Belize in a nut shell 1

ColdinNH99 · November 9, 2014

Belize City On Your Own

The 10 Top Things to do in Belize City

There's lots to do in Belize City, even if you don't even make it into the town itself. Have a great time in Belize!

Take a cave tubing trip down the river. Everyone who does this trip can't stop talking about how much fun they had.

Go snorkeling an outer island. With the second largest barrier reef in the world, Belize is an ideal place to explore the undersea world.

Scuba dive in the Barrier Reef. Here you'll enjoy some of the best diving in the world.

Visit a Mayan ruin. You can see some ruins near Belize City, or take a day trip to some of the ruins in the hinterlands.

Sample some Belizean food. Hey, it's not like there's a Belize restaurant around the corner from where you live.

Go birding. Belize is in the middle of the migratory routes between North and South America, so take advantage of it!

Visit Goff's Caye for some beach time. Ahhh, lying on a white sand beach, with warm crystal clear waters and a bar and restaurant at your disposal. Who could ask for more?

Pay a visit to the Belize Zoo. It's unique, it's an adventure, and it's a lot of fun.

Take a Canopy Adventure. Swing through the air all the while taking in Belize's tropical rain forest.

See the sights in Belize City. It's a funky place, and it's worth exploring.

What You Need to Bring Ashore

Essentials

Cruise ships will drop anchor a few miles outside of Belize City's harbor (it's too shallow for the draft of the cruise ships) and be taken ashore by speedy ship's tenders run by the Belize port authority. Thus, it's a big hassle to return to the ship if you've forgotten something.

Here's a list of the essential items you'll want to bring ashore:

Room Key Card. You'll need it to re-board your ship.

Sunscreen. Don't underestimate the power of the Caribbean sun.

Bug repellent. Essential! You'll be very happy you brought it with you.

Hat. Don't let your head get fried.

Towel. Needed if you're going to a beach or plan on tubing.

Sunglasses. The glare off the water can be intense.

Money. Many shops in Belize City accept Credit Cards, as do many of the restaurants. Bring your ATM card so you can get cash on the go. If you're headed to the interior, bring plenty of Cash, as ATMs outside of Belize City are rare, and most shops don't accept credit cards.

Tablet or Smartphone. There are several places in Belize City where the Wi-Fi is free, so you can spend a little time re-connecting with the real world for a lot less than the internet on board your ship.

Camera. Memorialize your time in Belize.

What to Wear

The climate in Belize is hot and humid, so dress accordingly. Think cotton. Casual clothing is the order of the day. What you should wear depends on what you plan to do.

Women. If you plan to hang on the beach, you should wear a skirt, shorts or a sundress, and bring along a bag with bathing suit, hat, sunscreen, flip-flops and bathing suit cover-up. Wear athletic shoes until you get to the beach. If you're headed to the interior for tubing, wear your bathing suit and a T-shirt, and use your "bad" pair of athletic shoes (they'll get wet). Bring along a change of clothes, towel, water shoes and a large plastic bag to store your wet clothes/bathing suit.

Men. If you plan to hang on the beach, wear shorts and a T-shirt; bring along a bag with bathing suit, hat, sunscreen and flip-flops. Wear athletic shoes until you get to the beach. If you're headed to the interior for tubing, wear your bathing suit and a T-shirt, and use your "bad" pair of athletic shoes (they'll get wet). Bring along a change of clothes, towel, water shoes and a large plastic bag to store your wet clothes/bathing suit. On other jungle trips, including visits to Mayan ruins, wear comfortable lightweight long pants and a long sleeve shirt.

Getting Around

Orientation

Cruise ships will drop anchor a few miles outside of Belize City's harbor (it's too shallow for the draft of the cruise ships) and be taken ashore by speedy ship's tenders run by the Belize port authority. It'll take about 20 minutes to go from your ship to the Fort Street Tourism Village docks in Belize City. Almost all excursions to the interior will begin at the Tourism Village.

