Articles
|
travel now: ecoadventure in belize Finding My Adventurous Side in BELIZE For a girl whose idea of living adventurously is ordering a dish with marinara sauce while wearing a white linen dress, a week in the wilds of Belize was taking a step way over my usual line of comfort. Yet there I was, in all my jungle mamma glory — hunting for crocodiles, snorkeling with sharks, swimming in caves, and flying all over the country in single prop airplanes. And I loved every minute of it. My first glimpse of this beautiful, lush country was by air, as Tropic Air flew our small group of travelers in a tiny airplane to the town of Punta Gorda in the southern part of the country, about an hour’s flight awayfrom Belize CityInternational Airport. At first I found it a bit unnerving to become airborne perched on a seat that looked like my elderly babysitter’s aging Chevy Impala, frayed seatbelts and all. But once I got past the thought of what happens if that one prop falls off, the flights were quite enjoyable and a lovely way to see the unspoiled landscape, bordered by trees on one side and the Caribbean ocean on the other. Our first destination was Machaca Hill Lodge, nestled in the rainforest and situated just above the Rio Grande River. After settling in my large private cabana with a porch overlooking the rainforest, I threw on a pair of khaki shorts and white T-shirt and spritzed myself liberally with bug spray. Our group descended a long flight of stairs through the jungle to the narrow river and took an evening boat cruise in a mahogany boat just as the natives would have centuries ago. As we slid along the glassy black water with the suns rays slowly fading, I felt the stress melt out of my body.
The Ecotourist We did manage to set aside a few hours of lounging by the beautifully landscaped pool during our time at Machaca Hill, but there were adventures to be had. On our first day we visited the tiny village of San Miguel, population, around 380. A lovely Mayan lady named Christine made us a lunch of chicken soup and chatted with us about life in her small village. She was married at 14 and has two sons, one of whom lounged in his hammock and patiently answered our questions about his school. Their humble cement home is a recent replacement for the family’s previous thatch house that was destroyed by Hurricane Iris, which hit Belize and caused extensive damage in 2001. The roof is still thatch, which keeps the home cool, and Christine told us it takes 600 leaves to build one roof. Made of cohune leaves, the roof will last longer if the leaves are cut during a full moon. Belize is considered a leader in ecotourism. San Miguel is one of ten villages that are part of the Toledo Ecotourism Association (T.E.A). Forty percent of the land in Belize is under the protection of the government. T.E.A. manages guesthouses in ten villages where tourists can stay. The guesthouses are simple, with bunk beds with mosquito netting, outdoor showers and latrines. The cost to stay is $9.25 per person per night. The village retains 80% of the money and 20% goes to T.E.A. forhealth, education, conservation and administrative costs.
The Cave Swimmer The next day we were off to Blue Creek Cave for a hike and a cave swim. Belize has lots of limestone and a wet climate, ideal for the formation of caves, which are found all over this small country that is about the size of Massachusetts. After another drive through small towns and the jungle and soon we came to a large stream, where women were washing their colorful clothes in the running water. This was where our hike would begin. The entire trek was over large slippery rocks and in and out of streams, so we had to watch every step. Our barefoot guide, Sylvano, scampered over Mother Nature’s obstacle course easily and offered a helping hand or words of encouragement when any of us stumbled. We eventually made it to the cave that was our destination, and after stripping down to our bathing suits, we plunged into the cold, swirling water. Our numbers had dwindled along the hike as people chose to pick a rock and just sit, and just a few of us remained to head into icy darkness of the cave. I made it about ten feet inside, when I hit the impending pitch-dark interior and the strong currents, which deterred me from exploring further. It was like swimming into the mouth of a huge whale that was trying to spit you back out. And not in a nice way. A few really bold adventurers continued on a little further, but they soon returned as well and back we hiked. Tired, wet, and dirty we came to the small hut where our leader, Jim Scott of Machaca Hill, broke out bottles of wine and chicken sandwiches. As we said a toast to our adventure, a gentle rain fell around us, which only increased the magical, mystical feeling of the experience. That afternoon as I rested in my cabana, I heard the oddest sound. It was a slow, sustained, muffled roar, like a lion that had roared himself hoarse but was trying to crank up the volume. Fascinated, I listened to its slow rise and fall. I found out it was a black howler monkey. These monkeys live in troops of four to eight, and use their voices to defend their territory. Despite their commanding voices, they weigh a mere 15 pounds.
