BELIZE – A lightning passage through Belize

by | 13 May 2017 | Belize, On the Panamerican road | 0 comments

Date de dernière mise à jour : le 30 July 2018

It is early in the morning when we leave Chetumal for the boarder of Belize. There is nobody. We enter, fill all the documents needed, make all the required formalities for the temporary import of the van, eat all the fruits that can not enter the country and take an insurance for 1 week.

And by the way, we change the language: here people speaks English. It is the only central american country where English is the official language. And we also rediscover the Queen Elisabeth II on the bills. The country is an ancient British colony and is nowadays part of the Commonwealth since its independence in 1981.

Besides as fiscal paradise, Belize is also well-known as a paradise for divers who can enjoy the second biggest barrier reef (after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia).

For us, Belize is a unplanned stop. We have already visited the country 2 years ago on our backpack tour from Guatemala so we just plan a short pass through this time. No beaches or islands this time. We will cross the country in 5 days to go to Guatemala.

So after the boarder crossing, we enter in the first city and our first restaurant: bye bye tortillas, hello rice and beans. It is great to vary a little bit.

With a belly full, we go back on the road to the first leg of the trip in Belize: Crooked Tree wildlife sanctuary.

Crooked Tree wildlife sanctuary

We leave the man road and enter uneven surface path. Our favorite! After one bridge, we finally enter the Crooked Tree wildlife sanctuary, situated on a piece of land almost completely surrounded with water.

It is quiet, not so hot. We decide to stay a couple of days. Here it is a paradise for the birds. So our cameras will be out all the time.

belize creek tree

The view from our campground spot

belize creek tree maison

belize creek tree bateau

belize creek tree maison

belize creek tree oiseau ibis

belize creek tree oiseau martin

belize creek tree oiseau maison

belize creek tree oiseau jacana

belize creek tree oiseau aigrette

belize creek tree oiseau

belize creek tree oiseau aigrette bateau

belize creek tree oiseau

belize creek tree photographe

belize creek tree oiseau

belize creek tree oiseau ibis

belize creek tree oiseau

belize creek tree oiseau

belize creek tree oiseau aigrette

belize creek tree oiseau

Monsieur

belize creek tree oiseau

Madame

belize creek tree oiseau

belize creek tree oiseau

belize creek tree oiseau martin

belize creek tree oiseau

And we do not see only birds here!

belize creek tree lézard

belize creek tree lézard

belize creek tree lézard

belize creek tree lézard sauterelle

After 2 nights we go back on the road, direction Guatemala.

The caves of Nachuch Che’em Park

On our way, we stop to do some cave tubing on the river. A small activity a bit expensive but it is our only little craziness in the country and it definitely worth it! Well, the images are not so good (no big camera on the river), but just some pictures to show you how it was.

Our guide explains us the story of the place and we start with a 15 minutes walk through the jungle, between the fruits trees, slowly heading up the river. On the way up, the guide give us some termites as appetizers (yes the little insects that eat the wood). Verdict: we won’t eat a full salad of them but it is not disgusting and it has a sort of mentholated flavor.

After 2 river crossings, we arrive at the departure point. With our vests and helmets, we jump on our tubs and let the river do the work.

belize cave tubing grotte bouée

belize cave tubing grotte bouée

belize cave tubing grotte bouée

belize cave tubing grotte bouée

It is raining when we go out of the water. We go back in the van, say goodbye to our guide and drive to our last night spot before Guatemala.

Near the river, we take a shower, a good salad and we fell asleep. Tomorrow: Flores and its lake.

belize clarissa falls resort rivière

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