17 Interesting Facts About Belize
Not all vacations are created equal and not all travel destinations belong on a sailor’s bucket list. But when it comes to making the most of your time away from home, you can’t go wrong with a Belize yacht charter adventure. This Central American paradise is best explored by boat and the unspoiled beauty that abounds throughout the cruising grounds is simply un-Belize-able.
There are many things that make this destination unique and desirable, so we’ve put together a list with some bits and bobs about Belize to peak your interest and help inspire your next sailing vacation.
1. Belize is nicknamed the “Jewel in the heart of the Caribbean basin”.
2. Belize is comprised of 400+ small islands knows as “cayes.”
3. Each caye has a designated “watchman” appointed by the government.
4. In 1973, the country changed its name from British Honduras to Belize.
5. Belize is the only Central American country whose official language isn’t Spanish. English is the official language but Garifuna, Mandarin, Spanish, and Mayan are also spoken.
6. There are more than 900 Mayan ruins and sites to explore in Belize, the capital of the ancient Mayan Empire.
7. Belize is home to the second-largest barrier reef in the world—the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System—second in size only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
8. Belize’s Great Blue Hole is the largest sinkhole on earth, a natural wonder and one of the top diving sites in the world.
9. The first and only jaguar nature preserve in the world is located in Belize.
10. According to Belizean superstition, it is bad luck to go swimming on Good Friday because you will turn into a mermaid.
11. Popular international fast-food chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, KFC, and even Starbucks are non-existent in Belize.
12. Over 80% of the rainforests in Belize are protected by the government.
13. Cashew trees grow prevalently in Belize, some of which produce edible nuts while others are poisonous to eat.
14. The largest flying bird in all of the Americas (Central, North, and South), the “jabiru stork”, lives within the Belize Rainforest.
15. Gladden Spit is a known hot-spot in Belize for whale watching.
16. Monkey River is home to a healthy number of howler monkeys, the noisiest species of monkeys whose shrieks can easily travel two miles.
17. Belize is famous for its world-class fishing with dense populations of tarpon, permit, and bonefish.
Photo Credit:
Eric Pheterson flickr.com/pheterson
Adam Fagen flickr.com/afagen
Author Name:
Kaitlyn Nakagoshi
Contributor
Ian Pedersen
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