89º00'W 88º30'W Northern La Democracia Lagoon Gales Point BELMOPAN Manatee ze R iver Southern

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st DISTRICT e Tapir Mountain an W Manatee S E A Nature Reserve Blue Hole Forest a t National Park Reserve ee) GUATEM Nojkaaxmeen Eligio Panti Hwy National Park Hum Sibun Forest ming 17º00'N 17º00'N Mountain Reserve bird Vaca Pine Ridge Hwy DANGRIGA Forest North Stann Forest Reserve Creek Reserve iver Thatch R Sittee River Silk Grass Tobacco Chiquibul Caye Forest Reserve Mayflower Caye Victoria r Glover's CAYO Macal Peak Natural Sittee Rive Bocawina Hopkins DISTRICT Monument National Park Sittee Point Reef Sittee River Southern Belize Victoria Peak South Chiquibul Maya Center Water Archaeological (3675ft)

Branch National Caye Reserve Park Cockscomb Basin Wildlife STANN CREEK South Includes  Sanctuary DISTRICT Water Caye Why Go? Vaca Chiquibul Marine Dangriga ...... 190 Plateau Reserve Southern Belize is the country’s most absorbing cultural Forest Mango Creek Reserve Mayflower Bocawina melting pot, with a strong Garifuna influence around Dan- Maya Mountain Red Forest Reserve National Park ...... 195 griga and Hopkins, and Belize’s largest Maya population Forest Reserve Bank Mango Creek River Forest Reserve Seine Central Cayes...... 195 down in Toledo. Nature is rich here too, where open savan- Doyle's Bladen Bight nah and citrus-filled farmland give way to forested hills Delight Nature Mango Creek Independence Hopkins...... 199 Reserve dotted with Maya villages and ruins. 16º30'N (3687ft) Big Creek Placencia 16º30'N Sittee Point...... 203 s Adventurers will find no shortage of opportunities to tai n Swasey Bladen oun Hwy Laughing Bird Maya Center. . . . . 205 M Forest Reserve Caye National Park Silk get off the beaten path in Toledo’s jungles. Trekkers with a TOLEDO Deep River ay Forest Cayes Cockscomb Basin deep pockets can choose from a number of five-star jungle M DISTRICT ern Paynes Monkey th Reserve Creek Pompion Wildlife Sanctuary. . . 206 lodges tucked away in remote corners, or you could stay at u River Columbia River So National Caye Placencia...... 208 local guesthouses in the small villages and communities of Forest Reserve Park San Miguel the Deep South. Ranguana Punta Gorda...... 218 Indian Creek Caye Then there’s the beaches of villagey Hopkins and chilled- San Antonio Big Falls out Placencia, with opportunities for diving, fishing and San Pedro slacking. The south also has an alluring string of offshore Santa Cruz Columbia Deep Port Blue South Marine Snake Sapodilla Cayes Best Places to Eat cays all boasting stunning coral reefs, where snorkeling, Creek Reserve Cayes Rio Blanco Moh Marine Reserve ¨¨Rumfish (p215) boating and diving enthusiasts can experience Belize’s nau- National Park o Gulf of tical wonders while avoiding the crowds (and the signifi- Punta Gorda ¨¨Jungle Farm Restaurant River Honduras Hunting cantly higher price tags) of the Northern Cayes. Caye Puerto Cortés, (p227) Honduras (2mi) ¨¨Mojo Lounge & Bartique 16º00'N Barranco 16º00'N (p215) Amatique 0 20 km When to Go Temash-Sarstoon Bay Puerto Barrios, 0 10 miles National Park Guatemala (10mi) ¨¨Loggerheads Pub & Grill ¨¨Dec–Apr Rainfall ends and weather is at its mildest. Modesto Lívingston, (p204) Méndez Guatemala (3mi) ¨¨May–Jul Shoulder season sees fewer tourists and you can 89º00'W 88º30'W ¨¨Chef Rob’s (p204) eat lobster starting June 15. ¨¨Aug–Sep Dog days of summer, with hot weather, occasional showers and bargains galore. Best Places to Sleep ¨¨Belcampo Belize (p226) ¨¨Thatch Caye Resort (p197) ¨¨Maya Beach Hotel (p213) ¨¨Coconut Row (p201) ¨¨Tobacco Caye Paradise (p196) Silk

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