Tourism Village is a gated compound, comprised of three terminals and three courtyards with over fifty stores and businesses. Part of the complex is air conditioned. Here you'll find restaurants, snack shops, an internet cafe and ATM machines. The stores here sell the typical array of arts and crafts, clothing, jewelry, liquor and duty-free goods.

If you've signed up for an pre-arranged excursion on your ship, you'll meet your guide and board your vehicle at Tourism Village. You can also sign up for a tour upon your arrival offered by licensed tour operators and tour guides. Additional tour options can be found just outside the gates of Tourism Village. Belizean law requires that all tour guides and operators carry a valid license with photo ID.

The Belize Tourism Board operates an information desk in the main concourse of the Tourism Village.

Here's a link to a shopping map of the Tourism Village, courtesy of Royal Caribbean (pdf format).

Taxis

Taxis are reasonably priced and distinguishable by their green license plates. There are no meters in the taxis, instead charging a flat rate--usually around $6-$8 BZD per stop. Confirm the fare before entering the taxi.

Tipping in Belize City

General Guidelines

In Belize, tipping is customary, but in most situations, not required. Tips can be paid in either US or Belize dollars (bills, no US coins), but Belize dollars are preferred.

Restaurants

Restaurant bills almost never come with a service charge. It is customary to offer your waiter or waitress a tip of 15% of the bill if you feel that you have received good service. Give the tip directly to your server, as they don't make much money, and will greatly appreciate the gesture.

Bars

An appropriate tip in a bar is 15% of the total bar tab.

Taxi Cabs

It isn't customary to provide a tip to taxi drivers.

Tour Guides

If you are happy with your tour guide, a tip of 10% to 15% of the total cost of the tour is appropriate.

Shopping

Bargaining is essential and expected when buying most items in Belize. In more established shops, credit cards are usually welcome.

What's Special in Belize City

There are many unique items to shop for in Belize City. Look for hand-made and folk art goods, including hand-carved mahogany items, leather goods, woven items, black coral jewelry, slate carvings, bottled Belizean herbs and vinegars, hot pepper sauces, one-of-a-kind T-shirts and even stamps. You can buy these objects from the shops listed below.

See our Map of Recommended Belize City Shops for the locations of the shops listed below.

Image Factory Art Foundation

91 North Front Street

Belize City

Located on Front Street near the water taxi terminal. This shop features artwork, jewelry, and music by contemporary Belizean artists. Open Monday through Friday 9:00 am to 5:00 pm.

National Handicraft Center

2 South Park Street, near Memorial Park

Belize City

This government-sponsored venue supports local artisans from around the country who sell their arts and crafts in the complex. Here you'll find hand-carved mahogany bowls, beautiful black coral jewelry, slate carvings and bottled Belizean herbs and vinegars on display in this comfortable, air-conditioned building.

Phone: (501) 223-3636

Fort Street Flea Market

Fort Street

Expect to find just about anything in the Flea Market in the line of souvenirs: T-shirts, postcards, native crafts, jewelry, woven goods, leatherwork and more. Since there are fewer shoppers here than in the Tourism Village, the vendors are eager to bargain.

Go Tees

6238 Park Avenue, South Side

Belize City

Go Tees has been selling hand-painted shirts for more than 15 years. The designs are wearable works of art, many of them depicting the Belizean countryside. Go Tees also sells a carefully chosen selection of handcrafted wooden items, hammocks and Guatemalan textiles.

Phone: (501) 223-4660

Mennonite Furniture Market

47 North Front Street

Belize City

Here you'll find hand-made, solid wood rocking chairs and other items from Belize's hardworking Mennonite community. They won't arrange shipping, but you can get nice, basic, wooden furniture for reasonable prices.

Philatelic Society

Queen Street

Belize City

Belizean stamps are famous throughout the world for their colorful depictions of nature and wildlife. Howler monkeys, papaya trees and mango trees grace the stamps, which form a beautiful artwork when framed.

