Belize's Best Non-Excursion Activities

Belize is a tiny Central American country that has become a popular cruise line and vacationer destination. It offers a rich culture, friendly locals, beautiful beaches, and a range of activities for those seeking adventure or relaxation.

For those who enjoy snorkelling and diving, Belize's barrier reef is a natural aquarium where you can interact with a vast array of marine life, including stingrays, sharks, and sea turtles. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley are popular spots for this.

If you're interested in history and ancient civilisations, Belize has the highest concentration of Mayan sites in Central America. The Altun Ha and Xunantunich ruins are both highly recommended and can be reached via exciting modes of transport, such as hand-cranked ferry or zip-lining.

For nature lovers, the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary and the Community Baboon Sanctuary offer the chance to see howler monkeys, crocodiles, birds, and other wildlife in their natural habitat.

Belize also has a range of indoor attractions, including the Museum of Belize, which is housed in an old prison, and the Belize Zoo, where you can see native animals such as jaguars, ocelots, and howler monkeys.

Finally, for food and drink, Belize has a variety of options, from local spots like Nerie's, where you can try Belizean fare, to The Smoky Mermaid, which offers seafood and lobster dishes. And, of course, there's always the chance to try the local Belikin beer.

Explore Mayan ruins

Belize is considered the epicentre of the ancient Maya world, and exploring Mayan ruins is one of the country's top attractions. With over 600 Mayan sites, Belize has the highest concentration of Maya temples of all the Central American countries.

Xunantunich

Xunantunich, meaning "maiden of the rock" or "stone woman" in Maya, is a Classic Period ceremonial centre. The site is located on the Western Highway across the river from the village of San Jose Succotz and can be reached by ferry. The highest ruin is 133 feet tall, making it the second-tallest temple in Belize. Well-preserved sun god masks decorate one side of the structure, and six major plazas, more than 25 temples and palaces, and a new museum are among the reasons why Xunantunich is one of the most visited sites.

Caracol

Caracol, located in Cayo within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve, is the largest Maya site in Belize. It was once home to more than 140,000 people and stretched over 70 square miles. The site features the Canaa ("Sky Palace"), the tallest man-made structure in Belize at 140 feet tall. Caracol also boasts ball courts, an astronomic observatory, altars, reservoirs, and hieroglyphics.

Lamanai

Lamanai, which means "submerged crocodile" in Maya, is one of the largest and longest-occupied Mayan sites in Belize. The site is located in Orange Walk and can be reached by boat from Orange Walk Town. Lamanai features a range of beautifully preserved Mayan ceremonial buildings, including the 108-foot-high "High Temple", the "Jaguar Temple", and the "Mask Temple", which features a pair of striking 13-foot-tall limestone masks adorned with crocodile headdresses.

Altun Ha

Altun Ha is one of Belize's best-excavated archaeological sites and is located about an hour's drive north of Belize City. The site consists of two main plazas surrounded by more than a dozen Mayan temples, pyramids, and residential structures. Altun Ha is also home to the largest Maya-carved jade object, a 6-inch-long and 10-pound jade carving of "Kinich Ahau", the Mayan sun god.

Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech, located in San Ignacio, is the oldest-known ruins in the Belize River Valley. The site features two ball courts and around 34 structures, including temple pyramids, an altar, and five plain stelae, all linked via a series of interconnected plazas. The hilltop location of Cahal Pech also gives tourists panoramic vistas of San Ignacio and the Belize River Valley.

Lubaantun

Lubaantun, located near the Maya village of San Pedro Columbia in southern Belize, is the largest Mayan site in southern Belize. The ancient city features five main plazas, two ball courts, and 14 major structures, including 11 limestone pyramids. Unlike other ruins in Belize, Lubaantun was built without mortar, with each stone precisely measured and cut to fit the adjoining stone.

El Pilar

El Pilar, located in the Cayo District, is an archaeological site that is still in the early stages of excavation. The site is believed to be three times the size of Xunantunich and features more than a dozen courtyards, temples, palaces, pyramids, a ball court, and water reservoirs.

