The Cayo District is in Belize. The earliest settlements were established on the Belize River around 1500 BC. The first kingdoms, such as Cahal Pech, were established here in the Preclassic period around the birth of Christ. In the Classic period, numerous small and large cities grew up on the Belize River, which were in various alliances with either Tikal or Calakmul. However, Caracol, located in the Maya Mountains, played a decisive role in history as it was allied with Calakmul. It defeated the enemy Tikal and ruled the surrounding cities as a regional center for centuries. At the end of the Classic period (700 to 900 AD), all the large cities were abandoned in the chaos of war. However, a long dry period also seems to have plagued the people during this time. The offerings and even human sacrifices from this period, which were intended to persuade the gods to send rain, can still be seen today in caves such as Actun Tunichil Muknal. But even after this period, the Belize River remained the key trade route, and after a few years the Mayan city of Tipú was founded. From the 16th century onwards, many attempts were made to Christianise the area, but all of them were unsuccessful. During this phase, a small European settlement was formed at this exact location, which was originally called El Cayo, as the settlement felt like an island in the middle of the Mayan kingdom. In 1638, a real revolt broke out against the Spanish, so that they left the region. In 1707, however, they returned with military support, and most of the Mayan population was deported to Guatemala by the Spanish. But the Spanish were not to have much of this area, as more and more British loggers settled here. In 1787, San Ignacio was first mentioned on a map. In 1930, the highway from Belize City to San Ignacio was built, and this region could suddenly be reached in a day's journey from the coast. The "La Ruta Maya" canoe race is still a reminder of the times when everything was transported via the Macal River. Today, less wood is mined here because a lot of agriculture has settled here. The good connection between Belize City and Guatemala and the large number of attractions in and around San Ignacio lead to a rapid influx of tourists. The infrastructure in San Ignacio (Belize) has now adapted to this. In addition, Belmopan, the new capital of Belize, was created in 1970 in the middle of the rainforest - but protected from hurricanes. This goes back to Hurricane Hattie, which largely destroyed Belize City and left a country without a capital. The founding of this city also brought some political power back to the district.
This area has always had a key regional position. In the early Mayan
times, the Belize River developed into one of the most important trade
routes. Early Mayan metropolises such as El Mirador and Tikal found
their access to the Caribbean here. So it is not surprising that one
Mayan ruin after another can be found along this route. Whether Cahal
Pech around the birth of Christ or Tipu in the 16th century: someone
always controlled these routes. The Western Highway still runs parallel
here today, connecting Guatemala with Belize City. All major towns can
be found here. Since 1961, the country has been governed from here
again.
There are numerous tributaries around the Belize River
that make the land fertile and rich in species in a tropical atmosphere.
In addition to a good livelihood, this is of course also the best
prerequisite for sustainable ecotourism. But the Cayo District offers
even more: anyone who ventures a little further south will not regret
it. The Maya Mountains are located here, and the terrain rises to almost
1000 meters. There is plenty of space for cave systems and waterfalls.
Settlements are rare. But that wasn't always the case. Between 300 AD
and 900 AD, due in part to the abundance of wood in the deep south, a
metropolis flourished that the region had never seen before or since:
Caracol. With 140,000 inhabitants, there was never another major city,
and the Caana is still the largest building in all of Belize. Anyone who
travels to the deepest south of the district will pass through another
special feature: the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is a huge
coniferous forest area, which also boasts beautiful waterfalls and
caves.
In the Cayo District there are two important and somewhat larger
towns, San Ignacio and Belmopan. But even here the smaller ones can
sometimes keep up with the tourism.
Benque Viejo del Carmen -
Last place before the border
Belmopan -
Capital of Belize
Bullet Tree Falls - Small jungle village and
starting point for expeditions to El Pilar
San Antonio
San Ignacio
- Central tourist hub and district capital
Santa Elena - Neighboring
town of San Ignacio
Spanish Lookout - Mennonite stronghold in the
Cayo District
Other destinations
National parks, Mayan ruins and
caves. If you don't necessarily want the Caribbean, this is perhaps the
best place to find what you're looking for in Belize.
Of course,
there are also Mayan ruins to visit. Tourists can visit and recommend:
Cahal Pech - One of the oldest Mayan sites in the region
Caracol -
The largest city that ever existed on Belize soil
El Pilar (Belize) -
Several gardens have been rebuilt here in the old Mayan style
Pacbitún - Very old Mayan city, best explored on horseback. Pook’s Hill
- Mayan site with a lodge
Xunantunich - The impressive El Castillo
can be seen from the Western Highway and is always a popular postcard
motif.
Belize also has a lot to offer here with pure nature in
the form of protected areas:
Blue Hole National Park - Right on the
Hummingbird Highway with a picnic area and cave.