The Orange Gallery

San Ignacio

Coyo District

If you're on a tour to the inland, and are going through San Ignacio, you will probably stop at The Orange Gallery. You will appreciate your bus driver that you did. It's got one of the best selection of authentic Belizean arts and crafts, and the prices can't be beat.

Phone: (501)-824-3296

Belizean Cuisine

Traditional Belizean cuisine consists of simple but nutritious dishes featuring beans, rice, chicken, fish, shellfish, yams and a variety of fruit. In Belize, eating breakfast is called "drinking tea."

Regional Specialties of Belize Expect to find the following dishes in traditional Belizean cuisine:

Dukunu: a kind of tamale made with or without meat (chicken).

Rice & Beans: made with or without coconut milk. Expect white rice, and the beans can be red beans, pinto beans or black beans.

Stew Chicken: this is considered the Belizean national dish. Made with chicken, onion, sweet pepper and spices prepared in a stew; it's most often served with rice and beans and fried plantains.

Gibnut: a small rodent that lives in the woods and is quite a delicacy. Tastes like chicken!

Bile Up (or Boil Up): A Creole dish that is a combination boiled eggs, fish and/or pig's tail with a number of ground vegetables, such as cassava, green plantains, yams, sweet potatoes, covered with tomato sauce.

Cole Slaw: a Belizean variety that's very popular.

Hudut: a traditional fried fish dish made with coconut milk or a spicy fish soup made without coconut milk, originated by the sea-faring Garifuna people.

Panades: fried maize shells with beans or fish.

Garnaches: fried tortillas with beans, cheese and sauce.

Fresh fruit: bananas, passion fruit, starfruit, jackfruit, pineapples and Malay apples---one of the most delicious fruits around.

Restaurants

Cuisine in Belize City

Belize City's restaurants are plentiful, with most serving inexpensive, typically Belizean fare. There are several notable restaurants, serving either Belizean, American, Caribbean, Continental or Asian dishes, that cater to the tourist trade that we have listed below.

Recommended Restaurants in Belize City

If you've got time for lunch between your excursions, you'll find many good restaurants in Belize City. The Belizean lunch hour is between noon and 1:00 pm.

See our Recommended Belize City Restaurants Map for the locations of the restaurants listed below.

The Smoky Mermaid

Caribbean Cuisine

Specializing in smoked fish, meats and assorted breads, cooked in a fresh blend of Caribbean and Latin American cuisine. Breakfast, lunch and dinner feature Belizean classics and fresh-baked Creole bread, and there's a dining patio under thatched roofs set around a porcelain mermaid. Be sure to try the garlic mashed potatoes. Located right on the water, part of the historic Great House Hotel. Fills up on cruise days.

Located at 13 Cork Street.

Phone: +501 223-4759

Harbour View Restaurant

Continental Cuisine

One of the nicest dining rooms in town, featuring beautiful sunsets behind the city, sea breezes, and a delicious and varied menu: Argentine steaks, cinnamon-crusted grouper, snapper and more from the Filipino chef. Their drink list includes Chilean and Californian wines as well as top-shelf imported spirits and liqueurs.

Located on Fort Street, right on the water in the old Customs House building.

Phone: +501 223-6420

Riverside Tavern

Sports Bar

Extremely popular upscale sports bar and restaurant with a great location on the bank of Haulover Creek. Their massive "gourmet burger" is one of the best in the country. Other choices include steaks, coconut-encrusted shrimp and American/Caribbean cuisine and bar food. The Belizean beef comes from the owners' Gallon Jug Estate. There's an outdoor patio, proper bar, high-backed booths, and excellent service. The bar is open throughout the day. Owned by the Bowen family that brews Belikin Beer.

Located at 2 Mapp Street, at the corner of North Front Street.

Phone: +501 223-5640

Marva's

Belizean food

The food here is quite good. One caution: it's located in a dodgy neighborhood, so go with a group and be careful on your way out.

