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Belize City is defined by the water around it. The main part of the city is at the end of a small peninsula, jutting out into the Caribbean Sea. Haulover Creek, an extension of the Belize River, running roughly west to east, divides the city into the North Side and the South Side. The North Side is, to generalize, more affluent than the South Side. The venerable Swing Bridge connects the two sides, although in modern times other bridges over Haulover Creek, especially the Belcan Bridge northwest of the city center, carry more traffic. At the mouth of the river, just beyond Swing Bridge, is the Belize Harbor (or Harbour, as it's written locally, in the English style).
Across the highway from the Belize Zoo is the 84-acre Tropical Education Center, where you can hike or canoe. There are boardwalk trails through the savanna with wildlife viewing platforms and a deck for bird-watching. Rustic accommodations are available at the Tropical Education Center at the Belize Zoo Jungle Lodge, which include a 30-person dorm and four spartan cabanas. Nighttime tours of the Belize Zoo are offered.
