Belize Family Adventure Guide

Belize is a great destination for a family vacation, offering a mix of beach relaxation and jungle adventures. The small country is packed with ancient Mayan sites, incredible animals, delicious food, and thrilling activities. Here is an introduction to some of the best things to do in Belize with your family.

Belize has something for everyone, from exploring lush rainforests and ancient civilisations in the Cayo District to snorkelling and scuba diving at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Ambergris Caye. The country is known for its biodiversity and distinctive ecosystems, with hundreds of offshore islands and vast expanses of rainforest.

One of the most renowned family-friendly resorts in the country is the Lodge at Chaa Creek in the Cayo District. Chaa Creek offers eco-adventures such as butterfly farms, archaeological sites, and an on-site organic garden. Belize is also home to the Belize Zoo, a unique, stroller and wheelchair-friendly attraction with natural enclosures that mimic real wildlife habitats.

For cultural experiences, families can visit the San Antonio Women's Cooperative to learn about traditional Mayan methods of cooking and pottery making. They can also take a Garifuna drumming class in Hopkins or explore the Mayan ruins of Xunantunich.

With its mix of nature, beach time, relaxation, and adventure, Belize is sure to offer an unforgettable vacation for the whole family.

Explore ancient Mayan sites

Belize is considered the epicentre of the ancient Maya world, and exploring the ancient Mayan sites is a great way to let your children's imaginations run wild. Here are some of the best Mayan sites to visit in Belize:

Cahal Pech

Cahal Pech is located in San Ignacio, Cayo, and is easily accessible from the town proper. The name means "place of ticks" in the Yucatecan Maya language, coined in the 1950s when the area was used as pasture. The site includes seven plazas and over 30 structures, including temples, residential buildings, ball courts, an altar, and a sweat house, all situated on just 2 acres. Cahal Pech was settled around 1000 BC and abandoned by 800 AD. A royal burial chamber was found in one of the structures, containing shell and bone ornaments, pottery vessels, obsidian blades, and jade objects.

Xunantunich

Xunantunich is a Classic Period ceremonial centre, located in western Belize. The site is less than a mile from some lovely rapids of the Mopan River and provides an impressive view of the entire river valley. The highest ruin is 133 feet tall, the second tallest temple in all of Belize. Well-preserved sun god masks decorate one side of the structure. Xunantunich was the first Maya ruin to be opened for visitors in 1950, because of its proximity to San Ignacio. It is believed that the site was once home to 200,000 people, equivalent to two-thirds of Belize's current population.

Altun Ha

Altun Ha is located 31 miles north of Belize City on the Old Northern Highway. The area is rich in wildlife, including armadillos, bats, squirrels, agouti, paca, foxes, raccoons, coati, tyra, tapir, and the white-tailed deer. Two hundred species of birds have been recorded, and there are large crocodiles in the Maya-made water reservoir. Altun Ha was a major ceremonial and vital trade centre during the Classic Period, and the most significant find is the Maya Jade Head, representing the Mayan Sun God, Kinich Ahua.

Caracol

Caracol is located on the western edge of the Maya Mountains within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. It is the largest known Maya centre within the country and holds "Canaa" (Sky Place), the largest pyramid or man-made structure in Belize at 140 feet tall. Caracol was the centre of one of the largest Maya kingdoms and contains the extant remains of thousands of structures. The site is an active archaeological site, with many treasures still to be uncovered.

Visit the Belize Zoo

One of the best tours in Belize for children is the Belize Zoo. Unlike an ordinary zoo, the animals here roam in large enclosures that mimic their natural habitat. The zoo is also fully accessible for strollers and wheelchairs.

The zoo is home to rescued Belizean wildlife, including tapirs, jaguars, scarlet macaws, and spider monkeys. The mighty jaguar can be seen sunbathing near a pond.

The zoo offers a unique experience, forgoing concrete cages and instead allowing visitors to get up close and personal with the animals in natural wildlife habitats.

The Belize Zoo is a must-visit destination for families looking for an educational and entertaining day out in Belize. It is the perfect place to learn about the country's diverse wildlife and to get a sense of its commitment to conservation and animal welfare.

Snorkel at Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Snorkelling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve is a must-do when visiting Belize with your family. Located just a few miles off the southeast coast of Ambergris Caye, it is one of the best places in the world to snorkel, with crystal clear waters and an abundance of marine life. The reserve covers approximately three square miles and is divided into four zones, offering something for everyone.

In Zone D, you will find Shark Ray Alley, where nurse sharks and stingrays approach boats in search of scraps of fish. While it is not recommended to touch the marine life, snorkelers can enter the water and swim alongside these incredible creatures. The rest of the reserve is equally captivating, with turtles, eels, dolphins, manatees, lobsters, and large schools of colourful fish. The reef also attracts spotted eagle rays and hundred-year-old turtles.

