Regardless of where you go in the Belize Cayes, days are spent alfresco: kayaking, sailing, fishing, feasting on fresh catch, swimming alongside rays and turtles, gazing at magnificent frigatebirds hovering in blue skies. Or mastering the art of dolce far niente: the sweetness of doing nothing.
This group of islands is the most visited part of Belize. Ambergris Caye lures with swanky beach resorts, endless bars, and plentiful restaurants. Caye Caulker, just down the reef, offers a less dizzying pace with an authentic, Caribbean vibe and opportunities for snorkeling at The Split or at its own local reserve, when you’re not viewing manatees at nearby Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary. The northern atolls of Turneffe Islands and Lighthouse Reef Atoll offer spectacular wall diving, beautiful beaches and bird life, and Belize’s iconic, great Blue Hole.
Aerial view of northern cayes. Photo © Lebawit Lily Girma.
Farther south, the Placencia Peninsula is the home to 16 miles of “barefoot perfect” beaches and the low-key, albeit touristy village of Placencia. Off the coast are marine reserves teeming with marinelife—including Laughingbird Caye National Park (a World Heritage Site) and Gladden Spit, where whale sharks congregate every year. Also under an hour away from Placencia, the southern Silk Cayes and Ranguana Caye are hard to beat, with powdery white sands and idyllic scenes straight out of a Caribbean postcard. To top it all off, the surrounding Stann Creek District offers some of the best hiking in Belize, including Mayflower Bocawina National Park, in the Maya Mountains, and the world’s only jaguar preserve, Cockscomb Basin Sanctuary.
Southern Coast and Cayes
Few visitors get off the beaten path and into the “deep south” of Belize. But Punta Gorda and its surroundings offer all of Belize in one area: cayes and reef, ruins and caves, rainforests and rivers. A mere 30 minutes from the coast, the Snake Cayes offer top-notch snorkeling or diving in the protected Port Honduras Marine Reserve, while the remote and most uncrowded islands in Belize, the Sapodilla Cayes—considered a World Heritage Site—are home to two of Belize’s most beautiful white sand coral beaches at Lime Caye and Hunting Caye, where you can stay in cabanas or pitch a tent and explore pristine, giant corals minutes offshore, a place where rays and turtles roam daily. On the mainland, hop on the cacao trail and glimpse life in a Mayan village, or take a private drumming lesson at one of the Garífuna drum schools. The archaeological site of Lubaantun begs exploring, as do the beautiful waterfalls at Río Blanco National Park and Blue Creek Cave.
East Snake Caye. Photo © Lebawit Lily Girma.
Often skipped by travelers, Belize City is nonetheless the hub of Belizean city life and transport. Boats depart daily to the northern cayes, and domestic airlines connect to the rest of the country. The city is also the heart of Belize’s colonial past and of the Creole culture. A few historic sights, such as the Museum of Belize and the Fort George area, make it worth a quick half-day visit at a minimum. Whether or not you appreciate the city’s unique grit and Caribbean texture, on your way through don’t miss nearby attractions like The Belize Zoo, the Community Baboon Sanctuary, and Altun Ha.
Excerpted from the First Edition of Moon Belize Cayes.
