Belmopan in the Belize River Valley

Belmopan, the capital of the Central American country of Belize is located in the Belize River Valley. The city offers many adventures and national parks to explore.

The National Assembly Building of Belize is located in the heart of Belmopan and is home to the two houses of Parliament the House of Representatives and the Senate. This building was designed to look like a Mayan temple.

Blue Hole National Park includes St. Herman’s Cave which is one of the few caves in Belize that tourists can visit independently. You can rent flashlights at the visitors' center. There is a path that leads 200 yards into the cave alongside an underground river. On the way back go along Highland Trail with rope guides for some spectacular views. If you prefer a longer hike take the three-hour trail from Crystal Cave. The Blue Hole also has a 25ft.-deep swimming hole.

Here you’ll find the UNESCO World Heritage site the Great Blue Hole, a natural monument. When divers plunge into this sinkhole they can see unique limestone stalactites that protrude from the steep walls and schools of reef sharks.

Guanacaste National Park is Belize’s smallest national park. It was named for the giant Guanacaste tree on the southwestern edge. The park is framed by Roaring Creek and the Belize River. There are two miles of hiking trails with many local trees and colorful birds. The best time for birding here is in the winter when migrants arrive from North America. Guanacaste Trail has a timber deck leading down to the river where there is a deep waterhole for swimming.

George Price Center for Peace & Development is a museum and conference center, celebrating the life of Belize’s beloved statesman and first prime minister after independence, George Price. There are photos and information panels and an archive of documents and letters written by Price.

The Belize Zoo was established in 1983. Today it is the Belize Zoo and Tropical Education Center and exhibits more than 175 animals that represent over 45 native species. There are summer camps, teacher and tour guide workshops, and student career training.

Exploring Belize

Ambergris Caye is right off the tip of the Yucatan Peninsula and is a prime tourist destination. Here saltwater fly fishing enthusiasts come here to cast lines for bonefish, tarpon, snook, and barracuda.

Off the coast, you’ll find Hol Chan Marine Reserve one of the most visited diving and snorkeling sites. It is one of the seven reserves within the Belize Barrier Reef system. Among the top attractions in the reserve is Cat’s Eye, a crescent-shaped sinkhole.

Shark Ray Alley where divers have the chance to get close to nurse sharks and southern stingrays.

San Pedro is the island’s main town and fishing village with colorful clapboard houses. Transport is mainly by golf carts and bikes.

The Ambergris Museum and Cultural Center offers the island’s history from the ancient Mayan traders to the present day.

Lighthouse Reef Atoll is a great place for nature lovers and divers. Six cayes surround a lagoon with white-sand beaches, coconut palms, and coral formations.

Also a World Heritage site, the Half Moon Caye Natural Monument is a bird sanctuary sheltering a colony of about 4,000 red-footed boobies and other species.

There are natural trails that lead to observation platforms offering bird’s eye views of nesting boobies and frigate birds. Visitors also enjoy exploring the island’s lighthouse and relaxing on the lovely beaches.

Placencia is a popular fishing village and beach resort. Travelers enjoy the white-sand beaches, kayaking, diving, and snorkeling, and fresh seafood restaurants.

Laughing Bird Caye National Park is a UNESCO World Heritage site with hiking trails and coral reefs. Popular activities are swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, and diving.

You can have an exciting adventure cruising through the mangroves on the Monkey River where you can see birds, howler monkeys, and crocodiles.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is where you’ll find a tropical forest with an interesting array of wildlife like jaguars, ocelots, pumas, anteaters, tapirs, monkeys, and snakes.

There are also many birds such as toucans and scarlet macaws. A great way to explore the sanctuary is by walking the trails. One of the most popular is the Waterfall Trail with a cascade and swimming hole. There are guided tours available.

Lamanal Archeological Reserve is found in the lush jungle on the banks of the New River. Lamanal is the most famous archeological site in northern Belize and is one of its largest ceremonial centers. The name means “submerged crocodile” in the Mayan language. There are several ruined churches here and the archeological site features over 900 structures as well as a museum with exhibits of pottery, figurines, and jade jewelry. Among the highlights are the Mask Temple, Temple of the Jaguar, and the High Temple, which can be climbed for panoramic jungle views.

Caracol Natural Monument Reservation sits on the Vaca Plateau, 152 meters above sea level. Caracol is the largest archeological site in Belize. The ruins of this Mayan city are found deep in the jungles of the Chiquibul National Park near the Guatemalan border.

An interesting feature is the 43-meter-high Caana (Sky Palace) Pyramid, Caracol’s tallest structure. It is also the tallest human-made structure in all of Belize and offers fantastic views of the site and the surrounding jungle. Among the ruins, you can find big cats, howler monkeys, and birds like toucans. Beyond here is a series of limestone karst caves which are believed to be the largest of their kind in the Western Hemisphere.