94 Best Sights in Belize

This remarkable nonprofit specializes in the care and rehabilitation of American crocodiles, but they also rescue and rehab pelicans, iguanas, turtles, snakes, and other creatures. Operators Christina Manzi and Chris Summers are warriors for the protection of Belize's wildlife and their habitat. You can schedule an educational visit to the center, and possibly see unreleasable crocs or critters temporarily on-site for medical care. It's a little off-the-beaten track but well worth a visit. 

Development on Ambergris continues relentlessly, but most of the far north of the island remains unsullied by that development. At the top of the caye, abutting Mexico, this UNESCO World Heritage Site spans almost 44 square miles (113 square km) of land, reef, and sea. Here, on 11 miles (18 km) of trails you may cross paths with whitetail deer, ocelots, saltwater crocodiles, and, according to some reports, pumas and jaguars. There are beautiful diving, snorkeling, and fishing opportunities, especially off Rocky Point, and a small visitor center and museum to get you oriented. You'll need a boat and a guide to take you here, where there are at least nine ancient Maya sites. Walk carefully, as loggerhead and green sea turtles nest here. Be sure to bring insect repellent. An all-day snorkel trip to Bacalar Chico from San Pedro is unforgettable.

Founded in 1969, the Belize Audubon Society is the oldest and largest conservation group in Belize. It manages seven protected areas and parks in Belize and accepts qualified volunteers to assist in its park management, conservation, tourism development, and other programs. The BAS usually requires a minimum three-month commitment for its overseas volunteers. Although the BAS prefers to partner with universities to get its interns, it does also accept individual volunteer applications. The BAS does not pay for lodging or living expenses.

The life's work of ornithologist Ken duPlooy, the personable Judy duPlooy, and their family is the 45-acre Belize Botanic Gardens. It's an extensive collection of hundreds of trees, plants, and flowers from all over Central America. Enlightening tours of the gardens, set on a bank of the Macal River at Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge, are given by local guides who can tell you the names of the plants in Mayan, Spanish, and English as well as explain their varied medicinal uses. If your family is looking for a fun group activity, there are also tea tasting tours, a tamale-making class, and a palm workshop. An orchid house holds the duPlooys' collection of more than 100 orchid species, and there also is a palm exhibit. The Botanic Gardens also run gardening programs for Belize residents as well as great birding opportunities.

From the air, the Blue Hole, a breathtaking vertical chute that drops several hundred feet through the reef, is a dark blue eye in the center of the shallow lagoon. The Blue Hole was first dived by Jacques Cousteau in 1971 and has since become a diver's pilgrimage site. Just over 1,000 feet wide at the surface and dropping almost vertically to a depth of 412 feet, the Blue Hole is like swimming down a mineshaft, but a mineshaft with hammerhead sharks. This excitement is reflected in the thousands of stickers and T-shirts reading, "I Dived the Blue Hole."

Once a metropolis with five plazas and 32 large structures covering almost a square mile, Caracol once covered an area larger than present-day Belize City. Altogether it is believed there are some 35,000 buildings at the site, though only a handful of them have been excavated. Excavations at Caracol are being carried on by Diane and Arlen Chase of the University of Central Florida. The latest excavations are in an area approximately 500 yards southeast of Caracol's central plaza. Once Caracol has been fully excavated it may dwarf even the great city of Tikal, which is a few dozen miles away (as the toucan flies) in Guatemala. The evidence suggests that Caracol won a crushing victory over Tikal in the mid-6th century, a theory that Guatemalan scholars haven't quite accepted. Until a group of chicleros (collectors of gum base) stumbled on the site in 1936, Caracol was buried under the jungle of the remote Vaca Plateau. It's hard to believe it could have been lost for centuries, as the great pyramid of Caana, at nearly 140 feet, is still Belize's tallest structure.

The main excavated sections are in four groups, denoted on archaeological maps as A, B, C, and D groups. The most impressive structures are the B Group at the northeast end of the excavated plaza. This includes Caana (sometimes spelled Ca'ana or Ka'ana), or "Sky Palace," listed as Structure B19-2nd, along with a ball court, water reservoir, and several large courtyards. Caana remains the tallest structure in Belize. The A Group, on the west side of the plaza, contains a temple, ball court, and a residential area for the elite. The Temple of the Wooden Lintel (Structure A6) is one of the oldest and longest-used buildings at Caracol, dating back to 300 BC. It was still in use in AD 1100. To the northwest of the A Group is the Northwest Acropolis, primarily a residential area. The third major plaza forming the core of the site is at the point where a causeway enters the "downtown" part of Caracol. The D Group is a group of structures at the South Acropolis.