Cerros

Cerros is the only Mayan site in Belize located on the coast. The site is situated on a small peninsula across from the town of Corozal in the Bay of Chetumal. Several of the structures at Cerros have been submerged by rising sea levels, but there are still fascinating remains on dry land, including a 72-foot-tall funerary building and several stucco-facade buildings and plazas.

Nim Li Punit

Nim Li Punit, located in the Toledo District near the village of Indian Creek, is a smaller Mayan site known for its large number of stelae, or stone slabs. The site features a ball court, several palaces, and a long terrace, but it is the stelae that are the main attraction. One of the stelae, which is the longest in Belize at 30 feet tall, features a carving of a figure wearing a large headdress, giving the site its name, which means "big hat" in Maya.

Snorkel with stingrays and nurse sharks

Belize is home to the Belize Barrier Reef, also known as the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which is the second-largest barrier reef in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia. This makes it an ideal location for snorkelling and diving.

One of the most popular snorkelling spots in Belize is Shark Ray Alley, located within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Here, you can snorkel alongside nurse sharks and stingrays.

How to Get There

Shark Ray Alley can only be reached by boat. Most tours depart from San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) and also include a stop at Hol Chan Cut. It is easy to get to San Pedro from Belize City via water taxi.

What to Expect

The area has a constant depth of 4-10 feet, with a sandy and grassy seabed. Nurse sharks and stingrays are the main attractions, and you may even spot horse-eye jack, Bermuda chub, smooth trunkfish, and small barracudas.

As soon as you arrive by boat, the noise of the engine will attract the stingrays and nurse sharks, which are used to being fed by tour operators. Get into the water quickly to make the most of this unique experience. You can get very close to the sharks and rays, but be careful not to make any sudden movements as they will swim away.

Safety and Ethics

While nurse sharks are generally docile and non-aggressive, they may behave assertively if they associate humans with food. Therefore, it is important to choose a reputable tour operator that does not feed or touch the sharks and rays.

Stingrays are peaceful animals that are not dangerous unless they feel threatened. However, they have a venomous barb on their tail, so it is important to be cautious and avoid making sudden movements.

Other Things to Do Nearby

In addition to Shark Ray Alley, there are several other nearby snorkelling spots worth visiting, including Coral Gardens, the Belizean Titanic, and Caye Caulker Marine Reserve.

Back on land, you can explore the town of San Pedro, relax at the Lazy Lizard bar, or grab an iced coffee at Ice 'n Beans.

Try local food and drink

Belize's diverse culture is reflected in its cuisine, which combines Latin American, Caribbean, and Creole flavours. Here's a guide to trying local food and drink in Belize:

Creole Staples

Creole cuisine is centred in Belize City, where rice and beans are a staple, often served with stewed chicken, beef, or fried fish. This dish is cooked in coconut milk and seasoned with pepper, and sometimes includes potato or garden salad and fried plantain. Another staple is the "boil-up", a soup that combines fish, hard-boiled eggs, yams, plantains, and sweet potatoes, with occasional pigtail or other leftover cuts of pork or beef. Cow foot soup is also popular, made with root vegetables, coconut, cilantro, peppers, and savoury seasoning. For dessert, try coconut pie or bread pudding, often prepared with coconut oil for a rich texture and delicate flavour.

Local Produce

Belize's tropical climate yields an abundance of fruit, including watermelon, papaya, orange, star fruit, dragon fruit, soursop, and breadfruit. In cities like Belize City, San Ignacio, Orange Walk, Dangriga, and Punta Gorda, you can explore outdoor fruit markets and sample the local produce.

Street Food and Snacks

For a quick bite, try panades, salbutes, garnaches, or tacos. These snacks are widely available and resemble open-faced tacos, usually made with a fried tortilla topped with vegetables, cheese, and hot sauce or peppers. Salbutes often include pulled chicken, while panades are meat pies with a British influence, filled with either beef, fish, or beans.

Seafood

Belize's Caribbean coast and northern islands provide a year-round supply of fresh seafood. Red snapper is highly prized for its firm meat and sweet flavour, while lobster and conch are seasonal delights. Fish caught near the beach is typically grilled with Creole spices, or fried. For a unique experience, try ceviche, made with raw fish marinated in citrus juices and served with chillies and cilantro.

