Belize
- Lotch
- Mar 28, 2020
- 7 min read
Updated: Mar 29, 2020
If there would be one place I could go in a blink, it would have to be Belize. Full of natural treasures, the untouched land offers a surreal show of stunning colors and shapes.
Belize was known as British Honduras until 1973 and obtained independence in 1981. It's the smallest country in Central America with the lowest population density.
The country was a British colony for more than a hundred years, making it the only nation in Central America where English is the official language. Other spoken languages are Spanish, Maya, Garifuna, and Kriol, also known as Belizean Creole.
This diversification in the languages reflects the various types of people you will meet here.
Let me introduce you to paradise for a few minutes!
Along the coast of the country is the incredible Belize Barrier Reef, which is the second largest in the world. This natural spectacle of life and colors was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1996. The seawater life makes scuba diving an adventure like no other. No wonder why Belize is the best dive destination in the Caribbean!
Around 450 islands are in Belize, they are called Cayes, but pronounced "keys".
Silk Caye Fisher Island
Where should I start? Probably with one of my most favorite experiences ever.
Although you don't need to go very far to see the beauty of Belize, my friend Chino, who lives on the peninsula of Placencia, took us on a boat ride around the Silk Caye National Park for the day.
I snorkeled in shallow clear waters with one of the most abundant collections of marine life. I swam along with exotic fish, stingrays, and nurse sharks! Chino caught a lobster, a hock snapper, a grouper, and a barracuda that we barbecued once we arrived to an uninhabited island. (Above pictures)
This fisher island had so many empty Queen conch shells. After fishing them, experienced fishermen know to not throw the empty shells where they caught them, as other conchs may not return to that area. Conch is my favorite type of ceviche; served cold, feet in the sand!
Mayan Ruins
What's refreshing about Belize is that you can find incredible scenery on water, ground, or up in the air on top of Mayan temples.
For more than 2,000 years, the Maya was the dominant civilization in Central America. Originated in the Yucatán area approximately 2,600 B.C, the Maya civilization is one of the oldest and most mysterious civilizations.
The Mayans are largely known for their mystifying beliefs and culture, intricate architecture, writing system, and advanced calendar, as well as for their achievement in astronomy and mathematics — so many things!
In fact, temples were built in places that would allow the observation of astronomic events, stars, and planets.
Lubaantun is a ruin city of the Maya civilization located in the south of Belize. The structures of the site are mostly large piled stone blocks with no mortar.
Mortar, a sort of cement, was mainly made from limestone burnt with wood, and would help keep the material in place. It was also used to make sculptures.
Xunantunich is an ancient Maya stone city located less than 6 km (4 mi) from Guatemala, in the north west of Belize. Pronounced shoo-nan-too-nitch, it means "Stone Woman" or "Maiden of the rock" in the Yucatec dialect.
There are many restored archeological ruins in Belize, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, but other large sites still remain undiscovered in remote jungles.
Eco-friendly travel tip: stay on marked trails to keep ground cover safe and avoid stepping on protected or endangered plants.
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary & Jaguar Preserve
The southern half of the country is dominated by the rugged Maya Mountains. The Cockscomb Range runs toward the sea and culminates in Victoria Peak, which is the highest point in Belize. With 1,122 meters (3,681 feet), the rigorous hike to the top is 24 km (15 mi) long and takes approximately 3–4 days round trip.
Mostly unexplored, you are definitely better off getting a guide to hike out there!
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a nature reserve founded in 1990 determined to protect the tropical flora, fauna, and watersheds. It covers 388 sq. km (150 sq. mi) of tropical forest and is home to 300 recorded species of birds.
One day, I would love to see Belize's national bird, the Keel-Billed Toucan.
Cockscomb is the world's only Jaguar Preserve and shelters around 200 of these endangered felines. Jaguars are considered Near Threatened, meaning that they may be threatened with extinction in the near future. Nowadays, the major risk for this species is the deforestation across its habitat.
Belizean people say that you have to be very lucky to see a jaguar.
Eco-friendly travel tip: where ever you go, don't get too close, touch, or feed animals you encounter, as you might disturb or harm them (and you!).
I've experienced a tropical storm once while hiking in the jungle. It was fun and definitely unique. I loved exploring Cockscomb because it's such a refreshing environment. You can hear all sorts of noises from hundreds of different bugs and animals. Who knows what you're hearing sometimes!
There was also this very particular sound that I kept hearing. It happens to be cicadas that sound just like a saw drilling in a metal piece or an alarm. It's so loud!
