For our trip to Belize we split our itinerary between mainland history + nature, and then island relaxation! We chose San Ignacio/Cristo Rey for its prime location to several areas of Mayan ruins, and Caye Caulker for our island stay. Ambergris Caye/San Pedro is also a popular island destination in Belize but we chose Caye Caulker because it isn’t quite as busy!
Day 1: Arrived in Belize City, picked up our rental car (we rented from Hertz) and drove to San Ignacio. See our video below on what roads were like on the mainland!
We stopped by the Belize Zoo on our way to the Santa Elena/San Ignacio/Cristo Rey area. It was right along the highway on the way! It was small but had some great exhibits and all the animals are rescues.
Next we checked into our jungle cabin (if you prefer to book your rentals on VRBO the link to that same cabin is here!) explored the property and San Ignacio a bit (if you’re more of a hotel person, here are some hotels and lodges in the area) Our cabin had A/C and a kitchen, but there was also a full kitchen onsite where the owners (a sweet Belizean family) will cook 3 meals a day if you order in advance! The food was absolutely delicious, authentic Belizean dishes. There was also a walking trail onsite that takes you past their dragonfruit orchard, which has great sunset views. Our kids loved the hammocks on the screened in porch as they could hear all the wildlife while reading from the porch without being eaten by bugs! We would go back in a heartbeat.
Day 2: Xunantunich and Cahal Pech Mayan Ruins – toured the ruins then stopped by Cahal Pech Resort for a day pass to swim in the pools! Day passes are only $5 USD and it’s perfect after a hot day.
Day 3: We visited the Belize Botanical Gardens to explore Belize’s native and medicinal plant species. The grounds were gorgeous and the self guided tour book was perfect for us to go at our own pace so that we could make it back for our cave tour!
We chose to experience Barton Creek Cave Canoeing – We canoed through the Barton Creek cave to see Mayan artifacts and learn the history and geology of Belize’s cave system! You can only experience this cave with a tour guide and it’s our most memorable tour of trip.
Day 4: We had originally booked the Full Day Tour to Tikal, Guatemala – Cross the border to see the impressive Tikal ruins with a great guide. It was the same company as our Barton Creek tour. Unfortunately there was a heat wave this day and temps were supposed to be 110 F – we canceled it within their cancelation policy when we found that out! We ended up going to the Green Iguana Conservation Project at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel. It was AWESOME!!!
We also did the chocolate making tour at AJAW Chocolate. This was so fun, so informational, and the chocolate was like nothing we’ve ever tasted before. It has honestly ruined chocolate for us back in the states, so keep that in mind when considering visiting them!
Day 5: Transfer to Caye Caulker by water taxi (schedule here) – Spent the afternoon exploring the island by bicycle and eating! We found the BEST $5 USD burritos at a little stand near the Amigos grocery store/supermarket in the downtown area. It didn’t have a name that we could see, but it was right outside the basketball court. Maybe our photo will help!
Day 6: Caye Caulker – We had planned to snorkel/dive at Hol Chan Marine Reserve – we ended up not scheduling this because we were toured out, but with Belize having the second largest barrier reef in the world it was a little tough being in the cayes and NOT doing it! We found out this day that there was a stingray feeding behind the Iguana Reef Inn. Get there around 4:30 and hang out with the stingrays until the fisherman arrives, then be seated along the water’s edge for a chance to feed fish to the rays! It’s an incredible (free!) experience that even our teen returned for daily!
Day 7: Caye Caulker – morning at leisure before departing. We grabbed caramel frappuccinos from Axios Sun before we left and our kids both agreed they were better than any they’ve had in the States. It must be that Belizean coffee!
For our Belize flights we found GREAT point redemptions through Southwest Airlines! It cost us around 6k points per person, before fees (fees round trip to Belize were close to $400 total for the 4 of us)
If you’re doing a similar itinerary and are keeping track of high school credits, here is a unit description based on this experience:
The Traveling Homeschool 