The Toledo District is in Belize. The history of human settlement here also began before Christ. There have not been as many archaeological studies here as in the Cayo District or even in Mexico. However, numerous large sites mean that one or two major surprises can be expected. It seems that the first large city was formed with the trading center Uxbenká in the Maya Mountains. This is where the trade route from the highlands flowed into the lowlands and thus provided access to the sea. Contacts with metropolises such as Tikal in Guatemala have been proven. By the first century AD at the latest, another metropolis was established in Pusilhá in the very south. This metropolis seems to have always maintained its independence from the major power blocs. Numerous trade routes by land and sea and one of the most fertile regions in the Maya world gave the region abundant growth. One of the largest seaports in the Maya world, Wild Cane Caye, quickly developed directly on the coast. At the end of the Classic Period in 700 AD, numerous other large cities were established, such as Xel Há. B. Lubaantun. But just 200 years later the big cities were abandoned here too. Only the Wild Cane Caye complex continued to operate until the arrival of the Spaniards in the 16th century. But when they cut off the northern trade routes to Chetumal or, more accurately, Santa Rita, this port was also abandoned. For a long time the region was sparsely or not at all inhabited. This only changed in 1835 with the arrival of the Garifuna, who found the coastlines an ideal settlement area and founded several cities. In the 20th century many Maya from Guatemala, El Salvador and Honduras came to the district to find a new home here. With the construction of the Southern Highway the country was also opened up to transport. But when the first highway was built the floods in the rainy season in the region had not been taken into account. The result was that entire sections of the route were impassable during the rainy season and the district was inaccessible for months. That is why people still like to talk about the "forgotten district" today. Only a complete overhaul and new construction of the route brought about improvement. But the construction is not yet complete and entire bridges are repeatedly washed away in the rainy season, so that 100% accessibility cannot be guaranteed in the long term.
Regions
The 4413 km² district of Toledo used to be called the forgotten district because it was sometimes inaccessible for months during the rainy season. Only the expansion of the Southern Highway in recent years led to an improvement. Nevertheless, there are still many places in the Maya Mountains without electricity or continuous transport links. For example, this district has just 30,000 inhabitants. Individual tourists get their money's worth, because if you are looking for the undiscovered, you will find it here. On the coast there is a lot of Caribbean flair influenced by the Garifuna culture, the landscape in the southwest stretches up the Maya Mountains. Here you can find old and new Mayan settlement areas. There are many plantations, but there is an increasing focus on organic farming. Cocoa in particular is on the rise with various products from cocoa wine to organic chocolate.
Many places have barely more than 500 inhabitants, but their
isolation means they offer a lot of peace and nature:
Barranco -
Garifuna village. Hometown of Andy Palacio and access to Sarstoon /
Temash National Park
Big Falls - Small village on the Rio Grande with
hot springs for bathing
Blue Creek - Mayan village with a spectacular
cave
Laguna (Belize)
Pueblo Viejo
Punta Gorda - Capital of the
Toledo District
San Antonio (Toledo District) - One of the larger
villages with a beautiful church
San José (Belize)
San Miguel
San Pedro Columbia - Small Mayan village, with cultural offerings and a
cocoa hike
Crique Sarco - Small Mayan village with access to Sarstoon
/ Temash National Park
This district is also rich in other sights. The following should be mentioned:
The Mayan ruins in the region may not be as spectacular as Tikal or
Caracol at first glance. But that is certainly due to the fact that
excavations are not very advanced. In many cases, however, the region
shows an architectural style that is unique in the Mayan world. Most of
the buildings were built without the use of mortar by carefully fitting
the stones. In Pusilhá you can also find the remains of the only stone
bridge in the entire Mayan world, and Uxbenká is already a highlight,
even though it has hardly been uncovered. Here is a brief overview of
the most important sites:
Lubaantun - A crystal skull was
allegedly found here.
Nim Li Punit - One of the most important
religious centers
Pusilhá - Here you can see the remains of the only
stone bridge of the classical Maya.
Uxbenká - Oldest center
located on three hills with a fantastic view.
Uxbentun - Remote
religious center
Xnaheb - Twin town of Nim Li Punit
Wild Cane Caye
- One of the largest Mayan port facilities
The nature reserves and
parks
Machaca Forest Reserve
Sarstoon / Temash National Park
Columbia Forest Reserve
Bladen Nature Reserve - Ideal for observing
reptiles and amphibians. The third highest mountain in Belize can be
found here.
Hokeb Ha Cave
Tiger Cave
The southern islands and cays assigned
to the Toledo District
Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve
Port
Honduras Marine Reserve
Nature - Here there are good opportunities to see not only an
exciting bird world but also large mammals in the wild.
