Belize boasts over 25% of its land as a protected reserve, sanctuary, archeological site, or monument.
There is a rich diversity of plant and animal life, birds, marine life, and insects.
With so many parks, forests, reefs, and attractions, choosing what to see can be difficult.
Here is a list of the places available with some helpful information and resources to get you started in your trip planning.
Map of locations in Belize
National parks
Guanacaste National Park
A park with nature trails and a bird-watching platform.
Open
365 days a year
Entry fee
$5 for tourists, $1 for citizens (Belizean $)
Activities
Bird watching, short hikes, swimming, relaxing
Size of park
50 acres
Resources
Billy Barquedier National Park
Waterfall, hiking trails. The capability of camping out overnight (backpacking out).
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Hiking, backpacking, camping, bird watching, swimming
Size of park
1,500 acres
Resources
Rio Blanco National Park
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Waterfall chasing, picnicking, hiking trail, swimming.
Size of park
105 acres.
Resources
Rio Blanco National Park website
St. Herman’s Blue Hole National Park
Open
Year-round. The area gets muddy after heavy rains.
Entry fee
$8 for tourists, $2 for citizens (Belizean $)
Activities
The visitor center at the parking area.
Hiking trails.
The stairway down to the blue hole pool.
Bird watching- there is a wide variety of species to see.
Size of park
Approx. 665 acres.
Resources
Ambergris Caye website has helpful information and history.
Laughing Bird National Park (Laughing Bird Caye)
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Snorkeling, diving, swimming, picnicking.
Hiking trail.
Boat out to Laughing Bird Caye with a tour group.
Size of park
Approx. 1.8 acres.
Resources
Ambergris Caye’s website has helpful information and history.
Mayflower Bocawina National Park
Cool photo of the map of Mayflower Bocawina National Park.
Photo of a suspension bridge in Mayflower Bocawina National Park.
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None that we’re aware of or could discover.
Activities
Mayan sites: Mayflower Plaza, Maintzunun temple mound, Tau Witz.
Waterfalls: Bocawina Falls, Big Drop Falls, Three Sisters Falls, Pack Falls, Antelope Falls.
Hiking, waterfall chasing, bird watching, cultural exploration, swimming.
Backpackable.
Size of park
7,107 acres.
Resources
Ambergris Caye has helpful information about what can be found in this park.
Related Posts:
How to Make the Most of Your Trip to the Maya City, Caracol, in Belize
What You Need to Know to Plan a Trip to Belize
9 Day Belize Adventure Itinerary
Caye Caulker, Belize – How to Make the Most of Your Trip
Nature and Forest Reserves
Chiquibul National Park and Forest Reserve
Open
Year-round. Though it’s easiest to access during the dry season: November through May.
Entry fee
None.
The Mayan city Caracol is within the Chiquibul National Park. There is an entry fee to visit Caracol. See more information under ‘Caracol’ below.
Activities
Bird watching.
The Mayan city Caracol. It’s suggested that you hire a tour guide to take you to this site as the roads are extremely rough. Read more about Caracol in our post How to Make the Most of Your trip to the Mayan City Caracol.
Size of reserve
Approx. 265,262 acres.
Resources
How to Make the Most of Your Trip to the Mayan City Caracol
Ambergris Caye travelers information website.
Mountain Pine Ridge National Forest
Open
Year-round. Hardest to access in the rainy months of September and October.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Stay overnight at an Airbnb or a jungle tourist lodge.
Rio Frio cave.
Rio-on-Pools, a wonderful swimming spot. Read more about this in our post about Caracol.
Thousand footfalls. Belize Hub has a helpful article on visiting this spot.
Mountain biking is suggested as being a good activity, though clear information is limited.
Hiking.
Size of reserve
An undefined number of acres.
Resources
Ambergris Caye visitor information site- Mountain Pine Ridge National Forest.
Wildlife Sanctuaries
Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary
This wildlife sanctuary includes several uninhabited Caye’s, shallow waters of seagrass beds, and Swallow Caye. This is a home to manatees.