The Crocodile Hunter Another day, another adventure – this time, we traveled by plane, bus and boat to Lamanai Outpost Lodge, located in the Orange Walk District, one of the six districts in Belize, about 50 miles north of Belize City. During our boat ride we saw herons, vultures, termite nests and what our guide referred to as Jesus Christ birds, because they walk on water. When the staff of Lamanai greeted us bearing cool drinks and wet towels, I knew I’d like this charming lodge on the river. After an afternoon visiting the Mayan ruins at Lubaantun, and a lovely dinner in the open-air dining room, it was time for our real adventure — crocodile hunting! We seated ourselves in the airboat, which was basically a large platform with what looked like a super-sized fan on the back, and put on our earphones to partially drown out the noise of the boat. Each boat could hold four tourists, with a seat for the driver while the other guide hung out up front, crocodile-ready. Then we were off, straight across the river. Just when I expected we’d veer away from the thick marsh, we plowed straight into it, right across the marsh grasses, in a definite James Bond (or shall we say, “Jane” Bond!) moment. Arturo, one of our guides, wore a helmet with a light on it, which he turned from side to side, looking for the telltale red eyes of the crocodiles. Then it got really exciting. Sighting the piercing red eyes glinting in the night, we edged close and our second guide, George, leapt into the marshy water. Although the first crocodile escaped his grasp, he was successful in grabbing the second one and lifted his writhing body into our boat. It had a slight scar on his mouth, prompting one of the women in our group to name him Joaquin after Joaquin Phoenix, which we had to amend to Joaquina after we discovered it was a female. These crocodiles are part of a research project, so she was weighed, measured, then thrown back into her watery home. The owners of Lamanai, Mark and Monique Howells, created a center for conservation and archeology programs in 1992. The crocodile project is just one of many of the Lamanai Field Research Center.
The Girl Who Swims With Sharks Although I loved the jungle and reluctantly shoved my dirt-encrusted, bug spray-soaked T-shirt and shorts in my suitcase, I was cheered immensely by the thought of my next destination. I’m a sun-worshipping kind of gal, and we were headed for the beach! Next stop – Ambergris Caye, where we’d jump on yet another form of transportation. The golf cart is the principal means of getting around in San Pedro, the main town. This small fishing village is now a favorite with tourists who come to the island for the snorkeling and diving along the second largest barrier reef in the world. (The largest is in Australia.) Our home base was Xanadu Resort, right on the water, where I shared a two-room suite, complete with hammock on the porch, and just steps from the pool. From there, it was short walk down the beach to Rico’s Restaurant, which is built out over the water, and where we had breakfast and lunch every day, enjoying the water views and colorful cottages down the beach. When it was time for our next adventure, the destination explained the mission: We headed out on our boat to Shark and Stingray Alley, where once again I’d observe magnificent critters up close. As I floated happily in the warm water, I saw several sharks and some huge stingrays also seeming to float magically in the water just inches below us. Alas, the rain started and the storms got stronger so one by one, we returned to the boat. We all crammed down below, laughing and comparing notes of sea creature sightings as the boat swayed, reminiscent of the scar-comparing scene in the movie Jaws. We explored the town of San Pedro by golf cart, and made stops along the way to check out some shops. We saw an array of leather goods, scarves, jewelry and the usual beachy trinkets. The only thing that called my name was a small smiling wooden crocodile, who now lives on my front porch Later we stopped at Fido’s Restaurant and Bar, another eatery located right on the water. It was the perfect setting to relax, share stories of past adventures, and relive our escapades from the previous week. Soon, we would be back to our daily lives, where one of my travel companions described a typical “adventure” as getting an accidental beehive before a big gala in Washington, D.C. Her story had me laughing so hard, I about choked on my pineapple slice! While our week of semi-soft adventures surely pushed my adventure meter higher, that’s one I hope to never try — going to a fancy fundraiser with sky-high hair!
Belize 411 Hear the sound of the howler monkey Ecotourism in Belize Visits to the TEA guesthouses For information on the Lamanai Field Research Center
Places to Stay and Dine Fido’s Restaurant and Bar, San Pedro Lamanai Outpost Lodge The Lodge at Big Falls Machaca Hill Resort, Toledo Ramon’s Village Resort Victoria House, Ambergris Caye Villas at Banyon Bay, Ambergris Caye Xanadu Resort, Ambergris Caye,
Tours and Transportation Tropic Air
|
|