Most tours depart at 9 am or 2 pm and typically last about three and a half hours. It is important to hire a guide for this excursion, and Lil' Alphonse comes highly recommended. He combines incredible underwater sightseeing with learning, clapping his hands underwater to point out various species and then explaining what you are seeing once you emerge from the water.

The Hol Chan Marine Reserve promises an unforgettable experience for the whole family, offering the adventure of a lifetime and a chance to get up close and personal with Belize's breathtaking marine life.

Take a chocolate-making tour

Belize is a great destination for families, with a wide range of activities to keep both children and adults entertained. One such activity is taking a chocolate-making tour, where you can learn about the history of chocolate in the Mayan world and make your own chocolate creations.

History of Chocolate in Belize

Chocolate has a long history in Belize, dating back to the ancient Maya civilisation. Cacao cultivation was an important part of Mayan culture, and chocolate was even used as currency. Today, Belize continues to produce high-quality cacao and chocolate, with many small farms and factories offering tours and tastings.

Chocolate-Making Process

On a chocolate-making tour in Belize, you will typically visit a cacao farm, where you will learn about the cultivation and processing of cacao beans. You will see how cacao beans are extracted from the pods, fermented, dried, and then processed into chocolate. You will also have the opportunity to taste the fruit and sample farm-to-table chocolate.

Hands-On Experience

The highlight of the tour is the hands-on experience of making your own chocolate. Using traditional grinding stones, you will create your own Mayan chocolate bar, adding natural flavours like cinnamon, chilli, or vanilla. You can also customise your creation with a variety of toppings. It's a fun and delicious way to learn about the art of chocolate-making.

Tour Options

There are several companies in Belize that offer chocolate-making tours, including Taste Belize, Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort, and Julian Transfers & Tours. The tours typically last for half a day and include transportation, water, and entrance fees. Some tours also combine chocolate-making with other activities, such as visiting Mayan ruins, rum tasting, or jungle adventures.

What to Bring

When preparing for your chocolate-making tour, it's recommended to wear tennis shoes that can get muddy and bring a camera, sunblock, bug spray, and extra cash to purchase chocolate to take home. If river tubing or visiting a waterfall is included in your tour, don't forget to bring a towel and a swimsuit!

Go cave tubing

Belize is known for its cave tubing, an activity that involves floating above underground rivers inside caves in specially designed inflatable tubes or tire inner tubes. It is a unique and mysterious experience that can be enjoyed by people of all ages and fitness levels. Here is a guide to help you plan your cave tubing adventure in Belize:

Where is it located?

The best cave tubing in Belize takes place on the Caves Branch River in the Cayo District, in the western part of the country. The river is known for its extensive cave systems, including the famous Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, a popular destination for archaeological adventures.

To get to the Caves Branch River, you will first need to fly into Belize’s Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City. From there, you can take a domestic flight or travel by road to Belmopan or San Ignacio, which are both near the river. You can arrange transportation by renting a vehicle, hiring a taxi, or joining a guided cave tubing tour offered by many hotels in the area.

The entire cave tubing experience will take approximately four hours. The trip from Belize City to the cave tubing areas of Cayo near Belmopan takes about two hours, followed by a 30-minute hike through the rainforest to the site. The actual cave tubing activity will last around 45 minutes.

As you float through the cave systems, you will encounter limestone caverns, geological formations, and ancient Mayan artifacts. The Mayans considered these caves sacred and used them for rituals and spiritual communion with divine beings. You will also see incredible vistas of stalactites and stalagmites, some shaped like human and wildlife figures, formed over millennia by dripping water.

It is recommended to wear water shoes to protect your feet and a bathing suit. Don't forget to bring a towel, sunscreen, insect repellent, and cash. Tour companies will provide you with tubes, refreshments, snacks, and cover all park fees.

Any recommended tours?

There are various tour options available, ranging from moderate to difficult intensity levels. Here are some notable tours:

• River of Caves 7-mile Cave Tubing: Float through underground rivers and explore stalagmites and stalactites. This tour also offers optional ziplining for an extra thrill.
• Waterfall Cave Expedition: Climb seven waterfalls located hundreds of feet underground and return by jumping off into the pools below.
• River Cave Expedition: Tube through the river cave system and discover ancient Maya ceremonial centres, pottery, artifacts, and footprints of shamans.
• Lost World Ceremonial Cave Tour: Hike through the jungle and explore crystal chambers containing 2,000-year-old ceremonial fire pits, pottery, relics, and skeletons of sacrificial victims.
• ATM (Actun Tunichil Muknal) Cave Tour: Explore one of the most popular Mayan burial sites in Western Belize, including skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware left by the Maya.

Frequently asked questions