very accessible.

Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker

The littoral forests on these islands are endangered due to tourism development, but they are important habitats for the Black Catbird and White-crowned Pigeon, both near-threatened species. The Mangrove habitat and sea grape trees also attract a variety of other birds.

Half Moon Caye Natural Monument

This site has been a crown reserve bird sanctuary since 1928, making it the oldest site for wildlife protection in Belize. It is home to a colony of approximately 4,000 Red-footed Boobies, almost all of which are white morphs with black on the trailing edge of their wings.

Red Bank Village

From November/December to March, the Scarlet Macaw flocks to this small Mayan Village in Stann Creek. As many as 100 wild parrots can be seen feeding on the ripe fruits of the 'annatto' and 'pole wood' trees. This region is also known for its flocks of other tropical birds, such as the Toucan, Belize's national bird.

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