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Take a boat tour to tour around this wildlife sanctuary and look for the manatees.
Resources
Swallow Caye website
Gales Point Wildlife Sanctuary
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
Unknown.
Activities
Manatee watching, turtle watching, crocodile watching, fishing, hiking, canoeing, sailing, windsurfing, caving.
There are drum-making classes at the Gales Point village at the Maroon Creole Drum School (the drum making classes are four days long).
Resources
Toucan Trail has helpful information on visiting Gales Point Wildlife Sanctuary.
Hawksbill Hope tells about the hawksbill turtle that is protected in this area.
Crooked Tree
Open
Visit during the dry season- November to May. The best time for birds is April.
Entry fee
$8 for tourists, $2 for citizens (Belizean $)
Activities
Birding.
Hiking trails.
Size of reserve
Difficult to have an accurate measurement of the size of this park.
Resources
Ambergris Caye visitor information website- Crooked Tree.
Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary
Open
The office is open 8 am-4:30 pm with occasional closures for holidays.
Entry fee
$10 for tourists, $2.50 for citizens (Belizean $). Buy your tickets at the Women’s Center at the crossroads that leads to the Sanctuary, or buy them at the park office once you’ve arrived.
Activities
There’s a series of hiking trails throughout the Basin.
Waterfall chasing, swimming, hiking, mountain biking, birding.
Victoria Peak.
There are places to stay, cabins and dorms, near the Cockscomb Basin office by making reservations with the park.
Size of reserve
86,929 acres.
Resources
Make the Most of Your Trip to Cockscomb Basin, Belize
Bird Sanctuaries
Man-O-War Caye Bird Sanctuary
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Bird watching.
Resources
Ambergris Caye information on bird sanctuaries.
Bird Caye Bird Sanctuary
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Bird watching.
Resources
Ambergris Caye information on bird sanctuaries.
Marine Reserves
Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve
Open
Year-round. Fishing permits vary by season.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Fishing, diving, snorkeling.
Resources
Ambergris Caye visitor information website- Turneff Atoll.
Glover’s Reef Atoll Marine Reserve
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Diving.
Resources
Ambergris Caye visitor information website- Glovers Reef Atoll.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Open
Year-round. If there is rough weather, tours may be delayed or canceled. However, the weather changes quickly so don’t lose hope if you get up in the morning and it’s raining. It will probably clear up in a few minutes.
Entry fee
$10 general admission (Belizean $).
This is monitored by a boat patrol at the marine reserve. Wrist bands are handed out to identify those who’ve paid.
If you take a tour this permit is often included in the cost of the tour.
Activities
Diving, snorkeling.
Exploring this coral reef with a snorkel tour group.
Resources
Ragamuffin tours is a company we visited Hol Chan with. They use sailboats and catamarans for their tours which is an elegant way to experience the Caribbean. We highly recommend them as tour guides (we are not receiving anything for promoting their tours).
Ambergris Caye information website- Hol Chan.
Caye Caulker Marine Reserve
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Sunbathing, swimming, lounging, canoeing, paddleboarding, kayaking.
Snorkel tours. Diving tours.
A variety of tasty Caribbean foods. Lots of seafood available.
Resources
How to Make the Most of Your Trip to Caye Caulker, Belize
Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve
Accessible only by sea.
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Tour guides can be hired to take you diving or snorkeling in this area.
Resources
For more information on Bacalar Chico, Marine Reserve visits Ambergris Caye’s visitor guide.
South Water Caye Marine Reserve
This Caye is accessible by boat or boat tour.
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Snorkeling, diving, swimming.
Resources
Gladden Spit and Silk Caye’s Marine Reserve
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Snorkeling, boat tours.
Resources
Destination: Wildlife has a helpful post on visiting this reserve.
Natural Monuments
Blue Hole Natural Monument
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Fly over the Blue Hole to get an aerial view. This is the best view of the blue hole.
Dive the blue hole.
Resources
Belize Audubon Society guide to the Blue Hole
Read Johnny’s: The Ultimate Guide to Diving the Blue Hole on his website Johnny Africa.
