CBC Life, a publication of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation, recently released their list of the top recommended places to visit in 2018 that qualify as a "bucket list" destination. Included in the CBC's list was both the Belize and the wider Caribbean area, recommended for its warm climate, friendly population, and incredible wealth of adventure options. The CBC's glowing praise of Belize follows in the footsteps of similar recommendations from popular tourism publications like Fodor's, Rough Guides, National Geographic, TripAdvisor, and the New York Times.
One of the best places to experience Belize's wild, natural beauty is the country's western Cayo District. Physically, it is largest district (equivalent to a state in America or a province in Canada) in the country, home to an incredibly diverse landscape of rivers, mountains, waterfalls, rainforests, jungles, and broadleaf forests.
Top attractions in Cayo District include the colorful open-air market in San Ignacio, remote villages where the living descendants of the ancient Maya still practice a traditional lifestyle, and the vast Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Measuring more than 106,000 acres (430 km square) in size, the Mountain Pine Forest Reserve is home to an astonishing array of wildlife, birds, plants. The Mountain Pine Forest Reserve is also home to the tallest waterfall in all of Central America.
Other popular activities to enjoy in Cayo District include canoeing down the pristine Macal River, bird watching, and exploring ancient Maya ruins. Two sites in Cayo District, Xunantunich and Caracol, were once vast megacities that competed for dominance of the ancient Maya world with nearby Tikal, now just over the border from Cayo District in Guatemala.
One of the best places to stay in Cayo is Cahal Pech Village Resort. Located in the town of San Ignacio, Cahal Pech Village Resort is named for the nearby ancient Maya ruins of Cahal Pech. Although much smaller than other Maya sites in Belize, Cahal Pech is unusual because it is a small, cliff-top city that was built exclusively for noble Maya families.
Cahal Pech offers comfortable accommodations in lovely, thatched-roof cabanas. Whether you're coming to Belize for your honeymoon, wedding, a family vacation, with friends, or as a solo traveler, the resort has everything you need. The onsite restaurant, called Ix'tabai (a Maya word), is popular with both visitors and locals alike thanks to its diverse menu and fantastic setting overlooking the verdant Belize River Valley.
Questions about Belize? Send us an email or call 239- 494- 3281. We will love to help you plan your Belize vacation.
