A Week in Belize

When the opportunity to traipse around Belize with G Adventures for a week came up, we wasted no time packing our bags. The chance to learn about its Mayan history, meet locals and immerse myself in some exhilarating adventures—where’s that bucket list so we can check these items off? Even better: getting to explore Belize as part of G’s National Geographic Journeys program (we’re all for authentic experiences but, at this stage, are through with staying in hostels). —Karen Kwan

saturday. Westjet’s new direct route to Belize City means an easy five-hour flight from Toronto. After a 20-minute drive through welcome-after-a-long winter heat and humidity, we arrive at our hotel in Burrell Boom and, immediately, order up the local cocktail: a sweet tropical delight of coconut rum and pineapple juice. We sip our drink overlooking the Belize River, which our guide says we can swim in … if we don’t mind swimming with crocodiles. We think we’ll stick to the pool.

sunday. A boat ride on the New River yields sightings of egrets, blue herons, brown jays and, yes, a crocodile (vegetarian on Sundays, according to our hilarious guide). An hour later we land at Lamanai, a large Mayan ceremonial site. The sheer size of the temples is mind boggling (even more so once we start to climb them).

monday. At the Community Baboon Sanctuary we get within feet of a family of six monkeys and fall in love with the animals as we furiously snap photos. Next is lunch at the San Antonio women’s co-op, where we learn how to make corn tortillas from scratch and visit the newly expanded studio, where female villagers work to preserve Mayan culture through pottery and embroidered goods.

tuesday. A tour of Actun Tunichil Muknal means wading and hiking through cool water in a pitch-black cave lit only by our headlamps. Inside: Mayan artifacts from sacred ceremonies, including pottery, tools and even an entire skeleton that’s lived there untouched for hundreds of years.

wednesday. We meet the hottest lady in Belize at Marie Sharp’s hot sauce factory and, in the small town of Hopkins, taking drumming lessons from the local Garifuna people—descendants of Carib, African and Arawak—before checking into our new beach digs for the night.

thursday. Over to Caye Caulker for a Bike with Purpose sustainable-tourism tour of the island. Our guide, high-school student Trynell, shows us his school, shares some Creole phrases and takes us to the seahorse farm. When he grows up he plans on becoming a pastry chef. His favourite thing to bake? Cupcakes.

friday. Belize is home to the Mesoamerican Reef (the second-largest barrier reef in the world), so snorkelling is in order. We make three underwater stops: first to see the fantastical coral, then to snorkel with huge stingrays and nurse sharks and, finally, to the channel, where we spot a moray eel. On our final night, we take in the sunset on a sailboat, have a little dance and dig into incredible barbecue at Wish Willy (order the pork chops!).

saturday. A bit sun-kissed despite generous sunscreen applications, we pack up our hot sauce and pottery and hop onto our flight home, with plans to return to Belize dancing in our heads.

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