Belize has been a bucket list trip since college. I had classes that spoke of its conservation efforts, others that spoke of the reef, and others that used it as an example of successful ecotourism that balanced the needs of nature with the needs of the economy. On travel lists, I often see the Blue Hole listed. In reading about our endangered global rainforests, Belize is called out as a safer place to see them. And let's face it, my eco-loving heart wanted to get up close and personal to some amazing sites. Belize was a must see!
Enter Groupon teasers. After our ride through Groupon false advertising this spring, I was a bit more cautious ... but I this time I did not just jump at a good deal, I looked up offers on many sites, looked for commentary, and relied on 3rd party pictures. You can't trust the reviews on Groupon itself, but after seeing outside reviews, we were ready to try again... with that, I purchased a deal for a type of vacation I have never taken before... we were to stay on a small island off the coast. Wow, are we soooo glad we took advantage of this opportunity.
We stayed at the Yok Ha Resort, 25 miles of the coast of central Belize and Dangriga. This meant we needed 2 planes, a shuttle and a boat... and about 8 hours of travel. But once we got off that boat on Waterfoot Caye, all our worries washed away - the resort was adorable. Bright Caribbean colors, conch shells accents, hibiscus flowers growing in the garden, individual bungalows, sea birds, sea stars right off the dock... and the staff... wow, as soon as we pulled up - the drinks, the food, the service... it really was "Welcome to Paradise." And to prove the point, that first night's dinner was lobster freshly caught from the reef!
Our trip was 4 nights on the Caye and 1 night in Belize City. I really wanted to see what Belize had to offer so I booked tours! All different kinds of tours. For a small country, there was a lot to see! 
On our first full day on the island, we hit the water. This was the day I was finally getting out on the Meso-American Reef. We were going to island hop a few cayes to see the Tobacco Range and then we were snorkeling. Our first stop was Bird Caye - and hundreds of birds. We saw Frigates, Bobbies, Cormorants, and Pelicans. It is Frigate mating season, so we actually got to see males all puffed out for display. In the bird world, I like to say that the males wear the make-up, and with these guys, that red throat is better than rouge. But getting the girl isn't enough, because once a egg is hatched, that male must guard the nest because the bobbies will steal the chick for food. Nature can be cruel and Frigates pick on Cormorants in the air and steal their food. It seemed that the only ones out of this cycle were the pelicans. Brown Pelicans to be more exact. They stayed on the outside of the island, overlooking the water, seemingly not concerned with the antics of the Frigates... honestly, what does a pelican want with a bird that can't get wet! Pelicans are the dive-bombers of the sea!
After some quality birding, we headed into the water. And I am still gobsmacked by the sights I saw. I have never seen that amount of coral alive and well - Purple Fan (and regular), Elk Horn, Staghorn, Brain, Boulder, Tubes, LeafPlates, sponges, and, yes, Fire Coral. That is not to say that the whole reef is healthy... I have read plenty that warns those that care about what is happening to our underwater gardens... |
| Nurse Shark |
but in the areas I was, I did not see evidence of coral bleaching. I also so a healthy diversity of sea life. As I swam around, I got to hear the crunch of the Parrotfish, and watched them scatter around the reef, we saw schools of wrasse, grunts and Sargent Majors. I followed a squirrelfish or 2 trying to get a picture. I was patient with the French Angelfish as they moved their thin bodies through the branch coral. I saw puffers, blue tangs and triggerfish. We spotted a ray.
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| Parrotfish munching |
And then, there was the lionfish... so many damn lionfish. These guys may be pretty but they don't belong here. They have no predators, and they are eating their way through the ecosystem... so while we were snorkeling, 2 others from the resort were spearfishing for lobsters (dinner), and they put the spears to good use taking a few out. Just not enough... (please don't release your aquarium fish in the water).
After spending the day on/in the water, we headed back to the resort for a meal and rest because on day 2 were headed Xunantunich! This was going to be a journey.
Heading to the mainland from Waterfoot Caye meant an early start... luckily everyone was going, we we had an early breakfast, packed up the boat and headed to Dangriga. From there we loaded a van and headed west. We were driving the length of Hummingbird Highway... what locals say is the most picturesque road in Belize. We were headed right towards Guatemala. Xunantunich sits right on the border, and it is the highest structure in Belize. We just had hours of driving to get there... and in that time, I got eaten alive by bugs stuck in the van with us.... take heed if you are heading to Belize... there are bugs, lots of them. And even covered in Off, they munched!
At the ruins, we met a tour guide that walked us through the open parts of the site, and told us of the
history on the Mayans' time here. Unlike the stories in the Yucatan, these stories were of power lost, of a struggle to survive... this time represents the fall of the Mayan empire. This is represents the point where human sacrifice was used to please the gods. Apparently the climate had changed and their crops were failing. (I am now incredibly curious to see if a big volcano erupted and cooled temperatures) Xunantunich itself is a gorgeous structure with Friezes depicting messages of faith and community. They believe all 4 sides were covered in these murals; only 1 1/2 sides exist now.... protected by plaster coverings for the future.
After our history lessons, we were able to climb to the top of the castle, El Castillo. This is where the city's leader would have stayed. And from the top, he was to commune with the gods to determine planting cycles. He would never come down from the tower, isolated from the people. And from 600 feet up, you could see how isolating that could be... it was a long way down! (and the day after our visit someone apparently fell off!)
The next day we headed back to the mainland to visit Blue Hole National Park, a site of St Herman's cave... the entrance to hell. Mayans fled the mountains to be closer to some of their gods, and they moved into cave systems found throughout the limestone mountains in Belize. We walked a small trail in the rainforest to get here (I fed a lot of mosquitoes) and we went cave tubing down a river in the cave. Inside were formations typically found in limestone caverns - stalactites/mites, columns, flowstone, soda straws. But never have I floated down a river in the darkness listening to the water drip from the ceiling... living there must have driven a few Mayans mad.
Back at the Caye, I wanted to eek every bit of enjoyment out of our stay... I headed back out on the water, this time via kayak. I wanted an eye-line view, and some solitude. Kayaking through the mangroves did just that. I was treated to pelicans swooping down, fish jumping out of the water, and sea stars screaming to be photographed. Because a storm had hit overnight (I was on vacation) the open waters were choppy and the currents were strong... I did not get to island hop, but I explored area lagoons and enjoyed the views. 
Four days in paradise goes quick and soon it was time to head back to Belize City. We had heard mixed reviews, but it is the city where the international airport is found, the most populous area. We stayed at the Radisson Fort George, a beautifully maintained property in the safest area of the city. We had shopping and views at hand. We arranged for a tour of the famous Belize Zoo! Walking on the edge of the jungle we were treated to all sorts of local wildlife - some we saw while in the rainforest earlier, and some we missed. Here, the conservation message of the facility is emphasized... animals here were saved, some were injured, some were separated from their moms when they were too young... and visitors get an opportunity to learn about them and their stories. You can't beat opportunities to see jaguars THIS CLOSE!
Five days in Belize goes fast... it was fabulous... don't think I had any more blood to offer the insects though! All in all a fabulous eco-adventure!
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