Travel
The Top 10 Most Beautiful Breathtaking Spots In Belize
It’s no surprise that Belize is regarded as one of the world’s most beautiful and mysterious countries. Untouched palm-fringed beaches, a crystal-clear ocean brimming with incredible aquatic life, and lush jungles concealing the secrets of an ancient Mayan civilization — Here are the top 10 most beautiful places to visit in Belize.
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary protects south central Belize’s forests and animals by covering a substantial part of the eastern Maya Mountain range. One of the largest and most famous jaguar sanctuaries in the world, it has about 800 cats and covers more than 400 square kilometres.
The park has 290 bird species, including the endangered scarlet macaw and king vulture. The sanctuary lies at the end of a rocky 10km drive off the main highway unless you’re with a tour company. However, an information point will direct you to trails that reveal a magnificent natural reserve with jagged peaks, lush jungles, and stunning waterfalls. A must-see.
Tobacco Caye
Tobacco Caye, a little island near Dangriga, Belize, is a tropical paradise. It is only 200 feet wide and 400 feet long, so you can walk around it in 15 minutes and enjoy the intimate and convivial atmosphere created by the 20 Belizeans that live there. The island is great for relaxing and disconnecting because there are no cars or roads. It’s a popular reef diving and fishing area in the South Water Caye Marine Reserve.
Caracol
Caracol, Belize’s greatest ancient Maya archeological site, sits 500 meters above sea level on a plateau. It was one of the civilization’s most important political entrances during the Classic Period, covering a region greater than the country’s capital.
Since its 1920 discovery in the deep jungle, travelers from around the world have marveled at its massive temples, towering pyramids, royal tombs, and residences overlooking kilometers of the protected Chiquibul forest. After a long day, swim at Rio On Rools and Rio Frio Cave on your way home.
Belize Barrier Reef
Situated half a mile off the coast of Belize, the country’s Barrier Reef is the longest of its kind in the Western Hemisphere and the second longest in the whole world. Today, it is the top tourist destination in the country, showing thousands of visitors a year exactly why it is ‘the most remarkable Barrier Reef in the West Indies,’ as it was called by naturalist Charles Darwin in 1842.
Home to a wide diversity of plants and animals, it is one of the most diverse ecosystems on the planet and features species of over 100 soft and hard coral, 500 fish, and hundreds of invertebrate. In fact, the Belize Barrier Reef is so dense that only 10% of all the species here have been discovered — this is partly why it is heavily protected by the country’s reserve system.
San Ignacio
San Ignacio, a jungle village on the Macal River’s east bank, is a cultural hub. Today, vacationers, archaeologists, Peace Corps volunteers, and North American expats visit one of the country’s most diversified communities. To get a true feeling of the city, explore the narrow streets and try the traditional cuisine, or see the breathtaking sites beyond the town.
The Mountain Pine Ridge Ecosystem, with stunning views, deep caves, and Belize’s largest waterfall, located directly outside San Ignacio. The village is the penultimate stop before visiting the Tikal Mayan ruins in Guatemala.
Hopkins
Hopkins offers a true Belizean experience. The neighborhood has maintained its rural, seaside appeal and avoided becoming a commercial tourist hub despite its growth from a fishing community.
In November, the community celebrates Garifuna Settlement Day, making it a lively coastal town. Most Belizeans consider it the Garifuna cultural hub. On other days, the unusual terrain and easy access to coastal dive sites draw eager people from around the world.
The Actun Tunichil Muknal, a Mayan sacrificial burial site near San Ignacio, is mostly inside a cave system that must be navigated to reach its treasures.
After swimming through the cave entrance, you’ll find beautiful pottery, ceramics, and stoneware, as well as human sacrificial remains like the “Crystal Maiden,” a female adolescent’s skeleton covered in limestone crystals. The Belize National Institute of Culture and History organizes groups for guided cave tours.
Great Blue Hole
Divers have loved Belize’s Great Blue Hole for decades. The UNESCO World Heritage Site Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System includes this 300-meter-wide, 124-meter-deep reef. Recreational scuba divers dive into its crystal-clear seas every year. This sink hole has tropical fish, coral formations, sharks, and stalactite-filled caves, making it a bucket list item for adventurers.
Toledo
Toledo, nicknamed “Forgotten Land” due to its remote location near Belize’s southernmost tip, is one of the least frequented sights in Belize. Its solitude and approximately 1,700 square miles of mostly uninhabited rainforest, mountain ranges, rivers, and offshore islands make it one of the most mysterious and picturesque areas in the country. Once there, you can kayak and snorkel in the nearby Snake Cayes or tube the local rivers. Toledo’s jungle has around 500 bird species for birdwatchers.
Silk Cayes
Silk Cayes, sometimes known as the “Queen Cayes,” is a marine reserve on two abandoned islands in the central Belize Barrier Reef. A gorgeous island with kilometers of turquoise sea and snow-white beach, it offers several snorkeling possibilities to investigate its eco-systems.
The area is known for its abundance of wild turtles, including the four-foot-long Loggerhead Turtle. Divers enjoy the gentle Whale Shark in season. Take a lunch from Placencia’s market to one of the many coconut tree grills.
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