Near the entrance to Caracol is a small but interesting visitor center. If you have driven here on your own (with a Belize Defence Forces escort) instead of with a tour, a guide usually can be hired at the site, but you can also walk around on your own. Seeing all of the excavated area involves several hours of hiking around the site. Wear sturdy shoes and bring insect repellent. Also, watch for anthill mounds and, rarely, snakes. This part of the Chiquibul Forest Reserve is a good place for birding and wildlife spotting. Around the ruins are troops of howler monkeys and flocks of ocellated turkeys, and you may also see deer, coatimundis, foxes, and other wildlife at the site or on the way.

Some visitors to Cockscomb are disappointed that they don't see jaguars and that wildlife doesn't jump out from behind trees to astound them as they hike the trails. The experience here is indeed a low-key one, and seeing wildlife requires patience and luck. You'll have the best chance of seeing wild animals, perhaps even a jaguar or one of the other large cats, if you stay overnight, preferably for several nights, in the sanctuary and employ the services of a guide on an extended hike. Several nearby lodges, such as Hamanasi in Hopkins, offer night hikes to Cockscomb, departing around dusk and returning around 9 pm. Even then, your jaguar might not materialize—pragmatism is a must—but you'll spot plenty of other wildlife, and that's a splendid consolation prize.

Among the native wildlife aside from the jaguars, you might see other cats—pumas, margays, and ocelots—plus coatis, kinkajous, deer, peccaries, and, last but not least, tapirs. Also known as the mountain cow, this shy, curious creature appears to be half horse, half hippo, with a bit of cow and elephant thrown in. Nearly 300 species of birds have been identified in the Cockscomb Basin, including the keel-billed toucan, the king vulture, several hawk species, and the scarlet macaw, a species of parrot.

Within the reserve is Belize's best-maintained system of jungle and mountain trails, most of which lead to at least one outstanding swimming hole. The sanctuary also has spectacular views of Victoria Peak and the Cockscomb Range. Bring serious bug spray with you—the reserve swarms with mosquitoes and tiny biting flies called no-see-ums—and, if you can tolerate the heat, wear long-sleeve shirts and long pants. The best times to hike anywhere in Belize are early morning, late afternoon, and early evening, when temperatures are lower and more animals are on the prowl.

The road from Maya Centre to the Cockscomb ranger station and visitor center winds 6 miles (10 km) through dense vegetation—splendid cahune palms, purple mimosas, orchids, and big-leaf plantains—and as you go higher the marvelous sound of tropical birds, often resembling strange windup toys, grows stronger and stronger. This is definitely four-wheel-drive terrain. You may have to ford several small creeks as well as negotiate deep, muddy ruts. At the end, in a clearing with hibiscus and bougainvillea bushes, you'll find a little office, where you can buy maps of the nature trails, along with restrooms, several picnic tables, cabins, and a campground. The Belize Audubon Society manages the Cockscomb and can assist in making reservations for the simple accommodations in the sanctuary.

Altogether there are some 20 miles (33 km) of marked trails. Walking along these 12 nature trails is a good way to get to know the region. Most are loops of 0.5–1.5 miles (1–2 km), so you can do several in a day. The most strenuous trail takes you up a steep hill; from the top is a magnificent view of the entire Cockscomb Basin. Longer hikes, such as to Victoria Peak, require a guide and several days of strenuous walking.

Hotels and tour operators and guides in Hopkins, Placencia, and Dangriga offer tours to Cockscomb; Hopkins is closest to the sanctuary but it is easily accessible from any of these coastal communities.

One of Belize's oldest inland villages, established some 300 years ago, Crooked Tree is at the center of the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. With a population of about 900, most of Creole origin, the community has a church, a school, and one of the surest signs of a former British territory: a cricket pitch. There are many large cashew trees around the village, the serpentine growth pattern of which gave the village its name. The cashews are highly fragrant when in bloom in January and February, and when the cashew fruits ripen to a golden yellow color in May and June, they taste something like mango and smell like sweet grapes. The cashew nuts require roasting to make them edible. Villagers make and sell cashew wine. A Cashew Festival is held annually in early May.

