This chunk of central Belize, comprised of the unpretentious capital of the country as well as one of the region’s most stunning roads, the Hummingbird Highway, encompasses several distinct ecosystems: Pine savannah meets the Maya Mountains, and a massive underground cave system underlies it all. The area is drained by the Sibun and Caves Branch Rivers, which empty out into a large, lowland marshy region; opportunities to hike and float through it all abound.

The Best of Belize’s Hummingbird Highway

• Market Square
• Guanacaste National Park
• Roaring River Golf Course
• The Belize Zoo
• Blue Hole National Park