Did you know there are more than 3,000 varieties of cicadas around the world? Zammara is a genus of cicadas found in Belize and it's quite a beautiful one.
The Reserve has an vast trail network with a lot of hike options that always lead to an incredible part of the rainforest. I hiked a few times on Tiger Fern trail. It's about an hour hike before you reach the top of the mountain for an amazing 360° view overlooking the jungle. This trail also leads to a waterfall if you make a quick detour. It gets a bit steep, but it's worth the scenic route and crisp dip.
Nothing is quite more rewarding to me than being tired and sweaty from the jungle and stopping by the Mayan Centre to eat some deliciousness made right on the spot.
"Food is our common ground,
a universal experience."
James Beard
Favorite Places to Eat in Placencia
I have to start with my most visited place to have breakfast, Above Grounds Coffee House. Their coffee is from small independent farmers in Guatemala. It's hand-picked and 100% organic Arabica coffee beans. They have homemade treats, such as banana bread, lots of choices for jams, and fresh squeezed juices.
My favorite is the Hibiscus Boost ice tea. It is so refreshing when it is already 30°c (86° F) at 7am!
Brenda's BBQ is one of my favorite places for lunch. Brenda is one of a kind, as she cooks some serious local stuff. She marinates and grills her meat. There is no menu, you just say hi and have a seat. She'll bring you some rum juices and snacks before the food is ready.
She cooks what's on her mind. That's how magic happens.
Carmen's Kitchen has the best fried tacos. Even though it's hot and humid outside, you do want to try them out. They also make all sorts of traditional Belizean food, such as burritos, regular tacos, tostadas, fry jacks, and much more.
Eco-friendly travel tip: drink and eat regional produces to support local businesses and economy, and reduce on "food mileage".
Food miles measures the distance from when food is made until it reaches the consumer and is a very important part of the environmental footprint of food production and consumption.
Evan, AKA Pops, smokes or grills chicken and pork on his property called the Espada's Yard. It's located on the famous Placencia Sidewalk, a few meters away from the beach and our cabana. You can enjoy wonderful meals sitting in his yard and you're free to bring whatever drinks you want to have. We love playing dominos there with our Belizean friends and you guessed it, Pop's backyard is the best place for it.
Right across the street is Tyrone's art shop. I couldn't find any links to his boutique, but he carves wood and sells his art work and some souvenir stuff on his propriety too. I got a driftwood bowl from him.
Fun fact about how the Placencia Sidewalk was built. Cement was mixed with pieces of dead coral, sand from the beach, and nearly 30,000 conch shells, which, if you pay attention, you can actually see when walking on it.
I love Maria's traditional food station! She has amazing tacos and breakfast burritos, and is popular for her mixed shredded chicken. She also has fresh squeezed tamarind (the best!), watermelon, and orange juices. Unfortunately, I don't have any links to find her little station. All I know is that it's located on Placencia Road, which is the main street of the peninsula.
You'll be able to locate it by the line of people waiting for her food!
Cozy Corner is a beach bar/restaurant/hotel. Their fresh ceviche is amazing and their fried chicken is the best I've had – served with fries, coleslaw, and most importantly, some Marie Sharp's hot sauce.
Marie Sharp's is my all time favorite and I must bring at least 3 bottles back with me before heading home! You can also buy mini bottles, ideal for small Belizean souvenirs to give away.
Other Incredible To-Dos
ATM Cave – Actun Tunichil Muknal.
You want to explore this sacred place with Carlos the Caveman. His passion and knowledge makes the adventure extraordinary, as he picks medicinal leaves and roots for you to try along the way. This is with him that I tried termites for the first -and last- time. It's funny, it tastes like carrot!
Monkey River Town boat rides are where you can hear and see little Howler monkeys screaming very high and loud. You'd never guess that they're actually tiny!
The Great Blue Hole is a famous huge sinkhole discovered by Jacques Cousteau in 1971. It's ideal for scuba-diving, as it offers an abundance of sea life.
Hopkins is a Garafuna village north of Placencia village. I checked out Driftwood Beach Bar & Pizza Shack by the water one night.
Belize Zoo is a non-governmental, non-profit organization, which looks after orphaned, rescued, and rehabilitated animals for the most part.
Eco-friendly traveling tip: you can support local communities and meet amazing people by getting involved in volunteering projects for instance. I would usually get school supplies for the Placencia school.
This article doesn't do justice to the beauty of Belize.
I love everything about this country.
The people, the culture, the history, the many activities, the flora, and fauna.
I'm hoping that this little introduction to this amazing place will intrigue you enough to go explore it.
À bientôt!