Located at the corner of Water Lane and East Collet Canal.

Phone: +501 207-4654

Big Daddy's Diner

Belizean cafeteria

This cheery eatery serves hearty breakfasts and offers delicious lunch specials. Try the traditional Dukunu and enjoy your meal while you gaze down at the marketplace below, where fishermen sort their catch of the day. The massive buffet-style lunches are a good deal.

Located above the marketplace just south of Swing Bridge

Phone: +501 227-0932

Neri's

Belizean food

Good local food with seven kinds of fresh squeezed juice served daily. Neri's serves excellent Belizean standbys, including rice and beans, stew chicken, Oxtail Soup, Gibnut, and Cowfoot Soup.

Neri's has two locations: on the corner of Queen and Handyside Streets, and on Douglas Jones Street.

Le Petite Cafe

Pastries

Le Petite Cafe serves baked goods and pastries, natural fruit juices, hot and cold beverages and other light menu items. Enjoy your snack on their outdoor patio. Open 6:00 am to 8:00 pm.

Located at the Radisson Fort George Hotel on Fort Street, not far from the Tourist Village.

Phone: +501 223-3333

Stonegrill

Continental

Healthy dishes grilled without any fat or oil. The meals are served on super-heated volcanic stones. Diners are presented with the hot stone and chicken, steak, shrimp or fish. You cook your own meal to order by turning the appetizers, fajitas, steak, chicken sate, shrimp, fish, etc. on the stone until it is done to your specifications. Features great view of Belize City harbor.

Located at the Radisson Fort George Hotel on Fort Street, not far from the Tourist Village.

Phone: +501 223-3333

Chon Saan Palace

Chinese & Sushi

The premier ethnic restaurant in Belize. If you're hankering for some good Chinese food, served in an upscale, air-conditioned restaurant, Chon Saan Palace is your ticket. The specials include Steamed Lobster in Black Bean Sauce, Chow Mein Singapore Style, Shrimp with Cashew Nuts or Crab Claws Chinese Style. They also serve sushi and sashimi.

Located at 1 Kelly Street, about a 5-minute taxi ride from the Tourism Village.

Phone: +501 223-3008

Sumathi

Indian

Belize City's best Indian restaurant, specializing in Northern Indian cuisine. They've got a tandoor, and also offer vegetarian dishes.

Located at 190 Newton Barrack's Road, near the Princess Hotel.

Phone: +501 223-1172

Activities

Tour Operators

Belize Tours Unlimited. Belize Tours Unlimited offers fourteen tours of the most popular activities to be found in Belize, including Cave Tubing, Mayan Ruins, the Howler Monkey Sanctuary, Birding, Ziplining, Snorkeling, and the Belize Zoo, plus unique tours that include shopping, tours of the Belikin Brewery, Cuisine tours and more. Plus, if you want to plan a customized tour, Belize Tours Unlimited is the operator to contact.

Belize Cruise Excursions. Booking your own Belize excursion through Belize Cruise Excursions will not only save you money but it will provide you with the option of unique and diverse experiences, small groups, individualized itineraries. Belize Cruise Excursions has personally selected the excursions and tour guides for Belize cave tubing, snorkeling, Belize Mayan Ruins and Belize Jungle tours to insure that you will have the best experience possible while in Belize.

Green Dragon Adventure Travel. Get away from the crowds for the day and discover Belize--Mother Nature's best kept secret--in a more intimate manner. Green Dragon works only with well-trained and friendly local guides, hand picked and tutored by their certified Mayan archaeologist. All of their guides are Certified by the Belize Tourism Board and the Belize Department of Archaeology. Green Dragon's first-class vehicles feature 4-wheel-drive and air conditioning. Enjoy private or small group inland adventures, including River Kayaking, Mayan Temples, Jungle trail horseback rides, Caving expeditions, Belize Zoo and Cave Tubing. They also offer day trips to the reefs off the coast for Snorkeling Excursions, Scuba Diving Trips and Manatee Watching Tours. All tours include pick up at the Belize City Tourism Village, travel to the day trip venue, tour guides, tour and entrance fees, equipment rental and transfer back to the Tourism Village in time for your Cruise Ship departure.

