Legendary travel publisher National Geographic has just released their annual report about the best places to visit in the upcoming year, and Belize has received high praise.
National Geographic gave accolades to Belize for its strongly pro-environmental stance towards protecting its offshore reef. Indeed, National Geographic has recommended its readers to “go now” to Belize to help support the country’s thriving eco-tourism industry. Earlier this year, the Belize Barrier Reef, the largest coral reef system in the Western Hemisphere and a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was upgraded to healthy status after the government of Belize banned all offshore drilling, passed a law to phase out single-use plastics, and has taken steps to protect mangrove forests.
These steps and many others have allowed life to flourish in one of the most biodiverse marine environments on the planet. Hundreds of fish species thrive in the tropical waters of the Belize Barrier Reef along with bird species like the red-footed booby and animals like the loggerhead turtle and West Indian manatee. The reef now contains several national parks and protected marine reserves to ensure the long-term health of the region, which is a popular destination for snorkeling, scuba diving, sea kayaking, and stand-up paddling.
But there’s a lot more to Belize than just the offshore reef. The mainland is a pristine tropical paradise where some 600 bird species can be found along with exotic animals like ocelots, margays, black howler monkeys, giant iguanas, and even jaguars. And hidden amidst the thick jungle foliage are hundreds of ancient Maya sites, including huge pyramids like Caracol and Xunantunich which once vied with Tikal (now just over the border in Guatemala) for power during the heyday of the ancient Maya culture.
Travelers visiting Belize can enjoy exciting activities on the mainland such as birdwatching, horseback riding, rock climbing and rappelling, spelunking, and zip lining (sailing between trees along steel cables). Belize’s unique geography also makes it one of the only places where visitors can enjoy some cave tubing. Using inner tubes or small canoes, visitors can float along underground rivers as they flow through some of the vast cave systems that dot the landscape.
If you’d like to visit this wonderful country, one of the best places to stay is the Caves Branch Jungle Lodge. Situated in the heart of the pristine rainforest in central Belize, Caves Branch offers combination reef and rainforest vacations for visitors who want to experience the best that the country has to offer.