Belize A Tropical Rainforest-

Top 5 Jungle Expeditions

Planning my trip to Belize took a bit of research. Many of my close friends and family didn’t know much about Belize and questioned my vacation plans to visit a small unknown country. However, Belize was exactly what I needed. Belize is certainly a natural beauty with its untouched tropical rainforest. As with many developed countries roads and skyscrapers have taken the beauty of nature away from us, the natural habitat of many animals and plants has been destroyed. Belize is distinct! It is known that 75% of Belize is covered in tropical forest, the colors, and shapes of many species of animals and birds that are found in Belize’s rainforest are extraordinary.

Belize is like no other. My adventurous side got the best of me as I learned about the top 5 jungle expeditions that I had to experience. I highly recommend that if you are planning your vacation to Belize you must take the tour of at least one of these jungle expeditions.

First, Belize is known for its archeology and ancient history of the Mayas. Throughout Belize they are many different Maya expeditions that are worth experiencing. Indulge yourself in culture and history walking the paths of the Mayas amongst the many ancient Maya ceremonial temples.   

Second, Belize is proud to house one the first and largest jaguar preserve in the world, The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and Jaguar Preserve. While visiting this unique sanctuary be on the look out for jaguars.

Third, caving in Belize is more than limestone formations. Belize is known to have the most extensive cave systems in the world. Experience the underworld of the Mayas and witness the authentic Maya artifacts that remain in the caves today. The most advanced cave, which was featured in National Geography ‘Top 10 Sacred Caves’, is Actun Tunichil Muknal (Cave of the Stone Sepulchre).  Actun Tunichil Muknal involves hiking, wading, and underwater swimming.

Fourth, walking amongst Belize’s tropical rainforest you are bound to hear the prominent and distinct sound of the howler monkeys. Visit the Community Baboon Sanctuary or take a boat ride up Monkey River, and get a chance of a lifetime to view the black howler monkeys enjoying their natural habitat.

Fifth, Belize has many natural jungle trails found across the country that are safe to explore alone or with a licensed tour guide.       Take a walk through a medicinal trail and learn about the many plants and herbs that are often used by locals for healing. Hiking, horseback riding, mounting biking, and canoeing down a river are only a few of the many ways to enjoy the diverse flora and fauna in Belize’s tropical rainforest.

If you would like to learn more about Belize’s tropical rainforest contact Patricia Ramirez at patricia@splashbelize.com

You’ll Go Bananas!

Driving north of the Placencia peninsula it is difficult to miss the acres of bananas. It is true that Placencia is known for its perfect barefoot beaches, its diverse cayes located between Placencia and the Great Barrier Reef, its tranquil tours through the Monkey River, the jungle, Maya ruins and the unbelievable snorkeling and scuba diving reserves such as the Silk Cayes, Glover’s Reef and Laughing Bird Caye National Park. However, these are only a few of the activities Placencia has to offer. Recently, the Sagitun Farms located near Riversdale on the Placencia Peninsula has opened its doors to the public offering a fantastic opportunity to learn all about growing bananas while walking amongst acres and acres of bananas. The billboard on the Placencia roadside reads “you’ll go bananas!” and I concur, you will go bananas, after visiting the banana farm!

Super fun, educational, interesting, awed, are but only a few words to describe the tour around the plantation. Bananas are one of the only fruits that bear all year round and it is commonly found all over Belize, and the world. However, did you know that bananas were once considered a rare fruit in North America & Europe? History has it that bananas didn’t reach North America until after the Civil War. Consequently, it then became the number one selling fruit in America!

Our tour on the banana farm was booked and we were ready to go bananas! Entering the Sagitun Farm I was taken by surprise, they were lines of bananas the entire road in, it seemed to me as a hidden community/village! They had everything in this area from housing, schools, churches, to a police station. We met with Evin, our tour guide, who made us feel right at home.  The tour started with a brief ten-minute video on the history of the banana production in Belize and around the world. It is here that I learned that bananas are not grown on trees, as it is commonly believed. Bananas are actually grown on herbaceous plant (herb), not a tree!