Community Baboon Sanctuary

The Community Baboon Sanctuary is where you can see Black Howler Monkeys (known as the "baboon" in the local Creole dialect) up close and personal in their natural setting of the rainforest; the Sanctuary provides an venue where they can be protected in a sustainable environment. The Sanctuary was founded in 1985 by Dr. Robert Horwich, an American primatologist, and Fallet Young, a local landowner. The sanctuary has two main goals: sustaining the habitat of the Black Howler Monkey and promoting the economic development of the participating communities. Today, over 200 private landowners in seven villages, stretching over 20 square miles, have voluntarily pledged to conserve their land for the protection of the Black Howler Monkey habitat. As a result of these efforts, the population of the Black Howler Monkey in the sanctuary is thriving with more than 2,000 monkeys in residence. And the locals benefit from the rise in ecotourism to the area.

Belize Tours Unlimited offers an Altun Ha & Howler Monkey Tour that will take you on an escorted tour of the Mayan Ruins of Altun Ha and the Community Baboon Sanctuary. The tour costs $75 per person; if you'd like to add a lunch at a local hot spot, accompanied with Belizean wine, that will run you an additional $25 per person.

Beach Break

Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Sun Kissed Beach Break tour on an island in the Barrier Reef. This 4½-hour adventure takes you to the palm fringed Island of Goff's Caye from the Belize Tourism Village dock on a comfortable powerboat. This small island offers beach lounge chairs, palapa bar and restaurant (a la carte), great snorkeling and so much more. This family-friendly tour runs $40 per person for adults, and $30 per person for kids.

Belize City Sightseeing

If you're eschewing an excursion into the interior, or just want to check the place out, Belize City has a few places of interest, including:

Baron Bliss Lighthouse Monument

The Lighthouse monument at Fort George Point towers over the harbor entrance. It was built from $2 million donated to the country in 1926 by Belize's greatest benefactor, Englishman "Baron" Bliss. At his request, he was entombed in front of the lighthouse, which he designed himself prior to his death.

Museum of Belize

Originally built as a colonial prison in 1857 and restored in 2002, this two-story brick building has a permanent exhibit of ancient Maya pottery as well as displays on the history of Belize City and Belize's rich Maya history.

Located on Gabourel Lane in downtown Belize City, on the grounds of the Central Bank of Belize

Open from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Monday through Friday

Admission is US$5.00

House of Culture

The House of Culture Museum (originally, the Government House) was the administrative office and living quarters for the early colonial governors of Belize. It was built in 1812-14 in a combination of Caribbean Vernacular and English Urban architecture. It's now a museum and the center for Belize City's social and art scene, with a number of rotating exhibits and events throughout the year.

Located on Regent Street in downtown Belize City

Open weekdays from 8:30 am to 5:00 pm

Admission is US$5.00

St. John's Cathedral

Surrounded by well-kept green lawns, St. John's Cathedral is one of the few typically British structures in the city. In 1812, the slaves in Belize helped to erect this graceful piece of architecture using bricks brought as ballast on sailing ships from Europe. Several Mosquito Coast kings from the Waiki tribe in Nicaragua and Honduras were crowned in this cathedral with ultimate pomp and grandeur; the last was crowned in 1815.

Located on the south end of Albert Street in downtown Belize City

Open from from 6:00 am to 6:00 pm daily

Admission is free

Maritime and Coastal Zone Museums

These museums share space inside the building that was formerly Belize City's fire station. The Coastal Zone Museum's mission is to educate visitors about Belize's unique coral reef ecology. The Maritime Museum highlights Belize's seafaring history through a series of old documents, model boats, paintings and other displays. One ticket buys admission to both small, wood-creaking museums.