Half Moon Caye Natural Monument
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
Activities
Bird watching.
Home to the Red-footed Boobie for 10 months a year.
Resources
Victoria Peak Natural Monument
Activities
Backpacking. This is described as “the hike that makes grown men cry.” Probably defined ‘difficult’ on the trail ratings.
Typically done as a four-day backpacking trip. This is approximately 17 miles one way. Hikers must be accompanied by a licensed tour guide.
Resources
Private Reserves
Community Baboon Sanctuary
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
$10 (Belizean $) for entry to the museum and a guided tour on a trail through part of the Sanctuary.
Activities
Watch for the black howler monkey.
Hike with a tour guide through the sanctuary.
Resources
Community Baboon Sanctuary website
Mayan Cites and Archeological Sites
All the Mayan cities have guided tours available. Some sites require guides due to accessibility issues, or to protect the sites.
Altun Ha (Rockstone Pond)
This site is accessible without a guide if you have a rental car.
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
$10 (Belizean $).
On location
Mayan ruins. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
MayanRuins info on Altun Ha.
Cahal Pech (Place of Ticks)
This site is accessible without a guide.
Open
Year-round. 9am-5pm.
Entry fee
$5 (Belizean $).
On location
Mayan ruins. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
Historic information about Cahal Pech from the Archeological Institute of America.
Caracol (The Snail)
This site is accessible without a guide, though a guide is highly recommended. The roads are extremely rough, so if you are going alone, have a very sturdy car.
Open
9:30am-2pm.
Entry fee
$15 (Belizean $).
On location
Visitor center. Mayan ruins. Replicas of Mayan writing. Stone altars and carved stone remnants. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
MayanRuins information on Caracol.
Cerros (Maya Hill)
This location is accessible without a guide.
Open
Year-round. It is muddy during the wet season.
Entry fee
Unknown.
On location
Mayan ruins on the coast of Belize. Masks. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
Belize Hub’s Cerros visiting guide.
El Pilar (Water Hole)
You do not need a guide to visit this site.
Open
Year-round. Gets muddy during rainy times.
Entry fee
Unknown.
On location
Mayan ruins. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
MesoAmerican Research Center’s visitor guide to El Pilar.
Map of El Pilar by the MesoAmerican Research Center.
La Milpa (Maya Farm)
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
Unknown.
On location
La Milpa jungle lodges. Restaurant. Mayan ruins. Bird watching. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
Read about Bird watching at La Milpa by Trans-Americas Journey.
Lamanai (Submerged Crocodile)
The easiest way to get to this location is by boat. Start at Orange Walk Town.
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
$10 (Belizean $).
On location
Mayan ruins.
Resources
Mayan ruins information on Lamanai
Lubaantun (Place of Fallen Stones)
Open
Year round. 8am-5pm.
Entry fee
$10 (Belizean $).
On location
Visitor center with Mayan artifacts. Mayan ruins. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
Norbert of GloboTreks writes about visiting Lubaantun.
Nim Li Punit (Big Hat)
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
$10 (Belizean $).
On location
The visitor center and museum. Mayan ruins. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
Jager Food’s guide to visiting Nim Li Punit.
Santa Rita
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
None.
On location
Mayan ruins. Variety of fauna and flora.
Resources
Belize Hub guide to visiting Santa Rita.
Guide to the Maya Archeological Sites in Belize.
Xunantunich (Stone Woman)
Reach this location by taking a short trip on the free ferry (San Ignacio) and then walking along a paved road to the office where you can buy your ticket.
Open
Year-round.
Entry fee
$10 (Belizean $).
On location
Mayan ruins.
Resources
MayanRuins information on Xunantunich.
Caves
Most tour companies in Belize offer tours to each of these caves.
- Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM Cave)
- Barton Creek Cave
- Caves Branch
- Rio Frio Cave
- St. Herman’s Cave
- Che Chem Ha Cave
- Actun Chapat and Actun Halal
- Hokeb Ha Cave
- Tiger Cave