We were then taken out in the farm where we walked amongst the bananas and met with the Farm Manager. The walk down the banana trail was very informative and interactive. We witnessed firsthand what it really takes to grow and harvest bananas to be sent off for exportation to the United Kingdom. Sagitun Farms takes pride in producing quality bananas; therefore the fruits that are processed, packed, and shipped all meet the very high standards of the European Union Commission Regulation (EC).

For me and for anyone that enjoys natural healthy snacks you will enjoy the end of the banana tour. After all the walk and learning about bananas your tummy will definitely be calling out for some bananas! Evin was kind enough to take us back to the main office where she surprised us with crunchy, delicious banana chips accompanied with a drink of our choice. The tour was incredible, it is definitely worth visiting the banana farm near Placencia!

If you are planning to spend some time on-land in Placencia be sure to have Patty book the nearby inland tour with Sagitun Farm!

It is bunches of fun for all ages!             

Diverse & Beautiful Belize Coral Reefs

Belize’s coral reefs are the most diverse and beautiful of all marine habitats which include both hard and soft corals among other marine life.  The sub-tropical climate here provide ideal conditions for the formation of corals which thrive in shallow, clean water, plenty sunlight and temperate waters between 16 and 30 degrees Celsius and an abundance of food sources such as plankton and baby shrimps.

Undeniably, the geographic formation of Belize’s landscape, along with the moderate climate, has favored some of the most astounding natural coral reef systems that took several millenniums to form. Over thousands of years, calcium carbonate skeletons of tiny coral polyps are collected together, layering over skeletons of past coral marine life.  As each generation of polyps dies, the corals grows a bit larger giving rise to a cluster of slow growing hard corals.  Soft corals, such as gorgonians, are also composed of some rigid calcium carbonate as hard corals.  Although well rooted, and with no exoskeletons, soft corals such as sea fans and sea whips move with the waves of the water.

Sea fans, sea whips and sea plumes are all soft corals from the gorgonian family.  The common sea fans are often sighted in a variety of brilliant colors while the fan-like polyp colonies are normally erect, flattened, and branching.  Carnation corals are natural charms that never fail to draw attention.  Quite easily, these are one of the most beautiful that comes in a spectacular range of colors.  No less impressive are the tree corals sighted through the vast reef systems in the cayes, shallows, atolls and drop-offs.  The beauty and biological diversity in these life forms are a true marvel.  Coral might be beautiful to look at but should not be touched.  Watch out especially for the fire corals from the Millepora family ranging in variety of shapes, including stick formations, branch formations and even those that resemble underwater plants. Nematocysts on the tentacle skin of these corals release toxins which create a burning sensation when rubbed against.

Just about any imaginable hard and soft coral is sighted in Belize’s reef systems whether diving or snorkeling around the atolls or other islands.  The sheer numbers of and different types of coral, sponges, and fish, makes scuba diving all the more exciting and enjoyable.  A proliferation of hard corals easily seen include the brain coral, staghorn coral, elkhorn, rose coral, club finger coral, rough and smooth starlet and the knobby candelabra. The brain coral are common but spectacular formations that may take several hundreds of years to form and may grow as high as six feet.  Corals feed at night by extending their tentacles to catch their food and use the tentacles as protection during the day. Hard corals, however, enjoy a symbiotic relationship with tiny algae which live inside their skin. These algae use the coral as a safe place to live, and in return, can provide the coral with most of its energy.

Staghorn corals and elkhorn corals are among the most important reef building corals sighted anywhere in the reef.  These hard coral colonies, although structurally complex, are incredibly fast growing with an average growth rate of 2 to 4 inches per year and may span as much as 10 ft wide.  This magnificent spread makes excellent homes for lobsters, parrot fish, snappers and other reef fish.

With such a vast and complex coral reef system that includes a barrier reef straddling the entire coast with teeming inhabitants, Belize’s reef is a universe of its own.  With top dive sites unmatched anywhere, Belize is well poised in the Blue Caribbean for extraordinary diving. To book any diving trip in Belize contact Patricia Ramirez at patricia@splashbelize.com