BELIZE

AMBERGRIS CAYE
Dives
●Belize Barrier Reef.
●Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
●Shark Ray Alley – snorkel-only, 15' deep site with nurse sharks’ all-year-round.
●Tacklebox Canyon.
Hotels
●Matachica Resort & Spa – 5 miles north of San Pedro; 011-501-223-0002; matachica.com; ask for new casita.
●Victoria House – 22 Coconut Drive (San Pedro); 011-501-226-2067 or 800-247-5159; victoria-house.com.



BELIZE CITY (includes Crooked Tree)
Hotels
●Crooked Tree Lodge – Crooked Tree; 011-501-626-3820; crookedtreelodgebelize.com; small family run lodge; 6 stand-alone cabanas nestled among log wood, Coconut palm & Bullet trees; on Crooked Tree Lagoon & in Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary.
Services
●Belize Aggressor III & Sun Dancer II – 209 Hudson Trace (Augusta, Georgia); 706-993-2531 or 800-348-2628; aggressor.com/belize.php or aggressor.com/belizesun.php; live-aboard dive accommodations that are luxurious and perfect for dive vacations.
Sights & Sites
●Altun Ha – 28 miles north of Belize City; Mayan ruins.
●Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary – Northern Highway at Mile 33; 011-501-223-5004; belizeaudubon.org or belizedistrict.com/tosee_ctws.html; elongated lagoon maze, connected by creeks, logwood thickets & savannas; excellent for birds; as dry season gets underway, birds arrive in huge numbers from Peten & Yucatan as swamps in these areas dry up; by April, alive with different water bird flocks; Double Crested Cormorants, Egrets, Herons, and different ducks; Jabiru Stork, largest Americas bird, also present in November; also Peregrine, Snail Kites, Boatbilled Herons & Vermilion Flycatcher.



CAYE CAULKER
Sights & Sites
●Beaches.



CAYO DISTRICT
Sights & Sites
●Caracol – Mayan ruins.
●El Pilar – Mayan ruins.
●Xunantunich – Mayan ruins.



CAYO ESPANTO
Hotels
●Cayo Espanto – off San Pedro & Ambergris Caye; 910-323-8355 or 888-666-4282; aprivateisland.com.



GLOVERS REEF ATOLL
Dives
●Aquarium – drift dive.
●Grouper Gulch.
●Manta Wall – mantatrust.org.



HOPKINS
Hotels
●Hamanasi Adventure & Diving Resort – Hopkins/Sittee River Road; 011-501-520-7073 or 877-552-3484; hamanasi.com; lovely but pared down; eco-sensitive resort, with emphasis on activities such as bird-watching and diving.
Restaurants
●Innie’s Restaurant – 191 South; 011-501-503-7333; Garifuna cooking, such as cassava, mashed fish, and plantains.
Sights & Sites
●Lebeha Drumming Center – village’s north end; lebeha.com; can listen or take lessons.



LIGHTHOUSE REEF ATOLL
Dives
●Great Blue Hole – submarine sinkhole among top scuba diving sites in world & water is 407' deep.
●Half-Moon Caye Wall.
●Silver Caves Wall.



MAYA CENTER VILLAGE
Sights & Sites
●Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary – 20 miles south of Dangriga; 011-501-223-5004; belizeaudubon.org/protected_areas/cockscomb-basin-wildlife-sanctuary.html; nature reserve established to protect fauna, forests, and watersheds of approximately 400 sq km area on Maya Mountains’ eastern slopes; founded in 1990 as jaguar’s 1^st wilderness sanctuary.



MOUNTAIN PINE RIDGE
Hotels
●Hidden Valley Inn – Cooma Cairn Road; 011-501-822-3320; hiddenvalleyinn.com; owned by prominent Belize City family, Roes; on 7.2K acres and has more than dozen waterfalls, at least 2 private caves, and 90 miles hiking and mountain biking trails; all cottages have mahogany furnishings, tile floors, and brick fireplaces; renovated deluxe cottages have outdoor rock shower & claw-foot tubs, plus patio; drinks & meals served in lodge main house, which has vaulted ceilings & 4 fireplaces; among few places reliable for orange-breasted falcon spotting.



ORANGE WALK
Hotels
●Chan Chich Lodge – far west portion Orange Walk District (arrange charter from Belize City); 011-501-223-4419; chanchich.com; among Belize’s original ecolodges; remote; picture perfect jungle lodge setting; thatched cabanas – each with bathroom, fan, 2 queen-size beds & wraparound verandah; shares space with partly excavated ancient Maya plaza ruins; distance from anywhere deters drop-ins.
Sights & Sites
●Lamanai – near Indian Church Village; 2^nd largest pre-classic structure in Mayan world; name means “submerged crocodile.”



PLACENCIA
Dives
●Gladden Spit – whale shark diving, March-June.
●North Wall – Silk Caye; 80' wall.
Hotels
●Turtle Inn Resort – Placencia Village; 011-501-523-3244; coppolaresorts.com.
Restaurants
●Omar’s – Main Street (East Sidewalk); 011-501-523-4094; simple, consistently served hearty & tasty local fare at great prices; screened dining room.



SAN IGNACIO
Hotels
●Black Rock River Lodge – Negroman Road; 011-501-820-4049; blackrocklodge.com; among few places reliable for orange-breasted falcon spotting.
●Blancaneaux Lodge – Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve (Central Farm); 011-501-824-3878; coppolaresorts.com.



SAPPODILLA CAYE
Dives
●Sappodilla Cayes.



STANN CREEK
Hotels
●Hamanasi – Hopkins/Sittee River Road (Hopkins Village); 011-501-533-7073 or 877-552-3483; hamanasi.com; 5 star PADI resort; geared to divers; special care taken to arrange whale shark dives.



TURNEFFE ISLAND
Hotels
●Turneffe Flats – Turneffe Atoll (Turneffe Island); 501-232-9022 or 888-512-8812; tflats.com; for fishing.
●Turneffe Island Resort – Turneffe Atoll (Turneffe Island); 713-256-7739 or 800-874-0118; turnefferesort.com; 21 air-conditioned, mahogany cabins with indoor and outdoor showers and screened patios with ocean views; restaurants and 2 bars.