Tips that refer to places other than Belize City, Belize City

It was very simple. You just sat in your inner tube and let the current take you down stream through caves. We were provided with a life vest, although much of the trip is in waters in which you could stand up. They also provided a headlight, so you could see while in the caves. It was a very unique experience. The water warm.

Once your at Belize city I would highly sugguest going out to one of the cays they have off the coast. They have lots of cool restaurants and everywere you go there are white sand beaches. In fact the entire cays are made of sand.

Take a 20 minute hike through the jungle with your inner tube, and then float as you drift in and out of caves. Headlamps are worn so you can see the inside of the caves. Depending on the time of year, the current is either very slow (have to paddle with your hands to keep moving), or fast.

At Barton Caves we put in canoes and paddled the outflow slowly through this limestone cave.
Saw limestone flows and stalactites. Water is murky clear with some fish. The cleft ceiling was very high, at least 100 feet. The cave was surprisingly warm.

Several spots have natural stone bridges, one bridge a shelf over the river. The ancient Maya enhanced a sloping wall to make steps to a ledge where skeletons were found: one a 60 yr old woman, several of men and women- possible sacrifices when the Mayan empire was in decline.

Stone Maiden, Xunantunich

At the ruins a mound looked like a “volcano” where an 'archeologist' in late 1800's used dynamite to blow up the center to loot artifacts. Walked to the top of the main pyramid El Castillo for an outstanding view of Guatemala about 1 mile away. Looked the same as Belize.
Small museum with stone carvings. Several tall excavated Mayan ruins restored. Other mounds.

Che Chem Ha Pottery Caves

We heard the cave was mucky but no one mentioned the 35-45 minute serious uphill limestone dirt/rock trail through sweltering jungles. The trail has to be cleared by machete every 3 months before the jungle reclaims its own. We hiked 3/4 ways up a mountain about 1000 feet elevation gain. William our guide and founder of cave just wore sandals; I wore and needed hiking boots.
Several stone shelves of beautiful pots are accessed by rebar ladders. Across from one shelf a surveyor's sting served 5 bats as their hanging place.

Diving the Blue Hole has been famous since Jaques Cousteau visited the site in the early 70`s. The hole is different in that you will see stalactites coming from the roof of an overhang at 130 ft. The bull sharks circling above us on our ascent made the dive for me though.
Cost is around USD 150 for 3 tanks.

Exploration with a guide explaining Mayan history
Small Mayan ruin site partially excavated. Mountain like hills covered in jungle and trees still cover other ruins.