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Southern Belize is for those who want to explore off the
beaten track. Its small towns and villages and largely undisturbed environment
make the area seem unspoiled and isolated. Although the roads are long and usually in bad condition, the scenery is spectacular and exotic, with large expanses of
forests and the eastern fringe of the Mayan mountains on the horizon.
The
main road into the south is the Hummingbird Highway, which
begins in Belmopan and travels down to Dangriga. Although the highway is well paved up to the Caves Branch River,
it degenerates with potholes and bumps as it travels further south. About 15 miles from Belmopan is the Blue Hole, a lovely, circular swimming hole surrounded by forest. The waters come from an underground river, making them unusually
cool. From the Blue Hole,
a trail leads off the highway to St. Herman's Cave, a large
limestone cavern. After
that, the highway leads to the colorful town of Dangriga,
dominated by the Garifuna culture.
Encompassing
100,000 acres of lush jungle in Southern Belize, the Cockscomb
Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is about an hour's drive south of Dangriga
on the Southern Highway. Situated
around Belize's Cockscomb Basin, a lush mountain basin full of tropical
forest and jungle streams, the Sanctuary is a great place for
nature lovers. In
addition to the jaguar, the sanctuary's diverse ecosystem protects
a sizable percentage of Belize's plant and animal species, including
the endangered ocelot, margay, baird's tapir, kinkajou and scarlet macaw. There are several beautiful nature trails in the sanctuary,
including Ben's Bluff Trail, from which hikers can get the best views
of the basin, and a trail up to Victoria's Peak, the second
highest mountain in Belize.
Further
along the Southern Highway is a 26-mile long dirt road which leads
to the Placencia Peninsula, a wonderful place for diving,
snorkelling, fishing, and viewing wildlife. Much of the surrounding forest around the nearby Monkey
River has been declared a Special Conservation Area. A slow ride up the jungle-lined river offers the opportunity
to view iguanas, crocodiles, howler monkeys and a large variety of
tropical birds.
Further
south of Placencia is the remote Toledo District, where over half the population is Mayan. Pot-holed dirt roads lead past isolated Mayan villages, primary
rain forests, monstrous caves and numerous ancient ruins returning
to the forest, making Toledo a difficult but exciting destination
for adventurous travellers. Punta Gorda is the southern-most town in Belize and the largest
in Toledo with a population of 6,000.
Lying
along the slope of the Mayan mountains in Toledo is the 92,000-acre
Bladen Nature Reserve, probably Belize's most pristine protected
rainforest. Largely
unexplored, the reserve contains massive outcrops of limestone,
sinkholes, caves waterfalls and numerous species of wildlife. Adjacent to Bladen Reserve is the 103,000 acre Columbia
River Forest Reserve, which is the most biologically diverse ecosystem
in Belize. The Temash
and Sarstoon Delta Wildlife Sanctuary has spectacular 30-40-foot tall red mangrove trees, and abundant wildlife such
as the gibnut, peccary, warrie, crocodile and jaguar. When you go to these remote reserves, it is a good idea to
be totally self-sufficient in terms of equipment and food. Guides can be hired at the nearby village of San Jose for strenuous
treks into the reserves.
Toledo
is rich in Mayan ruins, but many of them are overgrown, with
little information about them available. One of the better-maintained sites is Lubaatun,
which lies on a ridge above a valley, ½ mile from the village of San
Pedro Columbia. Uphill
from the nearby Indian Creek village, is Nim Li Punit, an ancient ceremonial center with magnificent views
and 25 stelae, types of carved stone monuments, including
one of the largest stelae in Belize.
attractions
Click
for attractions at and around Placencia and Dangriga. The following
are those further south around Punta Gorda:-
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Fajina
Craft Center for handicrafts
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Blue
Creek Cave for path to cave, and canopy walk through
rainforest
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Rio
Blanco Falls, guided trips of cascades in the Maya Mountains
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Trekking of jungle, caves, waterfalls
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Mayan
ruins of Uxbenka
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Agua
Caliente Nature Reserve for birdwatching, hiking, hot
water spring and wildlife
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Barranco
Village 12 miles south of Punta Gorda, reached by boat,
to visit Temash River, Sarstoon Temash National Park (see above)
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Kayaking ocean cayes or in rivers
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Fishing for tarpon, permit and bonefish
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Jaguar
Reef Lodge, Dangriga
Stann
Creek area hotels
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