Belize is a fascinating country of 390,000 people inhabiting
180 miles x 70 miles. About the size of New Jersey, but boasting an incredible
array of flora, fauna, geology and history. Its people are friendly and chill.
Its ‘highways’ offer crazy speedbumps, ginormous potholes, and windows onto
everyday life.
Heading into the jungle, we rented a small SUV that was surprisingly
capable on rocky back roads and set off to the west. A random stop at the Belize
Zoo introduced us to the tapir, toucan and jaguar in first person. We were
lulled to sleep by tropical birdsong and insects. We were woken by howler
monkeys. We were snacked on by mozzies and no-see-ums.
We also checked out ruins of Mayan civilization in San
Ignacio. We intended to hit a chocolate plantation, but… did I mention the
potholes? That’s a story for another day.
The highlight was our trek to the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave. It was so amazing we shot dozens of photos and endless video…
Uh, not. This sacred cave is to be respected and no cameras allowed. So we took
pics with our brains. Hard to share, I know, but trust us, don’t miss it if you
go to the Belize interior. Led by the incomparable Gliss of Belize FamilyAdventures (a guide in the cave since its formal exploration in the late
1990s), the easy half-hour walk with refreshing river crossings leads to a cave
trek through river waters and clamoring over rocks. At the end, where the
ancient Maya held mysterious ceremonies and sacrificed a few people, we
experienced a window into the world of people living 1300 years ago before the
Old World ran into the New.
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