A Travel Insight into Belize, Central America

Central America 's popularity amongst holidaymakers continues to grow year on year. Nevertheless one of the gems of this diverse territory remains largely anonymous to the British traveller. Indeed, for many Britons, Belize is still best known as the place where the army went to do its jungle training. However, I was about to find out just why scores of North Americans see this former British colony as one of the world's hottest tourist destinations.

My trip had not begun in ideal fashion. There are no direct flights from Europe , so it had been well over 18 hours before I finally touched down in the little strip of Central America , roughly the size of Wales . This was not to be the end of the torment though as a burley airline officer informed me that although I had caught the daily connecting flight from Houston to Belize City , my luggage had been less fortunate.

Belize Part 1 - The Sub-Tropical Rainforest & Ancient Mayan Ruins

The outcome of my lost luggage was a night in Belize City . The largest city in Belize , with its ramshackle wooden structures and rather chaotic surroundings, has little attraction for tourists. Hence it was a relief to find my luggage waiting in the hotel lobby the next day and I proceeded to travel west to the town of San Ignacio in the Cayo district. This area of central Belize stretches to the Guatemalan border and is made up of tropical rainforests, mountains ranges, pristine rivers and ancient Mayan ruins.

I was greeted at Nabitunich, my lodging for the next few days, by Rudy my host and the fifth generation of his family to work this small farm. Asked why he was wearing a thick woollen sweater, he informed me that the temperature had dropped below 85F, which is considered by locals as "chilly".

The stone cottages at Nabitunich are set in 400 acres of forest and farmland. A short walk from the farm the beautiful Mopan River snakes its way through the valley, while in the hills above, the imposing Mayan ruins of Xunantunich (pronounced Shun-an-tunich) dominate the skyline for miles around. Nabitunich is one of a number of lodges in the valleys west of San Ignacio. The world-renowned Chaa Creek Jungle Lodge, whose Treetop Jacuzzi suite has attracted Hollywood celebrities such as Cameron Diaz and Heidi Klum, is a close neighbour.

Much of my time at Nabitunich was spent simply relaxing and taking in the spectacular views on one of the several hammocks dotted around the grounds. My more adventurous excursions included a trek to the awe inspiring ruins of Xunantunich, which gave an interesting insight into the ancient Mayan civilization, not to mention spectacular views of the surrounding countryside. I also kayaked along the serene Mopan River , where the reflection of iguanas lounging on overhanging tree branches cast a shadow over the crystal clear waters.

"Place of Fright"

I had been told one of the most rewarding activities in Belize is to explore one of its many spectacular cave systems. After an enthusiastic recommendation from a Canadian couple, I took one of only two tours officially allowed to enter the precious archaeological site of Actun Tunichill Muknal.

The caves are located in a remote area of sub-tropical rainforest. During an hour-long trek to the caves, our guide, Juan Carlos pointed out some of the fascinating wildlife present in this unique protected eco-system. "They taste like carrots" I was assured as I pushed a handful of termites into my mouth. Luckily the tarantulas and soldier ants we came across were not on the menu. The countless plants and trees ranged from balsa, precious mahogany and fig to the Gumbo Limbo, known affectionately as the 'tourist tree' for its red, peeling bark.

The Belizean rainforest is also home to the deadly Fer de Lance snake, which hunts victims with receptive heat sensors on its head. Despite insistence from Juan Carlos that it was highly unlikely the anti-venom kit contained in his pack would be necessary, the confident looks expressed by some of the group at the outset became suddenly less assured.

Once in the caves much of our time was spent wading waist, or even chest deep in water. Any apprehension amongst the group was quickly removed though, as an elderly couple in another tour party confidently hurried past us.

The natural structures contained deep in the caves were spectacular. The main attraction for visitors, however, is the fascinating Mayan artefacts discovered here in recent years.

Known by the Maya as Xibalba or "Place of Fright", the caves contain a number of astoundingly well preserved skeletons of Maya human sacrifices. There are also a number of other artefacts ranging from simple pots and pans to axes, and other bloodletting implements. Keith, a dentist from Colorado , was quick to point out whilst peering into one of the human skulls, that the Mayans had better teeth than many English people do today. As the laugher from our predominantly North American group echoed around the caves we headed back to the farm for a much appreciated home cooked meal and night's rest.

Belize Part 2 - Tropical Paradise and Great Barrier Reef

The next day I travelled to the ramshackle coastal town of Dangriga . There were no official boat services to my next destination, the small island of Tobacco Caye , but after braving one of the local bars, Captain Buck offered the services of his small fibreglass fishing boat. As the boat cut through the blue Caribbean waters, a tiny patch of white sand, fringed with palm trees appeared on the horizon.

The island itself consists of less than four acres. Allow yourself more than 15 minutes and you'll have time to circumnavigate it twice. Therefore it did not take me long to find the whitewashed Cabanas of Tobacco Caye Lodge. "Breakfast at 8, lunch at 12, supper at 6" said George as he showed me to my room with the inevitable 'sea view'. With meals organised, visitors on Tobacco Caye are left to sit back and enjoy life on a remote tropical island. This generally involves relaxing on one of the many hammocks while the waves gently lap the shore or exploring the nearby coral reef.

You will often hear Belizeans proudly proclaiming the Country's possession of the world's second largest barrier reef. For most tourists, exploring the abundant sea life of this enthralling natural environment is a highlight of any visit to Belize .

From Tobacco Caye the reef stretches as far as Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the south. Like many of the other atolls dotted along the Belizean coastline, Tobacco Caye sits on the reef itself, meaning you can snorkel from the beach rather than having to charter a boat.

After donning my snorkel gear, I paddled around to one of the island's jetties. George had told me that it was here I would find one the island's most famous residents. Sure enough coiled under a large rock was the dark outline of an enormous moray eel.

As I swam further from the island the coral became more abundant and I found myself surrounded by fish of all colours and shapes. I realised why the splash of pelicans plunging into sea was such a common sound on the island. The sheer abundance of tropical fish was staggering. Blue tang, parrot fish and angel fish were just a few among the many hundreds of species laid out in a myriad of colour before me. All around the menacing barracuda hovered near the surface, the sunlight reflecting off their silver bodies. While down on the seabed the beautiful eagle rays soared like magic carpets.

Evenings on Tobacco Caye generally consist of a hearty meal and a visit to the Tobacco Caye Lodge bar. Guests sip icy beers and discuss their travels as the orange sun sets behind the mountains of the mainland in the distance.

Greg and Katie, a couple from Devon explained to me how they'd been due to travel to Sri Lanka but tragic events had meant a last minute change of plan. Greg described how they'd been looking for a destination like Sri Lanka , which has both extraordinary natural and man made attractions within modest and accessible psychical dimensions. A friend from New York had suggested Belize and here they were.

Five days on a paradise island goes extremely quickly and it was with great dismay that I saw Tobacco Caye disappear over the horizon as Captain Buck's boat rattled towards the mainland.

The British missing a trick?

As my thoughts began to focus on an immanent return to the rush of urban life, I began to reflect on the last ten days in this tiny stretch of Central America . Greg was right, Belize has some magnificent natural attractions, not to mention a rich culture and fascinating history. In 2003 less than 10,000 Britons visited Belize . I felt privileged that I was able to enjoy the country's easy going, friendly and uncrowded character. The secret delights of this idyllic, English speaking nation will surely not remain off the major tourist trail for long.

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