Belize packs an unusual range of landscape into a small, English-speaking Central American country, the second-largest barrier reef in the world, running along its entire coastline, and a jungle interior holding Maya ruins that rival Guatemala's more famous sites, all without the crowds that visit its Yucatán Peninsula neighbours.
The Barrier Reef and Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole, a nearly perfectly circular marine sinkhole over 300 metres across and 124 metres deep, is one of the world's most famous dive sites, first brought to international attention by Jacques Cousteau, advanced certification is generally required given the depth involved.
Beyond the Blue Hole, Belize's barrier reef offers exceptional snorkelling and diving at a fraction of the crowds found on comparable reefs elsewhere, with sites like Hol Chan Marine Reserve accessible even to less experienced snorkellers.
Maya Ruins in the Jungle
Caracol, Belize's largest Maya site, remains genuinely remote, reached via a bumpy jungle road, its central pyramid, Caana, remains the tallest man-made structure in the country, and the site typically has far fewer visitors than comparable ruins across the border in Guatemala or Mexico.
The Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, requiring a swim and scramble through underground passages to reach chambers holding ancient Maya ceremonial remains, is one of the more physically demanding but genuinely unforgettable archaeological experiences in Central America.
Recommended Stay · Belize · Placencia
Turtle Inn
A beachfront resort of Balinese-style thatched villas owned by filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola, with direct access to Belize's barrier reef for diving and snorkelling.
