CAYO AND THE MOUNTAIN PINE RIDGE

Go west, young traveler! Belize’s interior is vast and wild, serviced by only a couple of roads and a growing number of unique lodges and camps. The area, which borders Guatemala’s mighty Petén Wilderness, can be toured on hiking trails, lazy rivers, horseback, and single track. Clean mountain water awaits you in dozens of caves, waterfalls, swimming holes, and maybe even a hot tub. This is not an area to blow through in just a day or two—not if you’d like to experience its many highlights: ruins, caves, rivers, and waterfalls aplenty. Save a day each for the Xunantunich and Caracol Archaeological Sites, and another 2–3 days to pop over to Guatemala’s Tikal. Smaller archaeological sites abound, as do unique ways of getting there—ask your lodge about guided horseback and mountain bike expeditions. You can also paddle up the Macal River from the mellow town of San Ignacio to the Belize Botanical Gardens, then float back down in time for dinner. Cayo is home to one of the world’s largest cave systems, as well as the refreshing heights of the Mountain Pine Ridge.

Medicinal Jungle Trail and Iguana Exhibit: A wonderfully pleasant and informative guided walk, less than an hour long and a short walk from downtown San Ignacio. (read more)

Cahal Pech Archaeological Site: Unique for both its archaeological intrigue and location within the city limits of San Ignacio, your walk up the hill will be well worth it. (read more)

Actun Tunichil Muknal: Spelunk it in any of Cayo’s fascinating caves, especially this one—the “Cave of the Crystal Maiden” is the wettest, dirtiest, most adventurous underground trip available. More caving action is available at Barton Creek, Río Frio, and Chechem Ha Caves. (read more)

Thousand Foot Falls: The trip to Central America’s highest waterfall is well worth enduring the rough access road. You can’t swim here, but the vista of the falls from the lookout on the canyon’s edge is stunning. (read more)

Caracol Archaeological Site: One of the more difficult major ruins to access in Belize (you’ll endure a bumpy, multi-hour ride along the Mountain Pine Ridge), Caracol is rife with discovery, beauty, and long, peaceful views of the countryside from atop its newly excavated temples. (read more)

Temple IV: It’s definitely worth spending a day or two in Guatemala to explore the ruins at the famous ancient Maya city of Tikal. The view from the top of this, the tallest surviving Maya structure, is stunning. (read more)