Must See Belize

Travel Just 4U's representative in Belize will meet you at the airport upon arrival in Belize City. They will be holding a sign with your name after you leave the secure area with your bags. 

They will escort you to your private transfer to San Igancio (approximately 2 hour drive), assist you on check-in at your hotel and present you with a detailed itinerary for your experiences in Belize. This is your chance to run through specific pick up times and logistics for your tours in the country. If you have any questions regarding your itinerary, ask them now.

Nestled in the dense rainforest, on the banks of the Macal River in the Mayan Mountains of Belize, our guests experience a total immersion in nature. Our unique Belize eco-lodge of 20, cheerfully-decorated cabins with display artwork created by local artisans. Each cabin showcases stunning nature views of Black Rock Canyon and the Macal River. Complete with en-suite bathrooms, large closet areas and inviting hammocks on each deck for total rainforest relaxation. 

Without depleting natural resources or harming the environment, Black Rock Lodge is an off-the-grid, energetically sustainable property for guests. Using solar and hydropower, we’re supporting long-term ecological balance. 

The delicious center of excitement at Black Rock Lodge. Every day, our farm staff harvests the bounty that is in season and our kitchen incorporates these fresh ingredients into daily feasts.

This morning after breakfast you will be picked up form your hotel by a local guide for a private transfer to Xunantunich and Cahal Pech archeological sites. Enjoy a guided tour through the sites, visiting the most important monuments.

The ruins of Xunantunich  is one of Belize’s most popular Maya sites. Located about 80 miles west of Belize City in Cayo District near the town of San Ignacio and the border with Guatemala, Xunantunich is most famously known for the large temple known today as El Castillo (Spanish for “The Castle”) which is more than 30 meters making it the second-tallest building in Belize and offers an impressive panoramic view of the Mopan River valley. From here, you will be able to appreciate on a lower temple a large stucco frieze, as well as a mask with larger ears next to a moon sign with a border of signs representing Venus.

Once a prosperous city state during the Classical Maya era, Xunantunich once was the home to 200,000 people, equivalent to two-thirds of Belize’s current population. The name Xunantunich, a Maya construct meaning “Stone Woman,” is a modern one as the original name for the city has been lost. Local Maya named the fading ruins “Stone Woman” because the site was regularly reported to be haunted by the ghost of a woman, usually depicted as being dressed entirely in white with glowing red eyes.

After your Xunantunich tour you will be taken to the Cahal Pech Mayan site. Cahal Pech is located on an imposing hill that overlooks the twin towns of San Ignacio/Santa Elena. The name of the site means “Place of Ticks” in the Yucatecan Maya language. This name was coined in the 1950’s when the area around the site was used for pasture.  

Cahal Pech was first settled sometime around 1200 B.C. and abandoned around 800 -900 A.D. The site is particularly important for the information it has provided on the earliest Maya settlers of western Belize. Early cultural remains, for example, suggest that the site’s first inhabitants were relatively sophisticated.  You will then return to San Igancio. 

Today you will have the chance to visit one of Belize's most famous caves, the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave or commonly known as ATM. The National Geographic Society proclaimed the ATM Cave the number one sacred cave in the world 

Every cave in Belize is unique--even among the variety of Mayan caves in Central America. But, some are more spectacular than others, like the cave located near San Ignacio Town bearing the quirky nickname of ATM. Actun Tunichil Muknal has everything a curious tourist could want and more: folklore, splendor, history and skeletons

On arrival, you will hike for 30 minutes through the forest before arriving the cave entrance. A short swim will lead you into the amazing underworld realm. An adventurous trek leads into the main water passage, where you get to enjoy amazing geological formations like sparkling stalactites, stalagmites, and flow stones. This hidden chamber promises to reveal ancient secrets and geological processes that have helped to shape the Maya underworld. Almost complete pots, vases, cups, and more sat in the dust, looking as though the Mayans had only been there a few days before. These have been traced back to between 700-900 AD.  In the deepest point in the chamber lay the fully preserved crystallised skeleton of a teenage boy. Nearby was part of a baby’s skeleton – proof of human sacrifice rituals carried out by the Mayans, possibly to the rain god Chac. 

There is a picnic lunch included and don’t forget to bring extra clothes and a towel, however Cameras are not allowed inside to preserve the fragile remains. Maximum group size will be 8 people.

After breakfast, your guide will meet you at the lobby of your hotel for your tour of Caracol Archaeological Site. Caracol is located south of of San Ignacio in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in western Belize, near the border with Guatemala. This forest reserve is a largely undeveloped tract of primary and secondary tropical rain and pine forests.

Caracol was once the home to 150,000 people, the largest Maya Centre in Belize, and has a dominant place in Maya history. Ancient Caracol was larger in population and area than present-day Belize City.

Caracol’s central core consists of three plaza groups surrounding a central acropolis and two ball courts, along with a number of smaller structures. The Visitor’s Center exhibits a number of photographs and diagrams of the site, along with artifacts, including a recovered ceremonial altar. The largest temple at Caracol is “Caana” or “Sky Place”. This massive pyramid rises over 140 feet above the jungle floor and is the tallest manmade structure in Belize. Caana contains four palaces and three temples. The palace rooms were originally coated with white stucco and decorated with red paint. More than 100 tombs have also been found on the site as well as a rich array of hieroglyphic inscriptions.

Covering an area of nearly 25,000 acres, this site is impressive not only for its size, but also for its immense agricultural field system and elaborate city planning. Caracol is one of the most pristine and well-kept Maya sites in Belize. 

