I feel inspired! As I write this post I’m sitting on the deck of my two storey beach cottage at X’Tan-Ha Resort in Belize. Dawn is slowly rising on the horizon, and turquoise water is twinkling with the reflection of the morning sun, while a warm wind is blowing through the palms creating a gentle sound that is uniquely peaceful and soothing.
This is our last trip of 2017, and a deliberate attempt to skip Christmas this year. Bah Humbug you say! My kids would probably agree. I’ve come to realize that experiences trump consumerism every day of the week and twice on Sundays; and we were feeling like the holidays were becoming more obligatory than celebratory. So we decided to mix it up, and go on an adventure. We planned the trip into three phases, inland exploration, beach relaxation and city life to maximize our time in Belize.
First stop was the twin towns of St Elena and San Ignacio. Only a two hour car ride from Belize City, these towns lie in the western region of the country near the Guatemalan border. The towns are separated only by a river, and without knowing they were different towns, you would assume it was only one. We decided to stay at the Midas hotel in San Ignacio, which turned out to be a good choice. It’s right on the edge of town, within walking distance of everything and had all the amenities we needed for our adventures.
The drive to the twin towns was spectacular, taking you along a highway that passes through small communities, farmland, rolling hills and lush jungles. You may read on various review sites that the highway is in rough shape, but I can assure you it’s fine. Although not to urban standards, coming from the Yukon, they are in better shape than I’m used to. However, they love their speed bumps; lots of them, and sometimes located in the middle of nowhere, so you do have to pay attention.
We had pre-planned our excursions prior to arriving. The first day is always an acclimatization day, where we explored the town and got our bearings. The next day was set aside for cave tubing and zip lining, followed by a day for the A.T.M. Cave (Actun Tunichil Muknal) and the last for exploring two Maya Ruin sites.
The first two activities require some company bookings. The cave tubing is quite a bit off the beaten path, and we elected to complete the 7 mile tubing trip that takes you through five different caves connected by stretches of open river. To get to the first cave we were loaded onto old military transport trucks for the 45 minute drive through grapefruit orchards to reach our destination. At the very end, even the transporter got stuck. We disembarked, and hiked the last few kilometres through the jungle to the cave entrance. Once inside, we turned on our headlamps and began the journey. If you are claustrophobic, or afraid of the dark, this tour is not for you; and although you may think you’ll spend the whole time floating, there is actually a lot of paddling involved, so be prepared for a workout. It took several hours to complete all five caves, but it was a really cool experience. There’s something very serene and peaceful in the silence of the underground caverns. At the end of the caving we had a quick lunch of beans, rice and bbq chicken. It would have been a perfect lunch, except that we were then headed for zip lining on full stomachs.
This activity is my daughter through and through, she is fearless and enjoys the rush; always first to step off the platform. I, on the other hand, am not a petite individual and have visions of my carabiner snapping halfway across the hundred foot gully, or crashing into the person on belay as I come screaming in at mach four; not to mention, I’m doing this on a full stomach, which I highly discourage. In the end, everyone had fun, and no broken bones or air sickness.
The next day we headed up to Maya Walk Tours to participate in the Actun Tunichil Muknal tour (A.T.M.). This particular tour requires a licensed guide because of the sensitivity of this site, the challenge navigating it, and the need to preserve the archeological integrity of this location. If you do nothing else in Belize, this tour is a must. The artifacts and skeletal remains that are fused to the cave floor from years of calcification, suspended in place where they came to rest well over a millennium ago is awe inspiring. There is no surprise why this cave was voted as one of the top ten most sacred caves in the world by National Geographic.
Our last day in San Ignacio was dedicated for the ruins. We drove out to the Xunantunich ruins, which is only about a half hour from San Ignacio. It’s a beautiful drive that takes you within a few kilometres of the border. The signs are well marked, and once there you need to catch a small, hand cranked ferry to cross the river in order to enter the site. Once inside, it’s a short walk up the hill and into the primary plaza’s. As you enter you are instantly taken aback and the beauty of it all. The largest temple towers over all of the other complexes, and the entire grounds are lush, and green, surrounded by jungle on all sides. Unlike other ruins I’ve been to, these are unrestricted. You are able to climb the steep stairs, and ascend to the top of the temple. Once there, you are rewarded with pristine views of the plazas, and beyond. I have no doubt why this site was chosen, you can’t help but appreciate it instantly; and then you are left amazed at the accomplishment the Mayans achieved through the construction of such a city.