The sanctuary's visitor center is at the end of the causeway. Stop here to pay your admission and arrange a guided tour of the sanctuary or rent a canoe for a do-it-yourself trip. The sanctuary, one of the country's top bird-watching spots, is managed by the Belize Audubon Society. You can also walk through the village and hike birding trails around the area. If you'd prefer to go by horseback, you pay by the hour. The visitor center has a free village and trail map. If you're staying overnight, your hotel can arrange canoe or bike rentals and set up tours and trips. Although tours can run at any time, the best time is early in the morning, when birds are most active.

Put this idiosyncratic iguana sanctuary at the top of your list for San Pedro. Founder Calvin Young celebrates the fascinating, prehistoric reptiles by preserving a patch of mangrove habitat for some 300 black and green iguanas. The impressive park is by-donation only and open daily. Keep your eyes peeled for Oh My God––a seven-foot iguana named for the expression everyone says when they see him. While you can't feed wild iguanas, it's okay to offer a banana or papaya to these critters, which have been raised. 

Once part of the venerable Belize Estates & Produce Company that owned one-fifth of all the land in Belize, Gallon Jug Estates is now 130,000 private acres that straddle the Orange Walk and Cayo Districts. There's a 3,000-acre working farm that produces coffee, grows cacao and corn, and raises cattle; it's the only truly commercial coffee operation in Belize. Gallon Jug also produces hot sauces and delicious mango and other jams, which sell in Belize and elsewhere. Tours of the coffee plantings and the production facility, along with other farm and jungle tours, can be arranged through Chan Chich Lodge. Jaguar sightings are fairly common around the Chan Chich Lodge, averaging around one a week. You're likely to see toucans, many different hummingbirds, flocks of parrots and ocellated turkeys, as well as deer. Chan Chich, one of the best jungle lodges in Central America, is the only place to stay in the area. It's possible to visit on a day-trip from La Milpa Field Station, Blue Creek Village, or even Lamanai or Orange Walk Town, but you need your own transportation and advance permission to come on the gated, private Gallon Jug lands. Gallon Jug has its own private landing strip.

If you’ve always wanted to dive with the gentle, 60-foot-long whale shark, Gladden Spit is the place. But this is the catch: you have an extremely narrow window in which to do so. The spawning of various snappers—cubera, mutton, and dog—draw the whale sharks here, and that takes place from March through June from the full moon to the last quarter. (Even March can be chancy.) If your schedule coincides, all dive outfitters in the village of Placencia can get you here during these mini-seasons. It means needing to reserve far in advance for a popular excursion that can be offered three—four if you’re lucky—calendar weeks during the year. The other 48–49 weeks, the two pristine, deserted Silk Cayes offer a chance to picnic on their sugar-white beaches and snorkel in their clear-blue waters. Plan on seeing Goliath and Nassau groupers and various sea turtles, but not the whale sharks.

The city's finest colonial structure is said to have a design inspired by the illustrious British architect Sir Christopher Wren. Built in 1814, it was once the residence of the governor-general, the British monarchy's representative in British Honduras. Following Hurricane Hattie in 1961, the decision was made to move the capital inland to Belmopan, and the house became a venue for social functions and a guesthouse for visiting VIPs. (Queen Elizabeth stayed here in 1985, Prince Philip in 1988.) Now it's open to the public. You can peruse its archival records, and art and artifacts from the colonial era, or mingle with the tropical birds that frequent the gardens.

Named after a Garifuna heroine who came to Belize with her 13 children and founded the village of Punta Negra in Toledo District, this museum has a number of displays on Garifuna history and life. Exhibits cover the Garifuna migration from Africa to St. Vincent, then to Roatan and Belize. Another exhibit is on Thomas Vincent Ramos, a visionary Garifuna leader who, in 1941, established the first Garifuna Settlement Day. Other displays are on Garifuna food, clothing, medicinal plants, and music and dance. The museum also has rotating displays of paintings by Garifuna artists including Pen Cayetano.

What makes Lamanai so special is its setting on the west bank of a beautiful 28-mile-long (45-km) lagoon, one of only two waterside Maya sites in Belize (the other is Cerros, near Corozal Town). Nearly 400 species of birds have been spotted in the area and a troop of howler monkeys visits the archaeological site regularly.