After your visit to Caracol, head to the spectacular waterfalls in the Rio Blanco National Park. Just a short walk from the highway, you will feel like you are a million miles away from civilization at this site. Rio Blanco National Park is a protected wildlife area that is home to many flora and fauna species. The size of this national park is only a hundred and five acres. Although the size is a bit smaller than other national parks, there is a beautiful twenty feet high waterfall that you can experience. This waterfall flows into wide, shallow pools and over smooth slabs of sandstone. 

With an array of shallow pools to relax in at the top, to the large swimming pool where the waterfalls cascade into, there is something here for everyone to enjoy. And for those that enjoy adrenaline, your guide will show you the best spots to jump from!

Enjoy a morning at leisure and then at noon your guide will transfer you to Belize City Airport for your onward flight. This will take approximately 2 hours. 

Ramon's Village Resort is the premiere beach resort in San Pedro, Belize featuring authentic Palm Thatched Cabanas, fabulous beach, lagoon style pool, Ramon's Village Divers scuba diving center, Pineapples Restaurant, Tropic Al's and the Tiki Turtle Trading Company. 

Ramon's Village Resort features accommodation with a restaurant, free private parking, a shared lounge and a garden. Boasting family rooms, this property also provides guests with a sun terrace. The accommodation provides evening entertainment and room service.

At the resort, rooms include a wardrobe. At Ramon's Village Resort, rooms are fitted with air conditioning and a private bathroom. The accommodation offers a à la carte or American breakfast.

Today you will be picked up after breakfast from your hotel to visit Belize's  UNSECO's barrier reef with a snorkeling tour. 

Hol Chan is the second most popular dive/snorkel site in Belize. Thousands of large and small fish inhabit this magnificent underwater National Park. The reef system that borders Belize was recognized as a World Heritage Site, by UNESCO, several years ago. Hol Chan or “Little Channel,” which cuts all the way through the reef, lives up to its reputation among some of the world’s best dive sites. Hol Chan is safe for beginners, and breathtaking for advanced divers.

Breathtaking coral of all descriptions abound in and around Hol Chan and serve as a habitat for literally millions of species of fish. Incredible stories are told frequently of the magnificence of this Marine Reserve and how well it is guarded and preserved. It’s a marine wonderland that every snorkeler and diver (beginner and experienced) must see.

You will then head to Shark Ray Alley, a shallow area where you may feed and pet Nurse Sharks and Sting Rays and if you are brave enough you may even swim with them. 

Today you will have the day to explore the San Pedro area and beaches. Int he early evening (around 5pm) you will be picked up for a sunset cruise. Join the captain and crew aboard a 38-foot catamaran. Sailing smoothly down the island you can sit back, relax and watch as the sun sets on the pristine Caribbean Sea. Shortly after leaving the dock, the western sky will begin to fill with the golden glow of the setting sun. As it lowers behind the horizon, millions of diamond like reflections tip each wave and ripple as far as the eye can see. You’ll never forget the first time you experience this incredible display of Heavenly handiwork. 

The return leg takes you in front of San Pedro where you’ll get a glimpse of what the town looks like at night. 

San Pedro Town is the major settlement on the island. San Pedro's populace has grown to 10,000 plus year-round inhabitants, with many newcomers from the mainland and from abroad as well. The original "San Pedranos" (from the 1800's til the 1970's or so) are Mestizo, and and speak both Spanish and English. The island has the largest concentration of visitor accommodations in Belize and its hotels, fishing and diving facilities are some of the best in the country.

The town is a picture postcard setting beside the clear turquoise sea. Coconut palms sway and rustle in the gentle cooling trade winds. Low rise hotels (none are taller than 3 stories), guest houses and boutique style resorts & condos, from modest to magnificent, are nestled along the coast and throughout the town. Golf carts and bicycles are the principal mode of transportation. Here are some of the top things to do visit visiting this beautiful town:

Snorkel Hol Chan Marine Reserve: Hol Chan Marine Reserve, located four miles from San Pedro, gets its name from a coral-filled little gap in the protective reef near Ambergris Caye, and makes it a popular snorkeling and dive destination.

Dive the Great Blue Hole: Jacques Cousteau once called the Great Blue Hole one of the best diving sites in the world, and it remains true still. Part of the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, accessible by boat, this giant submarine sinkhole provides experienced divers unparalleled views of a collapsed cave's massive stalagmites and stalactites and the creatures that inhabit it. 

Sail to Caye Caulker: Caye Caulker, located a ferry ride away from San Pedro, is a much more laid-back alternative, full of seaside eateries, boutique stores, gorgeous beaches, and plenty of fun at the Split. 

Ride the Streets on a Golf Cart: At first you may find it a bit jarring to see everyone on golf carts whizzing past you. But the narrow streets and laid-back attitude perfectly explains the mode of transportation in San Pedro. It becomes exciting taking in the vibrant town from an open-air vehicle, as you make your way to various shops and restaurants. 

Dine at the Truck Stop: The Truck Stop is San Pedro's de facto entertainment hub, offering everything from delicious food to live entertainment, in a shipping-container park. 

Discover Bacalar Chico National Park: Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve, a UNESCO World Heritage Site spanning 106 square kilometers of land and sea, is situated on the northern part of Ambergris Caye overlooking Mexico and the Bay of Chetumal.  

Today is your last full day to explore this Caye, you can make the most of the beaches by snorkeling or diving. Or simply relax on the beach with a good book and a cocktail.