Articles on Travel | Topics: travel, traveling
by Kai Kerr
A hot and humid tropical climate is the norm in Belize, situated on the eastern coast of Central America. The small country is in the Caribbean Sea and is bordered by Guatemala and Mexico. Belize travel is best planned outside of the rainy season during May to November. Floods and hurricanes cause frequent problems, particularly when Hurricane Hattie struck in 1961, causing a great deal of damage. Tourism is a major contributor to the economy, along with the main export of sugar cane. Other important crops are bananas and citrus fruits. It's the site of the second largest barrier reef in the world.
The history of the area is an interesting one and influences the lives of the people today. Belize travel brings contact with many different ethnic groups such as Mestizo, Caribbean, African, Creole, Arabs and Asian. The earliest recorded settlement is the Maya civilization. Europeans, especially English and Scottish migrants, subsequently settled and it became a British colony in 1871, remaining a sovereign state until 1981. It was known as British Honduras until 1973 and was a self-governing colony until 1964.
It is the final British colony on the American mainland but Queen Elizabeth II is still the sovereign and the chief language is English. In fact, it is the sole country in Central America to have English as the official language. The capital city is Belmopan and the political system is a parliamentary democracy. The Belize government requests a continuing presence of British armed forces, the only source of conflict being rows with neighboring Guatemala over territory rights.
| Bit of History |
The whole object of travel is not to set foot on foreign land; it is at last to set foot on one’s own country as a foreign land.
| —Gilbert Keith Chesterton (1874–1936) |
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Visitors will see plenty of sport when they embark on Belize travel, with soccer and basketball being the most popular. Other sports include boxing, volleyball and softball. Cycling is popular too and Belize hosts an Annual International Cross-Country Cycle Race every Easter.
The clear waters, coral and abundant marine life are a great attraction for snorkelers and scuba divers. Sport fishing and bird watching are other popular activities. The wetland environment is ideal for many birds and animals. A Belize travel itinerary often includes a trip to the Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, a protected area that was devised to conserve the Red-footed Booby bird and the Frigatebird. There's also a chance to see lizards, iguanas and turtles. Winter birds include the osprey and the white-crowned pigeons. Shark Ray Alley is an exciting destination for people who want to swim with Nurse Sharks and Southern Sting Rays.
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