Located on Haulover Creek, on the north end of the Swing Bridge

Open from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily

Admission is US$2.00

Swing Bridge

The old Swing Bridge spans Haulover Creek, connecting "Northside" to "Southside," and is the most iconic landmark in Belize City. Built in 1923, it still swings every morning and evening, hand-cranked to the side to allow tall boats to pass up and down the river.

Old Belize Cultural and Historical Center

The Old Belize Cultural and Historical Center is home to several attractions, including an interactive historical tour, a restaurant and Cucumber Beach.

Located on Mile 5 of the Western Highway

Open from 10:00 am to 4:30 pm daily

Admission is US$5.00

Supreme Court Building and Battlefield Park

Sitting in front of Battlefield Park (which is also referred to as Central Park), the Supreme Court building is decorated with a graceful white-metal filigree stairway that leads to the long veranda overlooking the square. An antiquated town clock is perched atop the white clapboard building. This building is on the site where the original courthouse was built in 1818.

Birding

Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary

Established for the protection of resident and migrant birds, the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary is located 33 miles northwest of Belize City and just 2 miles off the Northern Highway. Consisting of a large network of inland lagoons, swamps, and waterways, the sanctuary provides both the abundant food sources and the safe resting area that is necessary to support a large and diverse population of birds.

The most notable migratory resident is the Jabiru Stork. With a wingspan of 10-12 feet, it is the largest flying bird in North America. Besides birds, Black Creek on the eastern boundary of the sanctuary provides a home for Black Howler Monkeys, Morelet's Crocodiles, Coatimundis and several species of turtles and iguanas.

Canopy Tours

The tour operators in Belize offer a number of Canopy tours that include round-trip transportation, zipline activities and lunch. Here are a few of their offerings:

Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Belize Zip Line Canopy Tour Excursion. This 5-hour adventure takes you deep into the Belize jungle for a view of the tropical rainforest with its majestic trees and outstanding wildlife and biodiversity. The zipline has 10 platforms and 7 ziplines, some 85 feet high, and one zipline with a length of 250 feet. This adventure runs only $70 for adults and kids, transportation and lunch included, if you book over the internet.

Shore Trips offers a 6-hour Belize Cave Tubing & Aerial Zipline Combo Tour features round trip transportation, zipline, cave tubing and lunch; the price is $117 for adults, and $94 for kids ages 5 to 12. Phone: (888) 355-0220 (from the US) for additional details and reservations.

Cave Tubing

Belize Cruise Excursions offers a X-Stream Cave Tubing Adventure. X-Stream Cave Tubing Excursion offers the ultimate version of this tour by including two complete cave systems, this will add an extra cave for tubing, dry caves exploration, small group size and the extreme in personal care. X-stream is by far the most popular excursion to date in this port, located on the beautiful Sibun River Caves Branch, this excursion will take you back in time to the land of the Maya. Their guides will meet you at the Belize Tourism Village, steps away from your Cruise Ship Tender. Your guide will remain with your group throughout your excursion and return you safely and with ample time to tender back to your cruise ship for departure. This adventure runs only $50 for adults and kids, transportation and lunch included, if you book over the internet.

Shore Trips offers a 5-hour Belize Cave Tubing Tour that features the newest and best cave-tubing equipment in Belize. In addition to floating through the cave system for 1 hours, this tour offers VIP service, where you don't have to carry your own tube to the put-in point (but you still have to walk 30 to 45 minutes to the put-in point). Lunch is an extra option. The cost is $68 for adults, and $46 for kids ages 5 to 12.

Diving

The Belize Barrier Reef is one of the best diving spots in the world. If you're looking for a really great diving experience, consider diving just off the island of Ambergris Caye. Ambergris Caye is well known for its beautiful waters, spectacular dive sites, marine parks and breath-taking marine life. Because the diving is so good here, there are a number of dive shops on the island.