For nearly 3,000 years Lamanai's residents carried on a lifestyle that passed from one generation to the next until the Spanish missionaries arrived. You can still see the ruins of the missionaries' church near the village of Indian Church. The same village also has an abandoned 19th-century sugar mill. With its immense drive wheel and steam engine—on which you can still read the name of the manufacturer, Leeds Foundry of New Orleans—swathed in strangler vines and creepers, it's a haunting sight. In all, 50 to 60 Maya structures are spread over this 950-acre archaeological reserve. The most impressive is the largest pre-Classic structure in Belize—a massive, stepped temple built into the hillside overlooking the New River Lagoon. Many structures at Lamanai have been partially excavated. Trees and vines grow from the tops of some temples, and the sides of one pyramid are covered with vegetation. On the grounds you'll find a visitor center with educational displays on the site, and pottery, carvings, and small statues, some dating back 2,500 years. Local villagers from the Indian Church Village Artisans Center set up small stands on the grounds to sell handmade carvings, jewelry, and other crafts, along with T-shirts and snacks. Many visitors enjoy Lamanai not only for the stunning setting on the New River Lagoon, but also for the boat ride up the New River, where you are likely to see many birds, along with howler monkeys, crocodiles, and maybe even manatees.

Lamanai is a popular destination for cruise ship excursions; some days there can be large numbers of day visitors from cruise ships.

Lubaantun, which lies beyond the village of San Pedro Columbia, is southern Belize's premier Maya site and sight. The Late Classic complex was rediscovered in 1924 by German archaeologist Thomas Gann, who gave it a name meaning "place of fallen stones." Lubaantun must have been an awe-inspiring sight: on top of a conical hill, with views to the sea in one direction and the Maya Mountains in the other, its stepped layers of white-plaster stone would have towered above the jungle like a wedding cake. Lubaantun's structures are notable for their rounded corners and precision cutting, with no mortar needed to fit the stones together. No one knows exactly what function the structures served, but the wealth of miniature masks and whistles found suggests it was a center of ceramic production. (The altars so common to other Maya sites are nowhere to be found here.) The trio of ball courts and the central plaza with tiered seating for 10,000 spectators seems like a Maya Madison Square Garden, and you'll occasionally see kids kicking around a soccer ball here. There's a small visitor center at the site. Although this is southern Belize's largest Maya site, visitors are few during the week, and you might find you have the whole place to yourself. Most tour operators in Punta Gorda can arrange trips to Lubaantun, or you can visit by rental car, an easy trip down the San Antonio Road.

You can visit the source of one of Belize's best-known exports, Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce, made in about a dozen different heat levels from Mild to Beware. The small factory, with about 25 workers and still a Sharp family business, is open to interested visitors weekdays, but for a tour it's best to call in advance. Besides the factory tour, you can also see the entire selection of products manufactured by Marie Sharp, and most are offered for sale along with Marie Sharp T-shirts and tote bags. The products are sold in nearly every grocery in Belize and sit on tables in most restaurants in Belize. 

Marie Sharp's main office is on 3 Pier Road in Dangriga, where there also is a small shop.

Mayflower Bocawina, an expansion of Belize's first protected area, has small Maya ruins, lovely waterfalls, and good hiking on more than 7,000 acres. A private lodge, Bocawina Rainforest Resort, is in the park and has upscale lodging, food and drink, and the longest zipline in Belize. The park has three minor Maya ceremonial sites: Mayflower, T'au Witz, and Maintzunum, near Silk Grass Creek. Nearby are the three waterfalls, usually referred to as "the Three Sisters": upper and lower Bocawina Falls and Antelope Falls. Access to Mayflower is easiest from Hopkins, about 20 minutes by car, but tours are offered from Placencia and Dangriga as well. The entrance to the park is about 4½ miles (7½ km) on a dirt road off the Southern Highway. From the visitor center, to get to the two Bocawina falls, it's an easy hike of about 1¼ miles (2 km) on the marked Bocawina Falls trail. The trail to Antelope Falls, about 1¾ miles (3 km), is more difficult due to some steep sections that can be slick after rains. Maps of the trails are available at the small visitor center. So far, little excavation has been conducted at the Maya sites.

This small but fascinating museum, under the aegis of the National Institute of Culture and History (NICH), was Her (or His) Majesty's Prison from 1857 to 1993. Permanent displays include ancient jade and other Maya artifacts; medicinal, ink, and alcoholic-beverage bottles dating from the 17th century; Belize and British Honduran coins and colorful postage stamps; and an actual prison cell. Temporary exhibitions change periodically.

