Highlights of Belize
Highlights of Belize
Highlights of Belize: Escape to Belize on a 10-day retreat where you’ll have the best of Mayan ruins, adventure and relaxation. Your first stop is within the town of San Ignacio at San Ignacio Resort Hotel, a top-rated boutique hotel located within walking distance to nearby shops and restaurants. Take a step back in time as you explore the Mayan Underworld through a ceremonial cave system at ATM or Barton Creek Cave and then atop the second highest Mayan structure in Belize at Xunantunich. Take a break from all the hiking and climbing when you head to the crystal clear Caribbean waters in Placencia. When you’re not enjoying the beach or pool at Chabil Mar, look for jaguar tracks in Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and keep a watchful eye out for toucans and scarlet macaws. Finally, you’ll end your trip with a three night stay at the Ray Caye Island Resort, a private island resort surrounded by white sand and turquoise blue waters, perfect for snorkeling, diving, kayaking, paddle boarding, fishing, and sailing!
Destinations: San Ignacio, Placencia, Gladden Spit & Silk Cayes Marine Reserve
Duration: 10 days
*Price Range: $$$ – $$$
*Rates inclusive of full vacation experience – hotels, tours, domestic transfers, and tax (excluding international airfare). Actual price based on length of travel, number of travelers/rooms, seasonal rates (high, low, peak), number of tour activities, and mode of domestic transportation.
$$$: At or under $1,200 per person
$$$: $1,200 – $1,800 per person
$$$: $1,800+ per person
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Day 1
Fly into Belize Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE). Outside the airport you’ll find your private driver who will be holding a sign with our logo and your name on it. They will then assist with your luggage and drive you from Belize City to San Ignacio. Feel free to stop at anytime during your private ground transfer for photo opportunities, restrooms, lunch, or to simply stretch your legs. Make sure to stop at The Belize Zoo in route to San Ignacio if your international flight arrives by the early afternoon. At the zoo you’ll have an opportunity to see around 170 animals representing 45 species native to Belize. Continue onwards to San Ignacio Resort Hotel located within the town of San Ignacio, perfect for exploring local restaurants, shops, and markets on your own. Dive into their pool to refresh after a full day of travel.
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Day 2
Enjoy a tropical breakfast in preparation for a day of Mayan exploration! Today you’ll enter the Mayan Underworld through a nearby cave system, Barton Creek Cave or ATM Cave. For younger children or those with physical limitations, Barton Creek Cave is better since it’s a wider and easier cave to navigate via a canoe. Within Barton Creek Cave, you’ll learn about the Maya’s religious ceremonies and sacrifices while observing pottery and bones scattered around the corridors. If you’re up for more of an adventure then the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (the Cave of the Crystal Sepulchre) presents opportunities to swim, crawl, and climb through narrow corridors. Within the ATM Cave you’ll also see the popular “Crystal Maiden”, the skeleton of a young sacrifice victim whose bones have been calcified to give it a sparkling effect. After a picnic lunch, return to San Ignacio Resort to freshen up and then explore The Iguana Project located at the hotel. Interact with iguanas and learn about the project’s conservation and rehabilitation efforts. Walk or taxi into San Ignacio to explore one of many local restaurants for dinner.
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Day 3
After breakfast explore nearby Maya sites above ground! Climb atop Xunantunich and Cahal Pech, both located within a 30 minute drive of San Ignacio. Enjoy lunch in town and then return to San Ignacio Resort Hotel to walk their on site medicinal trail and learn about natural Maya healing remedies.
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Day 4
Today you’ll make your way from San Ignacio over to Placencia on the Caribbean Coast. To arrive to Placencia, you can take a domestic flight, a private ground transfer, or a tour transfer that incorporates an activity and lunch in route. Activities include cave tubing, ziplining, and waterfall rappelling. Once you’ve arrived to Placencia, check into the highly rated Chabil Mar hotel and jump in the pool for a quick swim. Enjoy a beachfront dinner in their open-air restaurant in front of the beach.
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Day 5
Relax at the resort! Lounge by the pool, snorkel off the dock, or sunbathe with a book on the beach. In the evening take a shuttle from Chabil Mar into Placencia and walk the boulevard in search of a restaurant for dinner.
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Day 6
Hike the lush jungle trails inside the world’s first jaguar preserve at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. While your odds of seeing a jaguar are slim, keep a watchful eye out for their tracks as well as other creatures and birds, including the beautiful scarlet macaw. For those interested in wildlife viewing without all the walking, take a boat ride down Monkey River to see birds, reptiles, and howler monkeys.
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Day 7
Get ready for your boat ride out to your private island resort at Ray Caye! An hour’s boat ride will take you to this gorgeous retreat surrounded by crystal clear water. Jump off their south dock and snorkel right in front of the island. At night, the south dock is illuminated for nighttime snorkeling.
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Day 8
Play in the Caribbean all day today! Complimentary snorkel gear, paddleboards, kayaks, pedal boats and Hobie Cats are all available to guests. Ray Caye’s on site dive center also offers daily snorkel and dive trips to nearby destinations. With Ray Caye’s privileged location within the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, it’s well positioned to offer excellent diving and snorkeling a short boat ride from the resort.
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Day 9
Enjoy your last full day in the Caribbean! Splurge on an over water massage, natural scrub, or facial. Enjoy your last dinner at Lionfish Grill and toast to a successful and memorable Belize vacation!
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Day 10
Enjoy an hour’s boat ride back to Placencia and then hop on a 30-minute domestic flight back to Belize City for your international flight home.
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- Enjoy “a walk through Belize” at the Belize Zoo and see all the Belizean jungle cats
- Explore the Mayan Underworld in one of Western Belize’s ceremonial caves
- Climb Xunantunich’s highest structure, El Castillo, for superb panoramic views
- Hike through the world’s first jaguar preserve at Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
- Enjoy endless opportunities to snorkel and dive crystal clear Caribbean waters while staying on a private island resort at Ray Caye
Best for: Family, Couple, Small Group
Bucket list experiences: Belize Zoo, Mayan ruins (ATM, Barton Creek, Xunantunich, Cahal Pech), rainforest, The Iguana Project, hiking, birding, cave tubing, ziplining, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, Monkey River, snorkeling, diving, whale sharks, Mesoamerican Reef, Gladden Spit, Silk Cayes
Accommodations & Location:
- San Ignacio Resort Hotel, San Ignacio
- Chabil Mar, Placencia
- Ray Caye Island Resort, Gladden Spit & Silk Cayes Marine Reserve,
Every Central America Vacation itinerary includes 24/7 in-country support. We’re here with you every step of the way to insure the best experience possible, from the initial planning stages to the moment you’re on your flight home!
