Traveling Wonderland

For our 2023 family vacation, we were looking for a destination that combined some beach and relaxation with a little adventure, so we decided on Ambergris Caye, Belize. Belize is a relatively short trip from the US, but it is also a little more off the beaten path than other Caribbean destinations. We traveled from Lincoln to Belize City with only one quick stop in Houston. The adventure truly began with a 12-seater plane and a fantastic view from Belize City to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.

We stayed at the lovely Coco Beach Resort, a few miles north of San Pedro. The resort is thoughtfully designed, with good on-site food, a fantastic pool (complete with a rock formation perfect for jumping), and a great beach-front location.

Unfortunately, the beach was overrun with sargassum, so we couldn’t swim right from the shore. Instead, we booked an excursion to go out into the nearby reef to explore and swim with some sharks! We went on a boat tour that took us snorkeling in the protected the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and then over to Shark Ray Alley, where we had the chance to swim with sting rays, nurse sharks, and a host of other sea creatures.

In addition to our excursion into the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Ally, we took a full day trip back to the mainland of Belize to go to Actun Tunichil Muknal, otherwise known as the ATM Cave. The ATM Cave was an ancient Mayan ceremonial and burial chamber. Archeologists believe that Mayans used the cave for sacrificial rituals between 300-900 AD, moving deeper and deeper into the cave as times became tougher.

Just getting to the cave was an adventure. We took a boat to San Pedro and then walked to the San Pedro airport, where we took another 12-seater plane to Belize City. Then, we took a van for about an hour to San Ignacio, changed to another van, and spent another 30-45 minutes traveling to the trailhead that led to the cave. From the trailhead, we had to cross a river and hike for about 45 minutes before arriving to the mouth of the cave, which was a deep pool. We then proceeded to swim and climb deeper into the cave, moving in and out of the water for a couple of hours. Once we got to the deepest chambers, we were able to see a variety of Mayan pottery, which was all broken because the Mayans believed that spirits inhabited the pottery and that breaking the ceramics freed the spirits. We also saw Mayan remains, including the famed Crystal Maiden, whom archeologists believe was the victim of a ceremonial sacrifice.

Because the ATM is an incredible cultural heritage resource, visitor traffic is limited. Visitors can only go into the cave with an authorized guide, and the Government of Belize limits traffic by strictly limiting the number of guides. The only guides allowed to enter the cave are those who were certified in the initial training in 1998! No additional guides have been certified since.

Visitors are not allowed to bring any belongings into the cave. One of the best things about this archeological site is that the artifacts are not behind any protected barriers, screens, or fences. They are just demarcated by a few pieces of tape on the ground. A few years ago there was an unfortunate incident in which a visitor dropped a camera, damaging an artifact. Since then, visitors have been prohibited from bringing any items into the cave and even have to remove their shoes and hike in just socks for a while. If you would like to see some pictures or (relatively old video), you can check some images out here.

This was hands down one of the most memorable things we have ever done as a family, and if you are in Belize, I’d highly recommend checking it out. BUT, if you are claustrophobic, are uncomfortable swimming in unusual bodies of water, are uncomfortable being really close to human remains, or just generally don’t like being being cold, wet and confined for most of the day, this is not the trip for you. Instead, you might consider checking out some of the other Mayan sites throughout the country.

In addition to our adventures, we enjoyed take a golf cart up and down Ambergris Caye, including into San Pedro and out to Secret Beach on the western side of the island. Between our bigger outings and the quieter moments, we enjoyed the combination of adventure and relaxation that we found in Belize.

P.S. The water is Belize is not safe to drink. Take extra caution with fruits and vegetables that might have been rinsed in tap water. I say this from experience!