Belize

Some of the world's most fertile reefs - Belize

Belize's Famous Swing Bridge

Things to do in Belize - A Rundown • Hike or canoe under the shade of the rainforest canopy in the company of over 500 species of birds. • Observe stalactites and stalagmites in caves that contain pottery and ceremonial remnants of the ancient Maya. • Island hop by kayak between the cayes or around one of Belize’s three atolls. • Witness a sunset from atop a Mayan temple. • Snorkel with the kids and learn about the biology of the barrier reef. • Take a refreshing dip beneath one of the many waterfalls. • Exchange vows with the Caribbean Sea lapping at your feet. • Swap stories back at the resort after a day of wrestling with permit, tarpon and bonefish.

The Belize District is the heart of Kriol (Creole) culture and some of its villages are as typically Kriol as one can get: Burrell Boom, Isabella Bank, Rancho Dolores and Lemonal are some of the distinctive Kriol communities that exist in the heart of the Belize River Valley . Gales Point Manatee, the district's southernmost village, still retains some of the typical Kriol cultural practices like Sambai dancing, Anancy story telling under huge mahogany trees, and bramming. Belize City itself originated as a logging camp and export center for mahogany in the 1600's. Naturally, because it is the country's largest urban area, one finds all cultural types and mixtures in the city - Kriol, Garifuna, Mestizo, (a mix of Maya and Spanish) commonly referred to as Spanish, Chinese, Lebanese, Hindu and the original East Indian descendants and Maya. One traveler had this to say as a first impression:

"Belize is a funny place. You cross the border into the first town Corozal and you see blacks, Chinese, Hispanics and whites all speaking at least two languages, one usually Creole. I could pick up phrases and words here and there but it is far enough from standard English to be an entirely distinct language. Verb conjugations are non-existent, everything is abbreviated and accented very heavily and vernacular expressions are standard. They even use words that we would consider diminutive in every day speech, like addressing each other as "boy". And when they want to be polite and they want something from you, you are called "boss". "Baad" means good, and "haaht" means "hard". They abbreviate "And then I said. . ." to "An nen I seh".

It's fascinating, especially when someone, say a clerk at a store, talks to you in lilting but perfect English and then turns to a friend and fires off something in Creole. And when black people start speaking Spanish with their Caribbean swing, look out Antonio Banderas, because that is the true suave and stylin' Latin sound. "Sabes hombre? Yaaah man."

"It's a natural fact that humans are products of their environments of which language acquisition is a major part. So why is it that we have such a hard time getting over our preconceived notions that one language belongs to one people. When a black man speaks eloquently in unaccented, academic English, some blacks call him an "Oreo." When a white kid speaks fluent street slang, some say he is a "poser". But here, when you see a Chinese restaurant owner speak to his family in Cantonese and then turn to a black customer and start jawing away in Creole, nobody bats an eye but me.

The Belize River meanders through the middle of the city; and twice a day, the city's swing bridge closes for about 20 minutes to allow sail boats to pass. There are many traditional street vendors selling fruits, vegetables, arts and crafts in the city's public squares. In recent years, the cruise tourism industry has changed the face of the downtown Fort George area on the north side of the river, particularly on weekdays when at times up to three or four ships dock. This area, already distinctive for its colonial architecture, now is also the bustling center for dozens of tour guides, craft persons and other vendors who have set up in the area around a picturesque tourism village which sits on the site of the former Customs Wharf area. This area has high security and is well-maintained with good food, trained souvenir vendors, duty free shops and the like. Tour operators whisk away interested tourists to day trips at surrounding sanctuaries and Mayan ruin sites and snorkeling sites.

Belize is a magnificent and unique underwater paradise - a diver's dream. There are schools of exotic marine creatures, pedestals and pinnacles of high profile lobular and branching corals, vibrant hues, sponge lined vertical walls and caverns filled with stunning stalactites and stalagmites.

There is no shortage of dive operators in Belize. They can be found at most of the numerous resorts on the mainland as well as on the nearby cayes.

Barrier Reef
The barrier reef of Belize is the longest and largest mass of continuous living coral in this hemisphere, second in the world. With 185 miles of the Barrier Reef to explore, a diver has the opportunity to see coral, sponges, and marine life in its grandest fashion. Ninety percent of the Barrier Reef reef remains to be explored.

Blue Hole
There are two Blue Holes in Belize. One is located offshore and the other is a circular swimming hole located approximately 15 miles (25km) south of Belmopan. The waters at this hole come in from an underground river, hence the water is unusually cool.
The other more famous Blue Hole is located about 7 miles (11km) north of Half Moon Caye. The Blue Hole is the largest ocean sinkhole in the world, created by a collapsed underground cavern, hence giving the appearance of a dark blue circle amidst the turquoise sea. The Blue Hole is over 1000ft (300 meters) in diameter and 450ft (135 meters) deep. Below the shallop lip is a cavern filled with hugh stalactites and stalagmites. Diving the Blue Hole is usually reserved of experienced divers accompanied by a dive master.
The Blue Hole became famous in 1972 when Jacques Cousteau sailed his ship Calypso to the Blue Hole to film inside.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Hol Chan is located four miles southeast of San Pedro. Established in 1987, it is five square miles of underwater park with a thirty foot deep channel of known coral grottos and caves. Hol Chan is active with spotted eagle rays, moray eels, yellowtail snapper, parrotfish, and a host of other tropical fish, making it very popular among snorkelers and divers.