Discover Cayo - Belize's Most Intriguing District!

Just east of San José Succotz, you’ll discover the Jungle Frisbee Golf Course-the first disc golf course in Belize. Enjoy the butterfly house and farm at the Tropical Wings Nature Center. Both are located at The Trek Stop, six miles west of San Ignacio in the Cayo District. Google Tropical Wings Nature Center.

 

Curious about how to spice up Mayan history for your kids?

 

Head to Xunantunich, in the village of San José Succotz in Cayo. Hop on the hand-cranked chain ferry for the trip across the Mopan River to Xunantunich. This Mayan site in Belize is home to two ball courts. The lore of lords of the underworld lives on in these ball courts which were portals to the Mayan underworld. The Mayan Ball Game was played with a rubber ball and two opposing teams. One of the versions of the ball game was the “hip game” where players aim to shoot the ball into the opposing team’s end zone without using their hands or feet, only their hips! With the solid rubber ball weighing up to 4 kg (9 lb.), that was no mean feat. Often the games were rigged with the losers losing all. Sacrifices were made and heads rolled. Climb 130 feet (40 meters) to the top of the El Castillo pyramid for a mind-bending panoramic view over Belize and Guatemala. Your kids can race you to the top! Google Xunantunich Mayan site.

 

After your exertions with the Mayans, replenish yourself at Benny’s Kitchen in Succotz with delicious home-cooked Belizean food - just across the river from Xunantunich and up the hill. Great food. Great prices. Google Benny’s Kitchen Belize to find out more.

 

Like to take a lazy float down the Mopan River? Head further west along the George Price Highway in Cayo to the quaint village of Benque Viejo del Carmen. Book a river tubing tour with the Benque Resort and Spa. While you’re there, talk to Steve, the congenial owner of Benque Resort.

 

Steve provides the most interesting tours in the Cayo District - tailor made for your interests and level of activity. He is hooked into the most interesting and unique activities in Cayo.

 

He can organize cave tours which are heralded by seasoned spelunkers as the best in Belize. You’ll explore a vast labyrinth of 3 caves: Actun Chapat; Halal; and Son of

Chapat. The tours are with small groups to retain the integrity of the items in the caves. To give you a little taste of what you can expect to experience in this 

Belize cave tour, Actun Chapat seems infinite with no known ending, has two entrances that have been discovered and thousands of feet of passages lined with human bones, pottery, and terraces. Get ready for blind catfish, crabs and a whole lotta bats too. Actun Halal shows evidence of occupation around 4400 BC. Son of Chapat has not been fully explored, but it is thought that there is a subterranean 

passage that leads from Son of Chapat into Actun Chapat.

 

Steve is Vice-President of the Benque Chamber of Commerce, President of the Twin Border Tourism Committee. He is also a member of OSAC (Overseas Advisory Council with the US Embassy) which helps American citizens in distress (lost passport, wallet, etc.). Google Benque Resort and Spa to find out more.
 

There’s a whole world of amazing wonders that await you 

along the 10 ½-mile stretch from Benque Viejo, heading

Would you believe an outdoor Art Park couched in magic and mystery; a “futball” field that straddles two countries; horseback jungle tours; caves; hidden pyramids and more! Email me for a list of 125+ attractions to see in and around the 

Cayo District.

Take a tour of Better in Belize, a magical rainforest Eco Village in Belize. 

Peek into the Hobbit Homes. Meander through the extensive permaculture gardens. Climb to Rainbow’s Roost, the spectacular lookout lanai high above the majestic Macal River Valley. Wander along the wildlife corridors and medicinal trails. Visit Freckles, Sopa, Mama Beatrice, Billy Webb, Toggy and the gang – the farmyard family of chickens, rooster, bunny, and goats.  Check out Belize’s first solar‐powered tilapia aquaponics system. Catch the antics of the howler monkeys that live in the canopy of this Belize Eco Village. 

 

Watch for the tapirs that love to munch bean shoots in the Community Gardens. Explore the three local waterfalls and swim holes. Spend the night at The Toucan House, the 5-bedroom Eco-Lodge at Better in Belize. Stargaze in what astronomers call “the darkest skies in the world”. Enjoy moonshine in the jungle! No hangover the next day! 

 

You’ll witness The Milky Way like you have never viewed it before! Tours must be booked in advance. If you’d like to book a tour of this magical Belize rainforest community, contact me. Google Better in Belize Eco Village. 

Another fascinating place to visit in the Cayo District of 

Belize!

 

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