Caribbean -
Fantastic beaches on the coast and the islands and the reef invite you
to swim, dive and snorkel, are on your doorstep and leave nothing to be
desired. Fishing enthusiasts will also get their money's worth here.
Mayan ruins - Many have not yet been explored or have only been
partially explored. But they are remarkable in terms of size and
architecture and are definitely worth a visit.
Caves - These are also
present here and some are spectacular and hardly explored.
Relaxing - Whether in the rainforest, on the rivers, on the coast or
on the islands: Here you can still find those rare places that are so
cut off from the outside world that you can switch off undisturbed. The
islands in the Port Honduras Marine Reserve and Sapodilla Cayes Marine
Reserve are particularly unique.
Diving and snorkelling - Here too,
the coastal area and the Port Honduras Marine Reserve and Sapodilla
Cayes Marine Reserve offer ideal conditions. Whether it's a coral reef,
manatees, dolphins or whale sharks, you'll find them here.
Animal
watching - If the underwater options aren't enough for you, you'll find
them on land. Due to the low population density, the region is still
undeveloped in many areas and is an ideal place for all kinds of nature
observation. But here too, human intervention is increasing, and where
there is dense rainforest today, there will be a small field next year.
It is therefore good to know that there are many well-maintained
protected areas, such as the Caribbean Sea. E.g. the Sarstoon / Temash
National Park or the Bladen Nature Reserve.
Trecking -
Boat tours
-
Culture -
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 speaks this language here too. But the three major population groups here are Kekchi-Maya, Mopan-Maya and Garifuna. They usually speak their own language in addition to English. In addition, there are also a few languages such as Kriol or Plautdietsch.
A good first port of call is Punta Gorda (Belize). Here you can get
your bearings and then explore the district.
By plane
Punta
Gorda has an airport that is served several times a day by Tropic Air
and Maya Island Air.
By bus
With Novelos Bus Line & James Bus
Line it is possible to travel from Independence, Dangriga, Belmopan and
Belize City or to leave the Toledo District in the direction of this
city. This is also possible several times a day from and to Punta Gorda.
Other places are visited less frequently depending on their size or only
by arrangement if they are on the Southern Highway.
By road
The central traffic artery is the Southern Highway. You cannot reach
Punta Gorda via this if you simply follow the Southern Highway coming
from the north. The road network in the district is generally
manageable.
By ship
The two agencies Requena's Charter Service
and Pichilingo connect Punta Gorda with Puerto Barrios in Guatemala. The
crossing takes about 1 to 2 hours in both directions and departs once or
twice a day from the Custom Dock in the east of the city.
By road
The central traffic artery is the Southern Highway. You
cannot reach Punta Gorda via this if you simply follow the Southern
Highway coming from the north. The road network in the district is
generally manageable. For some roads, an off-road vehicle is essential.
Even the Southern Highway is not completely paved, and bridges are often
washed away in the rainy season.
By bus
With Novelos Bus Line
& James Bus Line, it is possible to travel from Independence, Dangriga,
Belmopan and Belize City or to leave the Toledo District in the
direction of this city. This is also possible several times a day from
and to Punta Gorda. Other places are visited less frequently depending
on their size or only by arrangement if they are on the Southern
Highway.
As many places here are not yet developed for tourism,
you should usually not do without a local guide. These can often be
found at the sights. If you want to be on the safe side, it is advisable
to organize this in advance through the Belize Travel Guide Association.
Especially for the south, Bruno Kuppinger, the only official
German-speaking guide in Belize, is highly recommended. He can also
arrange a car through his own car rental company. The Sun Creek Lodge is
also an ideal starting point from which to explore the district.
Contact: Sun Creek Lodge (Tel: (+501) 614-2080)
The restaurants are generally simple and the only difference is between fish, chicken or meat dishes, but this does not usually reduce the quality. On the contrary, especially in small towns, real delicacies are served here 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". Fish is recommended.
If you are looking for nightlife in the Toledo District, you will really only find it in Punta Gorda (Belize). Some smaller villages like San Pedro Columbia also have a pub, but these usually do not go beyond the charm of a corner pub. But if you really want to let it rip, you should head to Belize City or San Pedro (Belize).
The crime rate is negligible, especially in the smaller towns.
There are crocodiles and poisonous snakes, 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 guarantee sufficient protection. The "most dangerous" are 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:
Malaria prophylaxis should be carried with you at least in case of
an emergency.
A typhoid vaccination should be carried beforehand.
The hepatitis A, B, tetanus and rabies vaccinations should be updated.