Aqua Scuba Center is one of the largest dive centers on Ambergris Caye. They cater to a large array of divers, from first-timers to dive professionals. Their experienced PADI certified dive masters and instructors will make sure that your diving is enjoyable and safe.

Aqua Scuba Center offers two half-day dive packages that are tailored for cruise ship passengers arriving in Belize City. Their Local Diving by Air package includes round trip air transport from the Belize City Municipal airport (it's a 15-minute flight), pickup and return on Ambergris Caye, plus a 2- to 3-hour 2 tank dive. The cost is only $160, inclusive of equipment, or roughly the same cost as with a cruise line diving package, but the diving experience on Ambergris Caye is much more spectacular. Plus you'll only be diving with 14 other divers, compared to 24 on the cruise lines' boats. And if you want to take a 1-tank dive, the price is only $130.

Aqua Scuba Center also offers a Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley by Air package that includes round trip air transport from the Belize City Municipal airport, pickup and return on Ambergris Caye, plus a 2- to 3-hour 2 tank dive. The cost is only $160, inclusive of equipment. If you're a snorkeler and want to take this trip, the cost is only $130.

After your diving experience, you can grab lunch or do some shopping in San Pedro Town prior to your flight back to Belize City. Maya Island Air flights (they fly Cessna prop planes) leave Belize City Municipal Airport for Ambergris Caye every hour on the half hour, while flights from Ambergris Caye back to Belize City leave every hour on the hour. Getting from your taxi to boarding the plane takes less than 5 minutes. The taxi fare from the Belize City Tourism Village to the Belize City Municipal Airport runs around $7, and takes about 5 minutes.

Mayan Archeological Sites

There are a couple of Mayan archeological sites that are reasonably close to Belize City. These include:

Altun Ha. The Mayan ruin of Altun Ha is located about 30 miles north of Belize City and about 6 miles west of the Caribbean. The site covers an area of about 5 square miles, with the center area containing the remains of more than 500 structures.

Archeologists believe that Altun Ha was occupied beginning around 200 BC, but the bulk of the construction took place during the Maya Classic era, lasting from 300 to 900 AD. During its height, the site was populated by up to 10,000 people.

The largest temple-pyramid on the site is the Temple of the Masonry Altars, which stands 54 feet high. (A drawing of the temple is used as the logo for Belikin Beer.) The ruins of the ancient structures were used in more modern times for residential construction of the village of Rockstone Pond.

The site lay in anonymity for most of the past 1,000 years, only to be rediscovered in 1963. Archeologists who began excavating the site shortly thereafter discovered a large (10 pound) piece of jade, on which had been carved the head of the Maya sun god Kinich Ahau. This object is considered one of the national treasures of Belize.

Shore Trips offers an Altun Ha Mayan Ruins with City Tour. On this 4-hour tour, you'll visit the Altun Ha Mayan ruins, then take in the bustling city of Belize City. You will see the bustle, along with historic Fort George, a variety of embassies, consulate homes, and an area called the Beverly Hills of Belize. Your visit to the Baron Bliss Lighthouse will be accompanied by its story. This tour, offered daily, costs $51 per person. Phone: (888) 355-0220 (from the US).

Cahal Pech. The Mayan archeological site of Cahal Pech is located near the town of San Ignacio in the Cayo District. It was a palacio home for an elite Maya family. Evidence of continuous habitation has been dated back to as far as 900 BC, making Cahal Pech one of the oldest recognizably Maya sites in Western Belize.

The site comprises a collection of 34 structures, with the tallest being about 75 feet in height. It was abandoned in the 9th century AD for unknown reasons.

The name Cahal Pech, meaning "place of ticks," was given when this site was a pasture during the first archaeological studies in the 1950s. On the present site you will find a small museum with artifacts from various excavations.

Lamanai. The Maya archeological site of Lamanai is located in the Orange Walk District of Belize. It was once a considerably-sized city.