Drinks

Belize offers a range of drinks to quench your thirst. Belikin is the country's main beer, with varieties such as lager, stout, premium, and lighthouse lager. Local rum, both dark and clear, is also a popular choice. For wine lovers, cashew-nut and berry wines are available in some villages, although imported wine can be expensive. Fruit juices, such as orange, lime, and pineapple, are widely available, and coffee enthusiasts can find gourmet coffee, although instant coffee is more common. Lastly, for a unique blend, try seaweed, a mix of seaweed, milk, cinnamon, sugar, and cream.

Visit the zoo

The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center is a non-profit organisation that was founded in 1983 by Sharon Matola. It is located on the Western Highway, about 47 kilometres (29 miles) west of Belize City, and is set in 12 hectares (29 acres) of land. The zoo is home to over 160 animals, representing 43 native species, and is the oldest wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility in Belize.

The zoo's focus is on educating visitors about the wildlife of Belize, with the aim of instilling appreciation, pride, and a desire to protect and conserve the country's natural resources. The animals at the zoo are either rescues, confiscated from the illegal wildlife trade, or transferred from other rehab and zoological facilities. The habitats designed for the animals reflect their natural settings, providing an immersive educational experience for visitors.

Some of the native wildlife you can see at the zoo include:

• Mammals: Baird's tapir (Belize's national animal), jaguar, puma, ocelot, margay, jaguarundi, white-tailed deer, red brocket deer, collared peccaries, white-lipped peccaries, Yucatan spider monkeys, black howler monkeys, Central American agoutis, lowland paca, gray foxes, neotropical otters, coatis, kinkajous, and tayras.
• Birds: Scarlet macaws, red-lored amazons, yellow-headed amazons, keel-billed toucans, jabiru, harpy eagles, king vultures, great black hawks, ornate hawk-eagles, barn owls, mottled owls, crested guans, and great curassows.
• Reptiles: American crocodiles, Morelet's crocodiles, boa constrictors, fer-de-lance, green iguanas, and black spiny-tailed iguanas.

In addition to the traditional daytime tour, the zoo offers night tours where you can observe the activity of crepuscular and nocturnal animals, such as tapirs, jaguars, margays, kinkajous, crocodiles, peccaries, and howler monkeys.

The zoo also offers special encounters, such as the "Junior Buddy" experience, where visitors can safely enter a cage within the exhibit of a young jaguar named Junior and learn about the importance of the species.

The Belize Zoo is a great option for those interested in wildlife and nature, providing an opportunity to see and learn about the diverse native animals of Belize in a setting that prioritises their care and conservation.

Go cave tubing

Belize is home to the Nohoch Che'en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve, where you can go cave tubing. The ancient Mayans believed that caves were the "underworld" and were revered as sacred places.

Cave tubing is a popular shore excursion in Belize and is often combined with other activities such as ziplining, ATV rides, and visits to Mayan ruins. The activity involves hiking through the rainforest, floating down the Caves Branch River, and exploring the cave systems.

• Transportation: Most tour companies will provide transportation to and from the cave tubing site. The drive from Belize City or San Ignacio usually takes around one hour.
• Gear-up: Upon arrival, you will be provided with the necessary equipment, including helmets and waterproof headlamps.
• Hike to the caves: You will then hike through the rainforest for about 20-45 minutes to reach the cave entrances. The hike offers an opportunity to learn about the surrounding flora and fauna, as well as the history and geology of the cave systems.
• Tube through the caves: Hop into your inner tube and float into the cave passages. The current will carry you through the caves, where you can observe ancient crystal formations and learn about the Mayan culture.
• Swim and explore: There is usually an opportunity to stop for a swim in a natural swimming hole before continuing to the most active cave, where you can see colonies of bats.
• River float: After exiting the last cave, you will have a relaxing river float through the lush rainforest, which leads back to the starting point.
• Lunch and return: Before departing, a homemade picnic lunch is often provided, after which you will be driven back to your original meeting point.

Cave tubing in Belize offers a unique combination of adventure, cultural insights, and natural beauty. It is a memorable activity that should not be missed when visiting the country.

Frequently asked questions