Renowned for dive sites on the Belize Barrier Reef, as well as total relaxation on the gorgeous beaches, the Caribbean island of Caye Caulker also offers plenty of activities to enjoy on the island and the mainland of Belize. From guided tours to solo exploration, it’s time to discover Belize!
THE BEACHES OF BELIZE
In Belize, the 175 miles of sandy beaches are undoubtedly a huge draw for tourists and natives alike. The Belize Barrier Reef which protects the coast makes water activites such as swimming, snorkeling and diving all relatively safe with little surf or undercurrents. Outside the reef think Scuba diving and deep sea fishing. Some of the best beaches are Caye Caulker, Ambergris Caye, Placencia, Hopkins and southern Belize. The huge attractions for tourists are Belize’s 200 islands (also called “Cayes”) which offer secluded beaches, warm water, and the ultimate in the laidback Latin lifestyle all with the perpetual background of inviting turquoise water and gorgeous sunrises and sunsets.
BELIZE MAINLAND TRIPS WITH JOSE TOURS
Jose Tours Belize offers attractively priced tours of Mayan ruins in Belize such as Altun Ha and Lamanai as well as great activities such as Cave Tubing and Zip Lining. Trips to the Belize Zoo and to the Howler Monkey/Baboon Sanctuary are offered as well! If you’d like to do more than one activity or tour in a day, check out COMBO Tours that combine different activities together to provide a day of fun and relaxation!
MAYA RUINS AND TEMPLES
The Maya Ruins are located in the southern part of Belize. The Maya ruins are a main attraction in Belize, and at one point in history this area was the center of Mayan civilization. It is an undeveloped area and today there is one of the biggest concentrations of temples, underground chambers and much ancient art work in pottery, stone carvings, paintings. Most of the art was made using gold, obsidian and jade.
JAGUAR PRESERVE, COCKSCOMB BASIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
Just west and inland of the top beaches is the Jaguar Preserve, called the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. It has a long walking trail through the jungle, where plants are identified along the trail and it is not unusual to see animals as you walk. The Sanctuary is home to Belize’s largest cat, the Jaguar. In the Sanctuary, the Victoria Peak trail is only accessible during the dry season and guides are necessary for this ascent up the mountain.
HIKING AND BIKING IN CAYE CAULKER BELIZE
Hiking and biking are great ways to tour the country. This is a very laidback country with a very low density population. On many of the well-defined trails in the rainforest you can see plants which are identified by signage and points of interest are also marked. Many visitors simply take a map of Belize and information from this website and venture out on their own. No guided tour necessary!!!
VISIT THE BELIZE ZOO
The Belize Zoo exhibits more than 150 native animals in a real tropical rainforest atmosphere with enclosures set in a hidden environment of native trees and plants. You will NOT see any metal cages as are typical in ordinary zoos. The zoo is 31 miles west of Belize City. It is most extraordinary and you could easily spend the day here.
MUSEUM OF BELIZE
In Belize City near Queen Street is a restored building which was originally built as a prison during the 19th century. It was built to house just 1 prisoner in each cell, but when the prison closed in the 20th century the cells each held 6 to 8 prisoners. A tour of this facility is certainly in order, escpailly for history lovers.
CAVE TUBING AT ATM CAVE AT CAVES BRANCH
Ever hear of Cave tubing? Belize has it! It is a full day river run called the ATM Cave that travels underground for miles through caves and then rises out of the caves to continue this fabulous journey for 30 miles through the tropical rainforest and finally connects with the Sibun River to finish this incredible journey. Several companies offer this tour. There are zip line options to consider as well.
Explore Belize from your beachfront Caye Caulker vacation rental.