The site, which means "submerged crocodile" in the Mayan language, was occupied as early as the 16th century BC. Lamanai became a prominent center during the Pre-Classic Period of the Maya, lasting from the 4th century BC through the 1st century AD. It was occupied up to the 17th century AD. During the Spanish conquest of Mexico, Spanish friars established two Roman Catholic churches here, but a native Maya revolt drove the Spanish interlopers out.

The vast majority of the site remained unexcavated until the mid-1970s. Archaeological work has been concentrated on the investigation and restoration of the larger structures, most notably the Mask Temple, the Temple of the Jaguar Masks and the High Temple.

The first detailed description of the ruins was made in 1917 by amateur archeologist Thomas Gann. Archeological excavations at the site began in 1974 under David M. Pendergast of the Royal Ontario Museum, which continued through 1988. Additional excavations and restoration work has continued since that time.

Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Lamanai Exploration Excursion that tours the Mayan site of Lamanai. The 5-hour trip costs $75, including lunch.

Xunantunich. The Maya archeological site of Xunantunich is located in western Belize near the border with Guatemala, about 80 miles west of Belize City. The site sits on top of a ridge above the Mopan River.

Xunantunich means "Stone Woman" in the Maya language, and refers to a ghost who is claimed to inhabit the site. Dressed in white, she generally appears in front of El Castillo, ascends the stone stairs and disappears into a stone wall.

Most of the structures date from the Maya Classic period, which lasted from 200 to 900 AD. The core of Xunantunich is composed of a series of six plazas surrounded by more than 26 temples and palaces. The pyramid known as "El Castillo" is the second tallest structure in Belize. Archeological excavations have revealed a number of fine stucco facades on some of the ancient temples of this site. Evidence of construction suggests the temple was built in three stages from the 7th to the 9th centuries.

The first modern explorations of the site were conducted by amateur archeologist Thomas Gann in 1894 and 1895. Several archeological excavations have been conducted at the site from the 1930s through the 1990s.

Belize Cruise Excursions offers a Xunantunich Exploration Excursion that tours the Mayan site of Xunantunich. The 6-hour trip costs $70, including lunch.

Snorkeling

If you're looking for a truly special snorkeling excursion in Belize, check out Aqua Scuba Center's Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley by Air half day tour. This tour involves taking a 15-minute flight to Ambergris Caye--Belize's best snorkeling spot--and snorkeling in the Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley. At the Hol Chan "cut" (a natural break in the reef), you can snorkel with an abundance of fish of all sizes--from the unique Fairy Basslet to huge Groupers, all within arms reach. The Cut boasts remarkable coral formations along with sea turtles, spotted-eagle rays, and much more. The reserve is home to over 160 species of fish. Not too far from the Cut, "Shark & Ray Alley" allows for an even more thrilling experience, as you'll be snorkeling with large numbers of friendly Nurse Sharks and tame Southern Stingrays. The tour runs $130 per person, and includes round trip flight from Belize City Municipal Airport to Ambergris Caye, pick up and return on Ambergris Caye, and guided snorkeling, including all equipment.

Belize Zoo

The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center

The Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center was started in 1983 as a last-ditch effort to provide a home for a collection of wild animals that had been used in making documentary films about tropical forests. Today, the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center occupies 29 acres of tropical savanna and exhibits over 150 animals, all native to Belize. The zoo keeps animals that were either orphaned, born at the zoo, rehabilitated animals or sent to the Belize Zoo as gifts from other zoological institutions. The Zoo is open from 8:30 am to 6:00 pm daily. Admission is US$15.00 for adults and $5.00 for children.

Located on Mile 29 of the Western Highway

Belize Tours Unlimited offers a Belize Zoo & City/Old Belize Tour that includes a tour of the Belize Zoo, the Old Belize Cultural and Historical Center and a spin around Belize City. This tour runs $75 per person. If you want to add a lunch at a local restaurant, that will run you an additional $25.