Rainforests and Ruins in Belize

The Xunantunich ruins in the Cayo district near the Guatemalan border are amazing. I've been told that they're not as spectacular as the nearby Tikal or Caracol, but they're definitely less crowded. The entry fee is about USD and well worth it. Recently a small museum was added to the site that displays pcitures from the archaeological digs and a diorama of the entire site. If you're strapped for time, I recommend seeing the ball court and making the climb to the top of the pyramid. It's a tough climb, but the view is absolutely incredible.

Quick Tips:

Bring bug spray; there are mosquitoes everywhere! Bring cash with you if you're going to be in a remote area. The only place to get money from checks/cards is only open about 2 hours a day. Buy a phone card as soon as you get there--the public phones are somewhat complicated and require a local card.

Best Way To Get Around:

The bus system isn't too bad. It's not always on time, but it is fairly reliable. Taxis are everywhere, but they can be a little scary on your own. At larger stops, you can usually find some other travelers to share one with though. Watch out for the drivers; they'll try to charge you more than they agreed on once you get to your destination. And remember, if there's an emergency, there are only several flights in and out of Belize City each day, and the airport closes at night.

The Trek Stop (www.thetrekstop.com) calls itself eco-lodging for savvy travelers--a better description would be small cabins and camping in the middle of the rain forest. It’s located just east of the small town of San Jose Succotz. The Trek Stop isn't a bad place to stay if you're looking for somewhere to spend a couple of nights cheaply and don't care about luxuries. In fact, it's really the only thing around.

Cabins are available ranging from US$12 to US$35 per night, depending on size. I stayed in a large cabin with two other girls and it was quite cramped. There was one single bed, and a bunk bed crammed in. The suitcases fit at the foot of the bed, and there were two outlets near the door. You do receive a key for the cabin, but I'd recommend locking things up inside regardless. The cabin windows were covered with mesh, but that doesn't stop the bugs. Make sure to ask for a mosquito net; they're not automatically in the rooms. And make sure to look in your sheets before bed, as there are lots of spiders and scorpions around. And you'll definitely need the covers, as it gets quite cold at night.

For bathrooms there are composting toilets. They're quite smelly, but there are wood chips to throw in when you're done that help a bit. There are also two solar showers (don't count on them to be warm). They're fairly nice, but I'd recommend wearing sandals in anyway.

There's a small "restaurant" that serves surprisingly good food and a small kitchen for cooking as well. There is also a community area with a very small collection of books and a computer. The website says that they now have free Internet, but at the time I was there, it was US$0.15 per minute to be online.

The owners of the Trek Stop are a couple living on-site. Their son is an archaeologist who works in the area occasionally. They also run the Tropical Wings nature center. The center has a butterfly house, local plant gardens, a small museum with exhibits for kids, and a small gift shop. The cost is BZ$5 for adults and BZ$2 for children. It wasn't terribly interesting to me, but it might be fun with kids around.

There is a frisby golf course on-site (supposedly the only one in Belize) and a few hiking trails. My advice is just to watch out for the fire ants and for any trees with a pink string attached. I was told that the trees are poisonous and cause a rash ten times worse than poison ivy. Make sure to have someone point them out to you while you're there because out in the rain forest, they're not going to be marked for you. They also rent mountain bikes and tubes/kayaks for the Mopan river. Personally, I'd stick with the bikes and stay out of the river. It looks like a large moving body of mud more than a river.

From San Jose Succotz you can take the ferry across the Mopan River (tipping the ferryman is a good idea) to the Xunantunich site. You'll know you're there when you see a group of stands with locals selling everything from jewelry and bags to stone calendars and figurines. On the other side of the river there's about a mile walk uphill to get to the entrance. There are also several "gift shops" just near the entrance. The cost to get into the site is about US$5 per person.

Recently a small museum was added to the site that displays pictures from archaeological digs as well as a diorama of the site and quite a bit of information on the history of the area. It's right at the entrance, so stop in before going on. It only takes 10 to 20 minutes to walk through.

Once you leave the museum, you'll see the main area of the site. On one end there's a large stepped pyramid with beautiful carvings on it. On the other side is a building that served as the housing and kitchen area. In the middle there are several mounds and a ball court that looks incredible when the sunset hits it. The pyramid is the most spectacular part of the site. It's a long climb up, but the view is absolutely incredible. I sat on top of it for a good half-hour just looking out over the rain-forest canopy. You can even see the Guatemalan border from there.

I should mention that you shouldn't be startled by the guards there. They carry rather large guns and wander the site, keeping an eye on things. I wasn't expecting it and was quite surprised to see one when I got to the top of the pyramid.

This site was my favorite thing about Belize. I spent most of my time in the rain forest and being uncomfortable, so this was a welcome change. I've been told that it's not as spectacular as the nearby Tikal or Caracol (neither of which I've been to yet), but it's definitely less crowded. I think there were only 20 to 30 people there when I went. And my group accounted for almost half of that.

I don't know the cave's name, but I was taken there by a guide. All I have to say is that it is *very* difficult. There was almost vertical climbing (that was very difficult for someone that's 5'1") in extremely slippery conditions. I enjoy challenges, but this one was even a bit much for me. I was told the cave was 18 miles long, and we saw a rather large lake inside. This is a great caving location for someone who knows what they're doing, but for us novices, kind of difficult.