Five Blues Lake
National Park - Beautiful lake in the rainforest that sometimes
disappears for reasons that are not yet clear. Guanacaste National Park
- The smallest national park in Belize, good for bird watching
Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve - This area of over 200 square
kilometers is home to numerous waterfalls and caves
Sibun Forest
Reserve - This is where "Mosquito Coast" with Harrison Ford was filmed.
Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve - Fantastic rainforest reserve with
numerous caves
It is here in the region that the combination of rock
and underground rivers has formed one or two spectacular caves:
Actun
Tunichil Muknal - Probably the most famous cave in Belize with numerous
Mayan finds
Che Chem Ha - Discovered by chance with a chamber 75
meters high and 50 meters in diameter
Nature - This district alternates between rainforest and coniferous
forest. There are waterfalls and caves in the mountains. An ideal wide
field for wildlife watching.
Mayan ruins - Here you can find the most
spectacular Mayan ruins from the Classic Period in Belize. The really
big metropolises with 100,000 inhabitants and more were found near El
Peten.
Caves - The district is characterized by numerous caves. And
they are spectacular. The longest cave system in Central America can be
found in Chiquibul National Park.
Waterfalls - The highest waterfall
in Central America can also be found here, but it is by far not the most
beautiful.
Nature observation - In this district you will find the Guanacaste
National Park, the smallest national park, and the Chiquibul National
Park, the largest national park in Belize. But that is by no means all
that leaves nothing to be desired for animal lovers. Many overnight
accommodation options right in the heart of nature complete the offer.
Explore - The classical Mayan ruins and the numerous caves are
particularly impressive here and are unparalleled in their number
anywhere in the world. Whether Mayan ruins such as Caracol and
Xunantunich or caves such as Actun Tunichil Muknal and the Chiquibul
Cave System invite you to explore.
Swimming - The rivers have created
numerous bathing opportunities in a paradisiacal setting. One of the
most famous is Rio On Pools in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.
Boat tour - Of course you can also canoe on the rivers. For example, you
can travel along the Macal River from San Ignacio (Belize).
Hiking -
Whether it's the small circular hiking trail through the Guanacaste
National Park or the multi-day hike through the Mountain Pine Ridge
Forest Reserve followed by a canoe trip through the Sibun Forest
Reserve. No wish is left unfulfilled here.
Cycling - The Western
Highway in particular is popular with racing cyclists. But you also
often come across individual travelers who make one or two stops on
their trekking bikes on the way to Guatemala.
The climate here is a little more humid than in the classic Yucatan. The amount of rain is comparatively low compared to the south. Most of the rain falls in the rainy season between June and November. It is mostly dry between February and May.
The official language is English. Everyone usually understands and speaks it. But this is also a multicultural society, so languages such as Spanish or Mopan are also often spoken.
The district's transport axis is the Western Highway. The central cities of San Ignacio (Belize) and Belmopan are also located here. Almost all buses stop here and travel to the entire country and Guatemala. There are several airstrips in the Cayo District that can be reached by charter flight.
The main means of transport is the car. If you want to reach
destinations away from the Western and Hummingbird Highways, you cannot
avoid using a car. It should be noted that many roads are more like
off-road tracks and should only be driven on with an off-road vehicle.
Everything on the Western and Hummingbird Highways can usually be
reached by bus. You also see a lot of bicycles on these two roads. The
Western Highway in particular is very popular with cyclists of all
kinds.
The Cayo District is also home to some of the most
exciting trekking routes in Belize. For example, the Maya Divide Trail
ends in Caracol, and the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is the
starting point of a trekking route to the Sibun Forest Reserve.
The restaurants are generally simple and the only difference is between fish, chicken and meat dishes, but this does not usually reduce the quality. On the contrary, especially in small towns, real delicacies are served at good prices. Marie Sharp's Habanero Pepper Sauce is on every table in Belize. This extremely hot sauce has telling names like "No Wimps Allowed" or "Beware". In San Ignacio (Belize) there is a little more variety.
The nightlife is rather spartan. Only in San Ignacio (Belize) are there a few options. If you really want to let it rip, you should head to San Pedro (Belize) or Belize City.
The crime rate is negligible, especially in the smaller towns.
Nevertheless, you should keep an eye out for con artists when crossing
the border and in San Ignacio.
There are also crocodiles and
poisonous snakes here, so it is certainly not appropriate to be too
careless. But given the fact that humans are not on the menu of these
animals, cautious behavior and appropriate clothing should provide
sufficient protection. The "most dangerous" thing here is almost the
mosquitoes, so mosquito repellent should not be omitted. Dengue fever,
which is occasionally transmitted by mosquitoes, cannot be prevented by
vaccination. Other diseases can, however, be prevented:
A malaria
standby preparation should at least be carried in case of emergency.
A typhoid vaccination should be carried beforehand.
The hepatitis A,
B, tetanus and rabies vaccinations should be updated.