Top Reasons to Go to Northern Belize

Mayan Sites: Several of the most interesting Mayan sites in the region are in northern Belize. These include Altun Ha, Lamanai, Santa Rita, and Cerros. Altun Ha gets the most visitors of any Mayan site in Belize, and Lamanai, on the New River Lagoon, and Cerros, on Corozal Bay, are notable because of their beautiful locations. Santa Rita at the edge of Corozal Town, is newly opened to visitors.

Wild, Open Spaces: This part of Belize has some of the country's wildest tracts of land. The quarter-million acres of Río Bravo Conservation & Management Area attract only a few thousand visitors each year. Although people are scarce, Río Bravo teems with wildlife. Other large tracts of land include the Gallon Jug lands, 130,000 privately owned acres around Chan Chich Lodge. The Shipstern Reserve is a 22,000-acre expanse of swamps, lagoons, and forests on the Sarteneja peninsula. Huge numbers of birds nest at the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.

Jungle Lodges: Northern Belize is home to several first-rate lodges, including Chan Chich Lodge, a paradise for birders and the place where you're most likely to spot the jaguar in the wild. Lamanai Outpost, on the New River Lagoon, is a center for crocodile research.