Nim Li Punit, a Late Classic site discovered in 1976, has 26 unearthed stelae, including one, Stela 14, that is 30 feet tall—the largest ever found in Belize and the second largest found anywhere in the Maya world. It's a fact that the original names of most Maya complexes in Mesoamerica are lost to to the ages. In a right and rite of first modern encounter, the archaeologists rediscovering each site conferred their own descriptive Modern Mayan, Spanish, or English names on them, and here is another example: Nim Li Punit, which means "Big Hat" in the Kek'chi Mayan language, is named for the elaborate headgear of a ruler pictured on Stela 14. Shady trees cool you off as you walk around the fairly small site (you can see it all in an hour or so). Stop by the informative visitor center on the premises—it's one of Belize's best such facilities—to learn more about the site. Nim Li Punit is near the Kek'chi village of Indian Creek, and children (and some adults) from the village usually come over and offer jewelry and crafts for sale. It is easily accessible via a short dirt road off the Southern Highway.

The Mopan Maya village of San Antonio, 35 miles (56 km) west of Punta Gorda, is Toledo's second-largest town, with a population of about 1,000. Despite the town's name, St. Louis, the French king, is its patron saint. It was settled by people from the Guatemalan village of San Luis, who brought their devotion to their patron and protector with them. The impressive village church, built of stones carted from surrounding Maya ruins, has a stained-glass window donated by another city with a connection to the saint: St. Louis, Missouri. Cacao harvesting has brought a bit of development, prosperity, and infrastructure to San Antonio not seen in the region's other Maya villages. Yet, the people of San Antonio haven't forgotten their ancient heritage: each June 13, they take to the streets for a festival that dates back to pre-Columbian times. The San Antonio waterfall sits a mile outside of town. It cascades a scant eight feet over smooth limestone and is a popular gathering spot for picnickers (and hummingbirds). The road to the Guatemala border—still no official border crossing, but one day, perhaps—passes through San Antonio Village, making access easy. No official accommodation options exist here, but overnight stays can be arranged with local families through the Toledo Ecotourism Association (T.E.A.).

Few visitors make it to this collection of six sand and mangrove cayes, Belize’s southernmost island group. If you’re one of those lucky few, you’ll come back with tales of Hunting Caye, the largest of the Sapodillas, and its gorgeous white-sand beach. Shallow waters immediately off the islands’ coasts make for good snorkeling; various dive sites lie farther out. Spadefish, parrot fish, and dolphins are yours for the viewing. Camping on Lime Caye is your only option for an overnight stay. Save for a few researchers from the University of Belize, who study the sea turtles here, and Belize Defence Force (BDF) personnel, the islands are otherwise uninhabited. Why the military outpost? Guatemala and Honduras also claim the Sapodillas as their own. Belize maintains control of the islands, with its own military on Hunting Caye to ensure that status. The dispute need not concern you as a visitor, and, indeed, you might rub shoulders with day visitors from Livingston, Guatemala. They all need to go through passport control with the BDF. You won’t. Outfitters in Punta Gorda can fix you up with a trip, either for the day or overnight.

On private land, Actun Chechem Ha, which means "Cave of the Poisonwood Water," is a Mayan burial cave with artifacts that date back three millennia. There are many pots and a stela used for ceremonial purposes. This cave may have the largest collection of Mayan pottery in one place anywhere in Belize, possibly the world. To examine the pottery, you'll have to climb ladders, and getting to the cave requires a 35- to 45-minute walk, mostly uphill. The cave is on private property, and the landowner's family sometimes gives tours. Tour companies, with registered guides, also visit here from San Ignacio and Belmopan (BZ$150–BZ$200 per person) and include transportation, lunch, admission fee, and sometimes swimming at Vaca Falls.

Belize Magnificent Tours in San Ignacio is one recommended tour company for this trip.

Due to the hike to the cave entrance and climbing in the cave, you need to be reasonably physically fit to visit Chechem Ha. 

Hot springs, freshwater lagoons, caves, and hiking trails dot the 6,000-acre Agua Caliente Wildlife Sanctuary. The sanctuary is known for its water birds, including ibises, herons, egrets, woodstorks, and kingfishers. A half-mile boardwalk gives access to the visitor center. Navigating the trails can be tricky; use a local guide or one affiliated with an area tour operator. During the dry season you can hike under the forest canopy and through wetlands to the warm springs at the base of the Agua Caliente hills. During the rainy season, canoes are available for hire.

