Here Are 12 Awesome Reasons To Spend Your Winter in Belize!
Some people love winter, some of us think winter downright stinks. It gets cold, in some places, there’s snow – blizzards, slick roads, and all that iciness. You gotta layer up to the point that you look like some sort of nylon turkey, and even so your fingers and toes can hardly stay warm. Spending winter in Belize is no cake walk either, it’s quite the challenge! 😉
And in case you’re wondering “Where is Belize?”, you can find out HERE.
1 The Weather
Weather is possibly the most quintessential thing to consider when planning a vacation. Why go temple trekking in India during monsoon season right? Anyway – as with anywhere during winter, Belize gets cold… like 60 degrees cold, insane right? How are we supposed to go for rain forest hikes in weather that will keep us at comfortable temperatures, Let alone go to the beach! (more on that later). If you want to see the REAL weather situation in Belize, click HERE.
2 The Food
Belizean food is still in its toddler stages as far as world cuisine goes. That said we bet you imagine that we cook up a lot of foods from other places to supplement our own local concoctions. Luckily that’s not really the case, Other than the famous “Rice & Beans” There are a great many other dishes that call Belize home, you can read about them here. We won’t get in to them now mostly because we’ll get hungry and set off to find some, then, who’s gonna finish writing this blog post?
Also check out 9 awesome foods invented by the Maya 🙂
3 The Rain-forest
Aptly named, the rainforest is dense and more often than not, wet. Given these conditions, you’re probably thinking NO WAY I’M GOING IN THERE… if it weren’t for a few cool facts.
Fact: Belize has the lowest regional Population density.
Fact: Our low population means less vehicles.
Fact: Fewer vehicles means cleaner air. Rainforests are the “lungs” of the planet, as their role is crucial in absorbing greenhouse gases and producing oxygen. Rainforests also help to stabilize the earth’s climate, house incredible flora & fauna, and produce nourishing rainfall all around the planet.
No one can deny the unbridled feeling that taking a deep breath of fresh air can give!
4 Tropical Cocktails
Cocktails? When it’s cold? Nah, we want hot cocoa and pumpkin spice double chai venti mocha lattes (if that’s not yet a thing it will be, trust us) – how could you serve cold cocktails when it’s cold? Well, 60 degrees remember? Fresh fruits, local rum, and expert mixing makes many of the cocktails served in Belize both refreshing and invigorating. Still having doubts? then you’ll need to try them to prove us wrong. You’ll have an entirely different appreciation of ice when it’s chilling your margarita! 😉
You could also try Mayan Xhocolatl, more on that here
5 Crystal Clear Waters
Belize has been blessed by the sea gods of old with islands that are home to some of the clearest, bluest, most turquoise waters in the world. Last year we were named one of the 8 places in the WORLD with the bluest water. Boat and plane rides out to the islands will have your eyes host to Belize’s stunning aquatic landscape with views straight to the sea floor. Dolphins May follow your boat and you can look down like lord of the reef from your Tropic Air flight to and from.
6 Astonishing Wildlife
With all this fresh air, climate and clear waters it’s safe to think that Belize is home to some truly incredible fauna throughout. Jaguars love it here, so much so that we needed to create the world’s first ever wildlife sanctuary dedicated primarily to the panthera onca. Scarlet Macaws, Ocelots, Harpy Eagles, Keel Billed toucans and so many other gorgeous species spend their days doing what they do in peace in Belize.
7 Towering Mayan Temples
The ancient Maya lived in this part of the world, with upwards of a million people in what is now Belize. A population of this size surely could NOT have just disappeared without a trace, right? Right; the Maya left behind their ancient temples much like the Egyptians did, still standing but somewhat, if not completely covered over by earth. One thing you can do in Belize that you can’t do in Egypt, or at some of our neighbors’ temples is – scale them. Temples like El Castillo at Xunantunich and Ca’ana in Caracol are some of the highest buildings standing in Belize and you’re 100% free to explore at your leisure.
8 White Sand Beaches
What’s the big deal with white sand beaches in Belize anyway? Because we have white sandy beaches. Not that anything is wrong with black sand beaches, volcanic sand is said to be great for your skin, but nobody likes a cliff coastline or a rocky beach. Our great barrier reef dampens the action of ocean waves meaning that only soft light sand reaches our shores and that when the sand arrives it’s not swiftly whisked away by yet another powerful movement. If you were looking for a reason to spend winter in Belize you shouldn’t need more than this.
9 Colorful Aquatic Critters
Critters? Aquatic? You know that eerie feeling you get when you are walking in water and step on something squishy and a small portion of your soul dies? Yeah, “colorful critters” doesn’t sound like very much fun huh? It’s not like if we have crystal clear seas and the second largest barrier reef formation in the world that’s home to hundreds if not thousands of species of tropical fish and no squishies to step on. The Belize Barrier Reef is teeming with life. The clean waters surrounding the area ensure that you can see hundreds of feet under water so you can gaze to your heart’s content!
10 Sacred Caves
Caves are where monsters live. Every horror movie tells us DO NOT enter the caves because there is no good that can come of it. The Maya thought so too – limestone caves were the entrances to the underworld that, to them, was a very real physical place where Gods and demons made their homes. Not to mention the caves in Belize are still home to Mayan artifacts and complete human skeletal remains hundreds of years old. If the possibility of exploring an ancient cave doesn’t excite you then it’s unclear what may!
11 Locals – The People
We’ve spoken a lot about Belizean people and our culture in the past and about just how magnetic those “gud mawning” smiles can be. It’s very easy to be warmed over and cheered up by the colorful and downright comical personalities you meet around Belize. See, we’re really laid back and when someone is loud and humorous, we just do what we should – laugh along. Kriol language, and by extension the people who speak it are comically expressive, it’s great, and fun to learn – you could easily spend your winter in Belize absorbing the local culture.
12 Mountain Views
Way out in the upper reaches of Belize, pine forest and savannah cover gorgeous landscapes. The Maya Mountains stand stalwartly in the west and southern regions of Belize that stretch off right up to our borders to the west and south. The ridges and valleys of the highest points in Belize are home to absolutely gorgeous landscapes and cascading wading pools. Within the Mountain range there a number of falls, two of which you must see. Taking a drive up there to spend the day exploring, swimming, hiking, stare in awe, then enjoying the orange glow of a tropical sunset as you make your way back to civilization is breathtaking. After experiencing this gorgeous location, it’s hard not to imagine it being a part of your winter vacation…
…And that wraps up your winter in Belize – there is a lot more to cover, so look out for it!
Are there any other reasons you think would make spending your winter in Belize awesome!? Let us know in the comments section 🙂
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