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Pristine environments - The Belize tourism board has coined Belize as “Mother nature’s best kept secret.” Being one of the last untouched destinations, half of Belize is covered by dense forest and 80% of its rainforest remains under government protection. Belize also has waterfalls, jungles, around 900 Mayan sites and some of the best dive sites in the Caribbean.
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Underwater wonders - The longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere can be found in Belize. One of the main reasons Ambergris Caye is still standing is that the Belize Barrier Reef System protects the beach from erosion by waves and shelters the island and its inhabitants. Plan a trip with us to view the remarkable marine life of the area and other unspoiled nature that Belize has to offer.
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Mayan mysteries - Belize boasts several important sites of the earliest pre-Columbian Maya settlements, majestic ruins of the classic period, and examples of post-classic ceremonial construction. Among its most popular ancient Maya archeological sites are Altún Ha, Xunantunich, Lamanai and Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM). The most well-known artifact found in the caves of ATM is the “crystal maiden,” which is a skeleton believed to be a victim sacrificed to appease the gods in a time of drought. The skeleton has been “cemented” into the ground over the last few hundred years because of water running over the remains. This has caused a crystalline coating to form over the bones, hence the name “crystal maiden.”
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Cultural diversity - Like many Caribbean locales, Belize is a cultural crossroads and its tiny population is a mosaic of ethnicities. Backgrounds ranging from Maya to British, African, East Indian, Garifuna, and Mexican all contribute to form the distinct culture of Belize. Although officially an English-speaking country, Spanish is a popular second language.
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Unique attractions - The Belize Zoo is home to over 150 animals, and no single animal at the zoo was captured in the wild. All of the animals at the zoo were orphaned, rescued, rehabilitated, born at the zoo or sent to the zoo as donations from other institutions, and each and every animal has its own story. Over 45 species of animals, all native to Belize can be found at this zoo located 40 minutes away from Belize City. The next best thing to seeing Belize’s native animals in the wild, The Belize Zoo truly is “The best little zoo in the world.”
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Birding hotspots - There are nearly 600 identified species of birds in Belize with an average of five new species discovered annually. Belize is considered a birding hotspot with a variety of both temperate and tropical birds in natural habitats.
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Elbow room - Belize’s low population density, combined with its abundance of natural wonders, makes it a popular destination for travelers. Tourism is Belize’s largest source of revenue, and one in four residents of the country is involved in the industry. Still, the entire country of Belize generally sees fewer than 1 million travelers each year. By comparison, Mount Rushmore has almost 3 million annual visitors.
