Belize: Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret
Bordering Mexico and Guatemala on the Yucatan’s Caribbean coast, this is the perfect place to take your family, go with friends, or take a romantic vacation to this diverse society filled with many different cultures. Belize is a mixture of British colonialism, with African, Spanish, and Mayan influences and is the only English-speaking country in Central America.
Belize has the second longest barrier reef in the world, with some of the best diving, snorkeling, and deep-sea fishing in the Caribbean. There are hundreds 
of islands, ancient Maya sites, and old-growth tropical rainforests full of life. Uninhibited atolls and 300-meter waterfalls are also beautiful features of the country.
Mayans occupied this region as early as 1500 B.C. leaving hundreds of Mayan archeological remains scattered throughout the tropical rainforests. Palaces, temples, ceremonial centers, and stone pictograms are found all over Belize. One of the most popular, Altun Ha, is found near Belize City, and other famous sites are located deep in the forests.
Experience classic Belizean cuisine; a staple in their diet that is served with almost every meal is white rice and red kidney beans cooked in coconut milk. Try the Caribbean stewed chicken, or the ever-popular rich fish soup served with fried plantain and cassava bread. The main meats served in Belize are fish, shellfish, and chicken. Do not expect to have a big juicy steak while visiting Belize; you might as well go for the fish because it does not get much fresher than this.
The Great Blue Hole is always a popular tourist site when visiting Belize. The hole is a large underwater sinkhole just off the coast that is over 300 meters across and 125 meters deep. This site was declared one of the top ten scuba diving sites in the world, as the waters are crystal clear with many different species of fish.
Belize offers a large variety of accommodations for pretty much anything you need. There are large sized family hotels, luxury resorts, vacation rentals, guesthouses, condominiums, and campgrounds.
Find out more at www.travelbelize.org
Photo credits: Wikimedia Commons, mikebaird, Graeme Douglas, fiat luxe
2 Comments
I dove the Belize reef on two vacations. I must say, it offers some fantastic diving in a relaxed and casual environment. I stayed in San Pedro on Ambergris Keye and loved it, so much I returned for a second stay.
I did not dive the Blue Hole but spoke to divers who did. Most mentioned that the long boat ride (3+ hours) was not really worth what the hole offered – a relatively short (under 30 minutes) deeper dive (100+ ft.,) very few fish except a few big groupers and if lucky, a couple nurse sharks at about 70 feet. It did offer great visalbility to 400 feet, stalagtites, and mostly constant temps.
It’s a different type of dive, but when vacationing on a world-class reef where you can see fish, sharks, lobsters, rays, etc., on any reef dive which I I prefer — spending the day seeing the good stuff.
But that’s what makes diving fun…everyone loves what they love and no single dive is loved by every diver.