Belize Bucket List 2024: Top 20 Unique Things To Do

Regarded as the #1 Sacred Cave in the World by National Geographic, the ATM Cave Tour is truly worth the hype. The three-hour caving adventure includes a hike through the jungle, a river crossing, climbing over rocks and swimming through crystal clear water.

Frankly, that summary doesn't do it justice. But, this will be the highlight of your trip.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is the only preserve of its kind. The sanctuary is filled with over a dozen hiking trails, the highest peak in the country and pristine waterfalls.

With over 200 jaguars in the protected area, it's no surprise that your best chance to spot a jaguar is at this reserve. There are also camping grounds and modern cabin spaces available for rent. And for the hardcore hikers, there's also the Victoria Peak hike lasting a total of 3 days.

Having the second-largest barrier reef in the world means having world-class snorkeling and scuba diving at your fingertips. Most travelers opt for a half-day snorkeling trip to Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley.

Wildlife you can spot include turtles, nurse sharks, sting rays, fishes and coral formations. Other snorkeling spots include Mexico Rocks near San Pedro and Half Moon Caye near Belize City.

The Great Blue Hole is known as one of the top scuba diving sites in the world but did you know you can also fly over it? The tour can be booked through Tropic Air or Maya Island Air and includes several fly-bys of the majestic blue hole, a view of the Atolls and even a large shipwreck sitting on the edge of the reef.

While I haven't done this tour myself, my friends have commented that the fly-over tour is an out-of-this-world experience which can't be compared to swimming in it. Well, at least for non-divers.

There's a scene in the original Anaconda Film with a house-looking boat floating on a river by a waterfall that reminds me of this tour. It takes place on Vaca Lake, a man-made reservoir caused by the Vaca Dam in the upper Macal River near Benque Viejo Town.

While on the tour, you can climb several waterfalls, tube behind the boat, hang on a rope swing and have a barbecue lunch onboard. If this is not a unique tour, I don't know what is.

While cave tubing is considered to be a very touristy activity, it's a novel tour unique to Belize. The tour is mentally & physically relaxing and easy while still being exciting. It's a perfect activity for families with kids. The most popular place to go cave tubing is at Caves Branch river system at the Nohoch Che’en Caves Branch Archaeological Reserve.

From Belize City, there is a 1.5-hour car ride to the site before entering the cave system.

Did you know that Belize has one of the largest concentrations of manatees in the world? Yes, it's because of the unique ecosystem, but it's also due to the Manatee Conservation Program.

If you would like to swim with these gentle giants called Sea Cows, take a trip to Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary which is near the coast of Belize City. Tour companies also offer the tour activity on popular islands and the coast.

And, remember to do so responsibly and not touch them, feed them or put them in any danger. Be patient and enjoy the magical encounter.

Although West Indian Manatees can be seen all year round, there is a higher chance of spotting them between June & November due to the warmer waters.

Described by many as the trip of a lifetime, going on a three-day sailing adventure hopping from island to island is story to tell for a long time. The tour companies offer multiple day trips as well as same-day sunset tours if you have limited time.

The multi-day tours is designed as an island hopping adventure where you get to visit tiny islands known as cayes like Rendezvous Caye, Tobacco Caye, Goffs Caye and South Water Caye. Some of them are uninhabited pieces of paradise.

You don't have to go to the Maldives to stay in an overwater bungalow. There are some off these floating houses available on Airbnb that we can actually afford! A plethora of luxury stays are available as well.

Some popular recommendations include St. George's Caye near Belize City, Coco Plum Caye, near Dangriga and Tobacco Caye also near Dangriga.

To compliment an overwater bungalow experience, stay at jungle eco lodge. With over 60% of Belize's land surface covered by forest, aerial shots of jungle lodges look like scenes straight out of a movie.

Eco lodges in the jungle provide you an intimate connection with nature and wildlife. It's a perfect way to recharge from all the adventurous tours available in the region.

While I'm not a hardcore Birder, some of my close friends are, so I've spent some time identifying birds on my local trips. According to eBird.org, close to 600 species have been observed in the country as of 2022.

