So you have two weeks and want to go somewhere adventurous, but can’t quite decide if you want to lie on a beach, hike through jungles, visit ancient ruins, or meet up with other travelers to enjoy the nightlife. Belize is the place for you!
This small Central American country is packed with a wide variety of things to do, and just the right size to see everything in a limited amount of time.
San Ignacio- Once you arrive in Belize City, hop aboard a local bus headed for this charming little tourist town. The streets are lined with hostels, restaurants, and tour operators. It’s a very tourist-friendly place to get acquainted with all of the sites and activities Belize has to offer. If you happen to find yourself in San Ignacio on a Saturday, head down to the local market for some fresh fruit, crafts and the famous Marie Sharp’s hot sauce. After diner, head to Fiya Wata for a Belikin beer an excellent chance to meet fellow travelers!
Cave Tubing- A tour to Caves Branch River is a 5-hour trip that is packed with adventure. Upon arrival, you will be taken on a hike through the jungle to the mouth of the cave where you will learn all about the native plants and their medicinal uses. It can be less crowded than most of the other tourist destinations so you get the chance to spot wildlife including birds, insects and bats in their natural habitat. Once at the mouth of the cave, you will board an inner tube and float along the river through a series of caves for the next two hours.
Mayan Ruins- After spending a couple of days around San Ignacio, you’ll want to head out to the local archaeological sites. Some of these can be seen in half of a day, such as Xunantunich and Cahal Pech, and you may want to combine these with a half-day of tubing down the Mopan River. Caracol is a more intricate site that will require a full day. It’s best to take a guided tour of this site to get a better appreciation of it, and a heads-up to where the fire ants live! If you find yourself at Caracol, don’t miss the chance to climb to the top of the Caana structure, or “Sky Palace,” which is the largest building at Caracol.
From San Ignacio, you will have to option to travel south to the archaeological site of Tikal in Guatemala. If you are still up for exploring more ruins, Tikal is one of the largest Mayan archaeological sites and is featured as a must-see destination in nearly every guide book. That said you should not attempt this unless you can commit to spending the full day here. A good way to do this is to travel to Flores, Guatemala the day before and return that evening for a good diner and some rest before traveling back to Belize.
Black Hole Drop- If you’re looking for just a little more excitement, head to the Caves Branch Jungle Lodge and sign up for a rappelling trip to the Black Hole. The lodge itself is everything you would picture a jungle lodge to be from the high-end tree houses, to the bunkhouse with jungle showers! After breakfast you will travel through orange groves to the edge of the jungle where you begin the hike into the sinkhole. Once there, you will rappel 300 feet through the rainforest canopy.
Caye Caulker- A more relaxing way to wind down your Belize adventure is to visit the cayes. Caye Caulker is a 30-minute water taxi ride from Belize City. While here, take some time to lay back and enjoy the beautiful beaches and relaxed atmosphere. If you are still craving adventure there are several tour operators that offer daylong excursions to snorkel the Barrier Reef, dive to the Blue Hole submarine cave as well as the chance to swim along side of rays and Nurse Sharks.
This itinerary will give you an overview of everything that Belize has to offer in a manageable amount of time. There are still many more adventures waiting in any direction you want to go in Belize, so you will likely return home with an urge to begin planning your next trip here!
This small Central American country is packed with a wide variety of things to do, and just the right size to see everything in a limited amount of time.
San Ignacio- Once you arrive in Belize City, hop aboard a local bus headed for this charming little tourist town. The streets are lined with hostels, restaurants, and tour operators. It’s a very tourist-friendly place to get acquainted with all of the sites and activities Belize has to offer. If you happen to find yourself in San Ignacio on a Saturday, head down to the local market for some fresh fruit, crafts and the famous Marie Sharp’s hot sauce. After diner, head to Fiya Wata for a Belikin beer an excellent chance to meet fellow travelers!
Cave Tubing- A tour to Caves Branch River is a 5-hour trip that is packed with adventure. Upon arrival, you will be taken on a hike through the jungle to the mouth of the cave where you will learn all about the native plants and their medicinal uses. It can be less crowded than most of the other tourist destinations so you get the chance to spot wildlife including birds, insects and bats in their natural habitat. Once at the mouth of the cave, you will board an inner tube and float along the river through a series of caves for the next two hours.
Mayan Ruins- After spending a couple of days around San Ignacio, you’ll want to head out to the local archaeological sites. Some of these can be seen in half of a day, such as Xunantunich and Cahal Pech, and you may want to combine these with a half-day of tubing down the Mopan River. Caracol is a more intricate site that will require a full day. It’s best to take a guided tour of this site to get a better appreciation of it, and a heads-up to where the fire ants live! If you find yourself at Caracol, don’t miss the chance to climb to the top of the Caana structure, or “Sky Palace,” which is the largest building at Caracol.
From San Ignacio, you will have to option to travel south to the archaeological site of Tikal in Guatemala. If you are still up for exploring more ruins, Tikal is one of the largest Mayan archaeological sites and is featured as a must-see destination in nearly every guide book. That said you should not attempt this unless you can commit to spending the full day here. A good way to do this is to travel to Flores, Guatemala the day before and return that evening for a good diner and some rest before traveling back to Belize.
Black Hole Drop- If you’re looking for just a little more excitement, head to the Caves Branch Jungle Lodge and sign up for a rappelling trip to the Black Hole. The lodge itself is everything you would picture a jungle lodge to be from the high-end tree houses, to the bunkhouse with jungle showers! After breakfast you will travel through orange groves to the edge of the jungle where you begin the hike into the sinkhole. Once there, you will rappel 300 feet through the rainforest canopy.
Caye Caulker- A more relaxing way to wind down your Belize adventure is to visit the cayes. Caye Caulker is a 30-minute water taxi ride from Belize City. While here, take some time to lay back and enjoy the beautiful beaches and relaxed atmosphere. If you are still craving adventure there are several tour operators that offer daylong excursions to snorkel the Barrier Reef, dive to the Blue Hole submarine cave as well as the chance to swim along side of rays and Nurse Sharks.
This itinerary will give you an overview of everything that Belize has to offer in a manageable amount of time. There are still many more adventures waiting in any direction you want to go in Belize, so you will likely return home with an urge to begin planning your next trip here!
