On June 16, I made a split-second decision to purchase a ticket to Belize for a much needed vacation. It's been almost two years since my last vacation, and my soul was longing for a passport stamp and an adventure in a new country. Check out my top six things to do in Belize if you ever decide to get away!
1. Visit the beaches immediately!
The turquoise and emerald waters are the stuff that aquatic dreams are made of. Dig your feet into the cool, white sands (please get a pedicure though; boiled peanut looking toes peaking through the sand don't make for good pictures).
Visit the cayes (pronounced /keez/). I didn't get to this time, but I would recommend visiting Caye Caulker where you can swim with nurse sharks. No worries, they are NOT like their cousin, Jaws. Nurse sharks feed on small sea animals (mostly crabs, fish, clams, stingrays, and mollusks) unless agitated by humans.
2. Visit the Belize Zoo.
If you're a zoo connoisseur, you'll realize that it's not very big. However, its structure is very different from American zoos. The Belize Zoo is very open, resembling natural environments for its animals. While there are partitions between animals and visitors, they are NOT very thick or obvious. In fact, the Howler Monkey and Spider Monkey exhibits are almost open enclosures if you consider the fact that monkeys climb and swing from tree to tree. At one point, me and a Spider Monkey stared at each other like, "Umm, what enclosure?" The jaguar pictured is one of several animals specific to Belize. Somebody let the Jacksonville Jaguars know that I was out in Central America representing for the home team, screaming, "Go, Jags!" while trying to get pictures with jaguars. Since I'm a loyal fan, I don't mind free tickets one Sunday for my organization either.
3. Enjoy the beauty of the Belizean sunset.
If you're anything like me, you love a good ol' sunset. The sunsets I watched in the evenings were so calming and mesmerizing.
Belizean sunsets are proof that the best things in life are free. Appreciate God's artistry; He's an excellent painter. The mixture of colors (cerulean, cyan, violet, lavender, coral, salmon, rose, slate gray, and cornflower) splashed across the sky is overwhelmingly beautiful.
4. Make your way to a local watering hole.
Not to be confused with The Great Blue Hole situated off the coast of Belize, these watering holes are local inland spots with lots of history and legendary tales. Pictured right, you'll see one that I visited called The Blue Hole. The bluest point is the opening to an underwater cave that opens in another place. Mayans used these local spots for bathing, swimming, cooling off, and washing clothing. Many are found in the middle of the rainforest, so it's not uncommon to see or hear local animals like Howler and Spider Monkeys, tapirs or toucans (both national animals), or snakes. Have fun but be vigilant!
Much of Belize is accessible with the right guide. Consider hiring a local to be your guide for excursions. You'll get better prices and a better experience. If you haven't already, download the AirBNB app to search for excursions offered in the places you visit. AirBNB is my go-to when planning my trips. They're usually much cheaper, the experience is more meaningful than those offered by tourist attraction companies, and you are supporting local economy and a small business owner.
5. Climb to the top of a Mayan Temple.
It's such a neat experience to stand on history. I've read about the Mayans in the criminally suspect history books provided by our racist educational system...never mind, just know I read about the Mayans, Incas, and Aztecs throughout my K-12 education and enjoyed what I read. If you've known me for at least four years, you know I had to pull on inner-Apocalypto spirit to survive my trek through the Costa Rican jungle when I was trying out for the US Special Forces (I might be embellishing that a teench, but whatever...). I need that same spirit to overcome me when I had to climb this temple at Altun Ha. I made it...even if it was just barely.
6. Snap it up at the Belize sign down by the port.
I took about three hundred thousand pics here; I'm only sharing a highlight.
This monument is located on the outskirts of downtown with the Caribbean Sea in the background. It's large enough for group photos and stunning enough if you want a few shots by yourself.
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