About Belize
About Cayo District
The Cayo District is located inland in the western part of Belize and includes the towns of Benque
Viejo del Carmen and San Ignacio Cayo, the villages of Spanish Lookout, San Antonio Cayo, Roaring Creek,
and Albaina as well as the capital city of Belize, Belmopan. The district has a strong agricultural community
that crows citrus crops (oranges, grapefruit, and tangerine) and bananas.
For your vacation, Cayo District also has many resorts and jungle lodges that provide access to the pristine
subtropical rainforest. Most of these are near the town of San Ignacio or off of the Western and Hummingbird Highways.
They tend to be located along the vast river system and offer inland tours, horseback riding, trips to the
Maya ruins, and caving tours into the Mayan underworld. Cayo is home to the very significant Maya ruins of
Xunantunich, Cahal Pech and Caracol. There are also waterfalls, butterfly farms, a wide variety of birds, and many
other adventure tours in this district.
Most guests that are visiting Belize spend a few days in the Cayo District prior to visiting the beach so they
combine both the beautiful rainforest and the Caribbean sea on their vacation. This makes for a trip full of
variety in both culture and natural environment.
About Hopkins Town
Hopkins is a new destination in southern Belize. This small village is inhabited by the Garinagu people who
are descended from escaped Nigeran slaves and the natives of the Caribbean. Their rich Garifuna culture is
especially noted for its music, which is very different from the music of the rest of Central America.
In Hopkins Village, the Garifuna culture thrives and visitors enjoy the drumming, dancing, and doll
making activities of the area. The Garinagu villagers still speak an African style dialect, as well as
English. This area has wide white sand beaches and plenty of open space. There are only a handful of resorts
located outside while the village itself has a few small guest houses. It can easily be reached by bicycle or
kayak from the resorts.
One of the best things about Hopkins Village is its easy access to both inland and water tours. From this
area you can visit the Sittee River, Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve, Mayflower ruins and waterfalls, go jungle and
beach horseback riding, diving, snorkeling, fly or river fishing and even take a trip to the Glover’s Reef atoll.
About Placencia
Placencia is a 17 mile peninsula in the Stann Creek District of Belize that has developed into a vacation
destination over the last decade. The largest community on the peninsula is the Village of Placencia which has
a Creole heritage. Before tourism became so important, the main occupations were lobster fishing and diving for
black coral.
Despite recent growth, this village remains small and quaint with a handful of gift shops and restaurants,
spas, internet cafes, and an art gallery featuring local talent. About 4 miles from Placencia Village there
is also a Garifuna village called Seine Bight, which means "fishing net". Most of the resorts on the peninsula
are located on the beach between these two villages. The resorts are beautifully landscaped with lots of trees
and gardens and plenty of beach space making it easy to find private and relaxing spots.
Placencia has miles of lovely beach, many trees with a wide variety of bird life, and lots of beautiful
islands between the reef and the shore. The annual migration of whale sharks comes to this area every spring
making this a popular diving and snorkeling area.
There are taxis and regularly scheduled flights available in Placencia or you can bike along the road or
stroll the beach and sidewalk to get to the towns. Vacations in this area can include snorkeling, fishing,
scuba diving, a jungle tour on the Monkey River, the Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve, and tours to the Maya ruins
of southern Belize.
About Toledo District
Toledo, the southernmost district of Belize, is a largely undiscovered area of rainforest, mountains,
rivers, and Maya Villages. While formerly referred to as "the forgotten land", for it's growing number of
visitors it is "simply unforgettable".
As the most sparsely populated and least developed region in the country, Toledo is for the visitor
with imagination and a sense of adventure, the urge to explore and the spirit of a pioneer. Kayak along
the green waters of jungle clad rivers teeming with birds and wildlife, or swim in a pool beneath one of
the waterfalls in a romantic and secluded jungle setting.
Meet modern Maya who preserve their traditional ways of life even as they adopt to the approach of the modern world. Some of the best fly-fishing in the country is done in the nearby rivers. The Sapodilla Cayes offer
great snorkeling, swimming, kayaking and diving.
Five major protected areas have been declared wildlife reserves. These natural treasures abound with wildlife
and over 2000 species of flowering plants.
|