From Xunantunich, we drove back to St. Elena to visit Cahal Pech. These ruins are within walking distance of the twin towns, and are much smaller than Xunantunich, but equally impressive. The main plaza is surrounded by walls, creating a beautiful courtyard, anchored by the temple which towers above on one side. As with the other ruins, you are free to climb and explore all of the structures. The climb up to the top of the temple is challenging because a lot of the steps are covered with a layer of moss, so make sure to watch your footing; but the view from the top is worth the risk. I can’t say enough about these sites. The accomplishments and legacy left by the Mayans is incredible, and in my opinion, under appreciated.
After a spectacular stay in San Ignacio, we drove back to Belize City and caught a puddle jumper flight over to San Pedro Island, followed by a water taxi ride to the X’Tan Ha resort. I can’t say enough good things about this resort. It’s essentially a series of self contained cottage style condo’s on a small property quite away from town. Although there is a small restaurant and beach bar on site, guest are on their own for meals, drinks, etc… this is totally our speed! We pre-ordered our food ahead of time through one of the two local grocers who deliver, and the groceries were already stocked in the room before we arrived. The resort is so small, you barely notice anyone else, and you can easily slip into deep relaxation mode with unimpeded access to the beach, pools or ocean. Another unique feature is the coral reef about a kilometre from shore, the second largest in the world, and easily accessible by kayak. What makes this a great feature, is that it acts as a natural break water, so there are no rip tides, or big waves between the reef and the beach.
The primary form of transportation on the island is golf carts, and you can rent them everywhere. We picked one up from the resort and headed into San Pedro for the day. It’s a very typical tourist town, with lots of shops, restaurants and amenities. It was nice to get out for the day, and walk around, but it reinforced for me how much we enjoy our solitude away from the hustle and bustle. It’s a good thing that golf carts are the primary mode of transportation, because I would hate to see what an equal number of cars would look like in this tiny town.
Spending Christmas on San Pedro is exactly what we were looking for, and it was hard to say goodbye, but we booked a day and half in Belize City before going home in order to do a little exploring there. I had not heard a lot of good things about Belize City, and most locals we spoke to reinforced those opinions, but it was still worthy of a visit. In truth, I’m glad we did. We spent some time walking around the waterfront, and down to the cruise ship market area. Although not the worst we have experienced, I found the local vendors very aggressive.
We also made our way to the Museum of Belize, which is housed in the former prison, until the building was donated by the government for its current purpose. They have done a great job of dedicating the upper floor for Mayan exhibits, and the lower floors to local art exhibits, as well as a section documenting the countries history with slavery; which was quite powerful, and worth the time. Belize is a former colony of Britain, that was previously named British Honduras. I couldn’t help but reflect of the impacts colonization has had. Not only with oppression and slavery, but also the removal of historical antiquities for sale or display overseas. You can make a strong argument that this type of historical extraction has diminished the cultural identity and pride in most of the former colonies, but that’s a topic for another post. Suffice to say, the best museums aren’t always the biggest, but the ones that provoke the most reflection; and the Belize Museum did just that.
The next day on the cab ride to the airport we were having a friendly chat with our driver, and the topic drifted to the numerous police check points, and that they were looking for drugs and guns. When asked about gun problems, the cab driver happily pulled out his 9mm from under his shirt to show off what he carries for protection. I’m not sure what caused me most concern, the firearm or the fact he was driving with it out? Although it was unexpected, it was a good reminder that as travellers we always need to pay attention. In a future post I’ll spend some time talking about travel tips and tricks that you may find helpful.
That story aside, Belize was a beautiful country, and the people were very friendly and inviting. To really get the most of your trip, I recommend limiting your time in Belize City. You can check it out on your way to or from the airport when you arrive or depart, but take it from me, the authentic Belizean experience is outside of the city.