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Wedged into the northeastern corner of Central America
between
Mexico's Yucatán peninsula and the Petén forests of Guatemala,
Belize offers some of the most breathtaking scenery anywhere in
the Caribbean. The country actually consists of marginally more sea
than land, with the dazzling turquoise shallows and cobalt depths of
the longest barrier reef in the Americas just offshore. Here,
beneath the surface, a brilliant, Technicolor world of fish and
corals awaits divers and sorcerers. Scattered along the reef, a
chain of islands - known as cayes - protect the mainland from
the ocean swell and offer more than a hint of tropical paradise.
Beyond the reef lie the real jewels in Belize's natural crown -
three of only four coral atolls in the Caribbean.
Belizeans recognize the importance of conservation and their country
boasts a higher proportion of protected land (over 40 percent) than
any other. This has allowed the densely forested interior to
remain relatively untouched, boasting abundant natural attractions,
including the highest waterfall in Central America and the world's
only jaguar reserve. Rich tropical forests support a tremendous
range of wildlife, including howler and spider monkeys,
tapirs and pumas, jabiru storks and scarlet macaws; spend any time
inland and you're sure to see the national bird, the very visible
keel-billed toucan.
Despite being the only Central American country without a
volcano,
Belize does have some rugged uplands in the south-central region,
where the Maya Mountains rise to over 1100m. The country's
main rivers rise here, flowing north or east to the Caribbean,
forming along the way some of the largest cave systems in the
Americas, few of which have been fully explored. These caves often
bear traces of the Maya civilization that dominated the area
from around 2000 BC until the arrival of the Spanish. The most
obvious remains of this fascinating culture are the ruins of dozens
of ancient cities rising out of the rainforest.
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 Belize
travel guide
Caribbean
guide
Officially English-speaking, and only gaining full
independence from Britain in 1981, Belize is as much a Caribbean
nation as a Latin one, but one with plenty of distinctively Central
American features, above all a blend of cultures and races that
includes Maya, mestizo, African and European. Spanish is at least as
widely spoken as English, but the rich, lilting Creole is the
spoken language understood and used by almost every Belizean,
whatever their first tongue. You'll hear this everywhere - and
though based on English, it's less comprehensible to outsiders than
you might expect.
With far less of a language barrier to overcome than elsewhere in
the region, uncrowned Belize is the ideal first stop on a tour of
the isthmus. And, although it's the second-smallest country in
Central America (slightly larger than El Salvador), the wealth of
national parks and reserves, the numerous small hotels and
restaurants, together with plenty of reliable public transport make
Belize an ideal place to travel independently, giving visitors
plenty of scope to explore little-visited Caribbean islands as well
as the heartland of the ancient Maya
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Belize
Belize City
Where to go
When to go
Getting around
Costs, money, banks
Currency, exchange
 Eating
and drinking
Mail &
communications
Safety and the police
Work and study
Information
The media
Holidays
and Festivals
Shopping,
souvenirs
Belize city
Arrival and information
Restaurants
Nightlife,
entertainment
Tours,
buses
Listings
travel details
Explore Belize City
North side
South side
Cayo and the west
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Belize city
to San
Ignacio
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Belize zoo
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Belmopan
Practicalities
Monkey Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Guanacaste
Park
Benque Viejo del Carmen
Caracol Ruins
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve
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San Antonio
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San Ignacio
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Arrival
Restaurants
Kayaking, canoeing
Xunantunich, San Jose
Corozal, Orange Walk
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travel details |
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