My personal favorite site has been Sittee River which is close to Hopkins Village. Northern Belize is also highly recommended due to the rivers, wetlands & savannas which includes Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary near Orange Walk. Lamanai Archeological Reserve and Chan Chich Lodge, are also popular sites for birdwatching.

The Hummingbird Highway is one of the most photogenic highways in the country. It's loaded with stunning natural attractions and delicious food along the way.

If you're heading south towards Hopkins or Placencia, you'll be passing through this highway. Stop at Marie Sharp’s Factory for a unique tour experience – Belizeans love and are proud of their hot sauce.

Scuba diving in Belize second to none. While I'm not a diver myself, my friends are, and they share all their experiences with me. I can't imagine how magical it would be to hover in the water.

Some recommended sites include the Great Blue Hole, Half Moon Caye and Hol Chan Reserve.

If hiking tours during the day aren't enough for you, try adding the cover of nightfall to it. This is when the jungle wakes up and things get a tad bit more interesting.

A very exciting night hike would be tracking jaguars in their natural habitat at the only jaguar preserve in the world, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary. Other recommendations include Belize Zoo Nocturnal Tour near Belmopan and Bioluminescence River tour near Sittee River

There's nothing quite like a relaxing massage around a waterfall after a long day of hiking through the jungle. Belize is home to over a dozen waterfalls all perfectly scattered throughout the country.

My favorite waterfalls are those that are slightly hard to reach giving you a good chance of having the entire site to yourself. I would recommend Big Rock Falls near San Ignacio, Maya King Waterfall near Hopkins and Antelope Falls also near Hopkins

While food tours are not as popular in Belize as yet, the landscape is rapidly changing. Food tours like those from Taste Belize take you around the tiny Belize world to experience traditional food of the area in a short but engaging walking tour.

Some tours even offer cooking classes and rum tasting. Popular food tour companies include Taste Belize in Placencia, Belize Food Tour in San Pedro and a freelance company called Culinary & Culture Tour by Otehlia Travels.

As an amateur plant-based cook, I'm always curious about the ingredients and history behind new dishes. Here in Belize, you can expect cooking classes for Mayan, Garifuna & Creole food – all guaranteed to be fun culinary experiences. Dishes might include tamales, hudut and the ever-so-famous rice & beans.

Some recommendations include Eden Valley mayan Kitchen near San Ignacio, Palmento Grove Cultural & Fishing Lodge near Hopkins and Open Hearth Kitchen at Lodge at Chaa Creek. And... if a cooking class are a bit too daunting, you can settle for a more relaxed chocolate-making tour.

The Maya people are technically the country's indigenous population. One of their cultural traditions has been the preparation of chocolate using stone to grind organic cacao bean into paste. The end product is authentic Mayan Chocolate.

Besides chocolate making and tasting, some tours include a farm tour that lasts two to three hours. You can find these tours in Western and Southern Belize where the Maya Tradition remains alive and well.

Popular chocolate tours include AJAW Chocolate near San ignacio, Ixcacao Maya Belizean Chocolate near Punta Gorda and Lamanai Chocolate near Hummingbird Highway.

The first time I was ever introduced to Garifuna drumming was on their name day, Garifuna Settlement Day (November 17th). The Garifuna people perform a re-enactment ceremony of them arriving Belize in their canoes along with their children, cultural food and of course, their drums.

You can learn to play those drums from expert teachers that have played it since they were kids. In fact, there's only one drumming school you can take – Lebeha Drumming in Hopkins Village.

And if that's not your jam, you can opt to simply listen to the drumming at Driftwood Beach Bar on most weekends which is also in Hopkins, home of the Garifuna people.

Sometimes, we just want to kick back, relax and take a break from all the adventures. A slow vacation day can help you recharge for the next day. And what better way to do it than taking an educational nature tour which can be perfect for families.

These tours can teach you about the local flora and fauna and in Belize including butterflies, local spices and even natural medicine. I highly recommend Belize Spice Farm near Punta Gorda, Ya'axkin Butterfly House near Hopkins and Rainforest Medicine Trail near San Ignacio.