RAINE MAGAZINE Volume 8 | Innovate

It was a sweltering December afternoon as I sat under
the thatched roof of a an open-air restaurant, unwrapping my
tamales and washing it down with an carroty colored Fanta.
I was only five years old at the time, but I released a sigh of
contentment as I realized just how far I was from the familiar
streets of New York. I was in a little town called La Democracia
in Belize – my father’s native land – and as a child I always
looked forward to my annual Christmas visits.
Christmas in Belize meant palm trees and moon
guided walks to Midnight Mass at St. John’s Cathedral in Belize
City, the oldest Anglican Church in Central America. My father’s
folklore tales of Tata Duende, a powerful spirit that protects the
animals and jungles of Belize, made certain I wouldn’t stray far
from his sight. Frequently hailed as Mother Nature’s Best Kept
Secret, few destinations in the world offer the mystique of Belize;
whether it is the remains of the Ancient Mayan Civilization,
the biodiversity of the Belize Barrier reef – the largest system
this side of the Western Hemisphere – or the abundance of
the Rainforest. In general, Belize is considered to be a Central
American nation with strong ties to both the Caribbean and
Latin America.
Ready to Explore. There is an abundance of activity available in Belize. Tourists
can explore the Belize Barrier Reef with over 1,000 offshore coral and mangrove islets
and islands known as Cayes. There is safe water for fishing, boating, scuba diving, and
snorkeling; as well as numerous rivers for rafting and kayaking. In addition, there are
a variety of jungle and wildlife reserves of fauna and flora with hiking, bird watching,
and helicopter tours. There are also many Mayan ruins to explore as well as the
largest cave system in Central America. Some 36% of Belize’s land territory falls
under some form of official protected status, giving it one of the most extensive
systems of terrestrial protected areas in the Americas.
Try something new. The Caribbean coast is lined with a coral reef and
some 450 Cayes, which offers an abundance of family fun and exploration.
Snuba, a hybrid cross between snorkeling and scuba diving, is a great, wonderful
family activity along the Barrier Reef off San Pedro. Other family adventures
include a must visit to the Belize Zoo to see Howler Monkeys or the National
Bird, the Toucan.
A pleasant surprise. Belize serves as an open classroom with many wellestablished
programs from archeology, anthropology, or biology; to sustainable
development, history, or linguistics. The country is ideal for experiential
educators and life-long learners. Popular programs include, tropical ecology
with both rainforest and marine experiences, and traditional herbal and
medicinal practices.
Design your Belizean Journey. The motto on the Belizean
Flag reads, “Sub Umbra Florero” which means, “Under the Shade (of the
mahogany tree) I flourish.” So we invite you to flourish and find your
space in the shade, whether it’s at Film Director Francis Ford Coppala’s
Turtle Inn in Plancencia, or rocking to the rhythms of Garifuna drums
in Southern Belize. Maybe it’s the awakening of a spa treatment in
a Temazcal (a Mayan sweat lodge), followed by a Sun Lovers Herbal
Mayan Mud Wrap. Everyone should mark their calendar and design a
Belizean journey today! For more inspiration visit travelbelize.org
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