A team from the Royal Ontario Museum first excavated the Maya site in the early 1960s and found 250 structures spread over more than 1,000 square yards. At Plaza B, in the Temple of the Masonry Altars, archaeologists unearthed the grandest and most valuable piece of Maya art ever discovered—the head of the sun god Kinich Ahau. Weighing nearly 10 pounds, and worth an estimated 5- to 10-million dollars, it was carved from a solid block of green jade. The head is kept in a solid steel vault in the Central Bank of Belize, though it is occasionally displayed at the Museum of Belize. The jade head appears on all denominations of Belize currency. If the Masonry Altars temple looks familiar to you, it's because an illustration of the Masonry Altars structure appears on Belikin beer bottles. Because the Altun Ha site is small, it's not necessary to have a tour guide, but licensed guides may offer their services when you arrive. Don't skip the visitor center to learn about the Maya before you head in. Try to arrive early to beat the heat and the crowds.

Tours from Belize City, Orange Walk, and Crooked Tree also are options. Altun Ha is a regular stop on cruise ship excursions, and on days when several ships are in port in Belize City (typically midweek), Altun Ha may be crowded. Several tour operators in San Pedro and Caye Caulker also offer day trips to Altun Ha, often combined with lunch at the nearby Maruba Resort Jungle Spa. Most of these tours from the cayes are by boat, landing at Bomba Village. From here, a van makes the short ride to Altun Ha. 

Although the Maya are by far the largest population in rural Toledo, the district also forms part of Belize's Garifuna homeland. Barranco, a small village of fewer than 150 people about an hour by road from Punta Gorda, is the largest Garifuna center in Toledo. This southernmost coastal village in Belize has electricity, a couple of shops, a bar, a police station, a health clinic, and a school. Old-timers lament that young people don't want to stay in Barranco; they leave for the bright lights of Punta Gorda, Belize City, or beyond. In fact, remittances sent back home from those who are working elsewhere contribute substantially to the village's economy. One local kid who made good was Andy Palacio, the famed punta rock musician. A guided village tour includes, in addition to a visit to Palacio's gravesite, stops at the Dabuyaba (Garifuna temple), the House of Culture, and a cassava factory. Lunch in a local home is also possible. TIDE Tours, PG Tours, and other tour operators offer trips to Barranco, or you can drive yourself.

This wet cave, now a part of the Barton Creek Archeological Reserve in a remote area off the Mountain Pine Ridge Road, offers a canoeing adventure in Xibalba (the Mayan underworld). You'll float through about a mile of a long underground chamber—the cave is nearly 5 miles (8 km) long and parts have never been completely explored. You'll see Mayan ceramics along with ancient calcified skeletal remains and skulls. You can go on a tour from San Ignacio or from your lodge. PACZ Tours, for example, offers a six-hour tour, including lunch and admission to the cave, for BZ$170 plus tax per person, and Chaa Creek offers a half-day tour for one- to four persons for BZ$310 plus BZ$50 per person for park admission and equipment plus tax. You can also drive to the cave yourself, rent a boat and gear, and hire a guide near the cave. Getting to the cave is an adventure in itself, requiring a long drive on rough roads. Parts of the road and the cave itself may be inaccessible after hard rains. Be careful in the cave; it's best to tour with a reputable tour company with an experienced tour guide and reliable, well-maintained equipment such as float vests.

Also called the Rainforest Medicine Trail, this trail was originally developed by natural medicine guru Rosita Arvigo and gives you a quick introduction to traditional Mayan medicine. The trail takes you on a short, self-guided walk through the rain forest on the grounds of Chaa Creek, giving you a chance to study the symbiotic nature of its plant life. Learn about the healing properties of such indigenous plants as red gumbo-limbo and see some endangered medicinal plants. The shop here sells Mayan medicinal products like Belly Be Good and Flu Away.

Your stop for snapping a “Look where I am!” photo to post on Facebook or Instagram could be these large block letters by the shore that spell out BELIZE. Each colorful letter is a painted mural unto itself. Early morning sees the fewest visitors and the best opportunity for you and/or your traveling companions to get the shot you want. (You'll see people stand atop the two Es. We don’t recommend that.)

See exotic spices such as cardamom, vanilla, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, and sandalwood growing at this spice farm just off the Southern Highway at Golden Stream. Black pepper is grown in enough quantity (about 10,000 pounds of peppercorns per year) for commercial sales in Belize. The spice farm is part of a 500-acre tract now producing mostly citrus fruits. Visitors are given a guided tour of the farm on a cart with seats pulled by a tracked tractor; walking tours are also available. The last stop on the tour is the drying room, full of wonderful spice aromas. Tours generally start every hour on the hour from 8 to 4, but it's advisable to call ahead. The restaurant accommodates tour groups and other visitors.