#17 best destination in the world

 

Great Blue Hole

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  • Giant submarine sinkhole off the coast
  • Formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower
  • Formation took place 153,000 years ago
  • As the ocean began to rise, the cave was flooded
  • UNESCO World Heritage Site

 

Actun Tunichil Muknal

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  • Cave notable as a Maya archaeological site that includes skeletons, ceramics, and stoneware
  • Best known is “The Crystal Maiden,” a skeleton of a 18 year old girl who was probably a sacrifice victim
  • The formations in the cave were decorated to create decorative shadow images in the cave
  • Animals in the cave include a large population of bats, large freshwater crabs, crayfish, catfish, and predatory spiders

 

Xunantunich

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  • Ancient Maya archaeological site
  • Served as a Maya civic ceremonial center
  • Farmers typically lived in small villages divided into kin-based residential groups
  • The villages were self-sufficient and may be the reason why the city lasted as long as it did

 

Hol Chan Marine Reserve

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  • Coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests cover 4,448 acres that make up the marine reserve

 

Caracol

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  • Large ancient Maya archaeological site which was a political center
  • Built in 1200 BC
  • Was larger than present-day Belize city and supported more than twice the modern city’s population

 

Glover’s Reef

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  • Partially submerged atoll that forms part of the outermost boundary of the Belize Barrier Reef

 

 

Costs

all flights $858

food $12/day x 9 days = $108

hotel $144/day x 7 days = $1,008

tickets (all attractions) $311

TOTAL for whole itinerary $2,285