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Inside the
Lighthouse Reef Atoll
is the
Blue Hole, one of the finest
dive sites in this Hemisphere.
The Blue Hole is 1,000 feet wide
by 440 feet deep and just eight
miles from Long Caye. It is the
largest ocean sinkhole in the
world and the only one of its
kind that can be clearly seen
from outer space. To the left
and below are some pictures of
the Blue Hole. |
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The Lighthouse Reef Atoll is Belize's
dive paradise. It offers some of
the finest and most diverse marine life
in the world. It is the outermost
of the three atolls lying 45 miles east of Belize City. Approximately three miles east
of Long Caye, set at the southern
end of Lighthouse Reef, is the
famous island known as Half Moon
Caye.
This Belize Natural Monument
is preserved and protected by
the Belize Audubon Society. It
serves as a
home to the Red-Footed Booby Bird. Half Moon Caye also has
a 24-hour a day manned lighthouse.
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The Turneffe Islands Atoll is
the largest and closest to
mainland Belize. Sponges of every shape
and color are intermingled with
Black Coral dominating the
scenery with schools of snapper,
grunts, spadefish and jacks
milling about.
Glover's Reef is situated about
70 miles from Belize City. The
scenery above and below the sea is
nothing less than spectacular.
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Additionally, the Belize Barrier
Reef has some of the best diving. It is the second largest
barrier reef in the world and
the largest coral reef ecosystem
in this Hemisphere for its size.
Aesthetically and ecologically,
its integrity is virtually
unharmed. It forms almost a continuous fortification for 150
miles along the continental shelf
edge. |
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Windsurfing |
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Long Caye is a great site for
windsurfing. Each winter month
can offer many days with winds
that are more than adequate to
make for great windsurfing. The
windy season is generally October
through March and the calmer
months are generally July through
September. |
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Sailing,
Kayaking and Canoeing |
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These activities can be fun and easier on the environment
than using powered boats, equipment
can be rented from most dive operators
or hotels. Tours can be prearranged
with local guides. |
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Fishing |
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Spin fishing, fly fishing and
trolling can be experienced
throughout the year, and because
of plentiful quantities
of game fish it promises to be
an excellent sport. If you are
looking for real excitement, check
out big game fishing. Several
hotels offer deep sea fishing
and the country has several tournaments
annually. Just outside the Lighthouse
Reef Atoll is some of the best
deep sea game fishing in the Hemisphere.
Deep sea fishing offers large game
such as sailfish, bonito, pompano
and marlin.
The inlets, estuaries and deltas
to the rivers within Belize are known for their
jacks, tarpon and snook. The lagoons
and grass flats are popular fishing
grounds for bonefish and barracuda.
The coral reefs support snappper,
jacks, grouper and barracuda.
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| When
traveling through mainland Belize you may wish to experience
the many other available activities
such as... |
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National
Parks |
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Belize
has thousands upon thousands of acres of
pristine
protected areas, from rainforests
to marine and wildlife preserves.
For a list and brief description
of national parks, go to
Belize National Parks. |
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Bird
Watching |
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Belize is also known for its
diversity of bird species. With
over 520 species, it is a bird
watchers paradise. Around 370
species are residents and about
150 species are transients, who
spend their summers up north and
their winters in Belize.
Long Caye serves as an essential
rest stop during their long flights
north and south. The island plays
an important part in this migration
as habitats around the world continue
to be destroyed. For a list of
bird species on Long Caye go to
list of bird species. |
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The
Mayan Ruins of Belize |
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Belize has the highest concentration
of Mayan Ruins in the World. With
over 600 sites identified, here
are just a few:
Lamanai, meaning "submerged
crocodile," dating back to
1500 b.c., was one of the largest
meeting places for
Mayan
rituals, with plenty
of wildlife covering five square
miles. It is located in the Orange
Walk District.
Altun
Ha, meaning "the
priest of the sun," is located
31 miles northwest of
Belize
City, off the Old Northern
Highway. The site dates back some
2,000 years.
Caracol,
meaning "the supremacy of
lord water," was re-found
in the 1930's. It is easily accessible,
and its highest pyramid is the
tallest structure in Belize.
Xunantunich,
meaning "lord of war and
fertility," is a site about
325 square yards, and is located
near the western border. |
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The
Belize Zoo |
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The Belize Zoo is just off the
Western Highway on the way to Belmopan. It boasts
over 125 species of animals indigenous
to Belize on its 29 acres of savanna.
A wonderful place to visit with
friends and family. |
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Caving
and Tubing Trips |
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Trips
can be arranged for you to cross
the clear blue Caves Branch River
and then hike through the tropical
jungle led by an experienced guide
who will identify, discuss and
answer questions regarding the
various flora and fauna. You may
wish to then
go into the river and ride through
five cave tunnels. |
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Campsites |
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This is a list of some campsites.
Additionally some other hotels and
lodges not listed will usually
allow camping...
| Lagoon
Campground, north of Corozal
Town |
| Caribbean
Campground, in Corozal Town |
| The
Trek Stop, near San Ignacio,
Cayo |
| Jungle
Drift Lodge, Bermudian Landing |
| Cosmos,
San Ignacio |
| Chaa
Creek, San Ignacio |
| Mountain
Equestrian Trails, Pine
Ridge |
| Clive's
Campground, Placencia |
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Here
are some park areas which allow
camping. At some other parks,
camping is permitted with prior
permission.
| Cockscomb
Preserve, Stann Creek |
| Community
Baboon Sanctuary |
| Five
Blues Lake, near Belmopan |
| Bocatura
Bank, on the Sittee River |
| Douglas
De Silva in the Pine Ridge |
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Ecological
Nature Trails |
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Take
a stroll through the wild. Explore.
See all sorts of exotic and endangered
species of flora and fauna. Long
Caye as well as all of Belize is
full of eco-trails where you can
see nature thrive in pristine
conditions. |
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