Cayo District Things to Do Tips by grandmaR

St. Herman's Cave

St. Herman's cave is part of the Blue Hole National Park. It is located 400 meters from the Hummingbird Highway. We elected not to walk from the Blue Hole. It is a large sinkhole, 60 meters wide, funneling to a 20 meter entrance to the cave. Concrete steps, constructed over the steps made by the Maya who used the cave during the Classic Period (0- 900A.D.), lead into the darkness. As the cave is approached, a surge of cool, damp air can be felt, contrasting to the high temperatures outside which fogged up my camera lenses and my glasses.

St. Herman's Cave is a part of a lattice of sink holes, caverns and creeks that riddle the area. We used a dive light as a flashlight, but we didn't go back much beyond the entrance as we didn't have a guide.

From the website: "The cave has archaeological importance. Pottery vessels, used for the collection of "Zuh uy Ha" or virgin water from cave drippings, along with spears and torches, have been removed from St. Herman's Cave for study by the Department of Archaeology in Belmopan. Thanks to the Belize Government, permission has been granted to BHNP visitors, admitting them to St. Herman's Cave without the usual permits required for entering caves. Permission must still be obtained from the Department of Archaeology to enter Mountain Cow and Petroglyph Caves, which are beyond the border of BHNP."

Directions: Part of the Blue Hole National Park a mile from the main Blue Hole visitor's center area on the Hummingbird Highway

Blue Hole National Park

The Blue Hole National Park, protected under the National Parks System Act of 1981, was established in December 1986.

Adjacent to a parking area, steps lead to the pool that gives the park its name (not to be confused with the other Blue Hole on Lighthouse Reef. There were no changing facilities when I was there - I had to change in the bathroom. The water was COLD. Too cold for Bob - he didn't want to swim.

The websites say that it is about 25 feet deep, but I could walk around in most of it only up to mid calf. Of course at the time it was the middle of a drought.

The website says:
If you have the time, catching a bus heading to Dangriga can be an inexpensive way to get there. If you go by bus, be sure and check bus schedules for return times.

Directions: 12 miles southeast of Belmopan on the Hummingbird Highway.

Website: http://www.belizex.com/bluehole.htm

Cahal Peche

Cahal Peche is a small Mayan site right in San Ignacio at the top of a hill. It has 34 buildings on a bit over 2 acres. It is unusual in that it has the finish on the masonry which would have been there when the site was in use, and the brickwork is not all exposed.

The name derives from words meaning "Place of Ticks" because the area had been used as a cattle pasture, and cattle pastures are notorious breeding grounds for ticks.

After some looting was done between 1970 and 1985, the local people became concerned. In 1988 a formal large scale excavation was started which continues today.

Directions: In San Ignacio

Website: http://www.belizeexplorer.com/cgi-local/explorer.cgi?db=explorer&uid=default&Category=Mayan+Sites&view_records=1&nh=5&mh=1

Butterflies

There is a small butterfly farm called Tropical Wings Nature Center and Butterfly House on the road out of San Ignacio.

The butterfly enclosure was very much like the one in Costa Rica that we visited, although smaller. After we visited the butterflies we walked around on the nature center paths looking for hummingbirds (which were probably hiding somewhere out of the heat), and I had a nice conversation about what bird books covered Belize with a gentleman who was on the porch of one of the cabins. (The consensus was that there aren't any bird books for Belize - you can use the books for Mexico or for Costa Rica as the birds are more or less the same.)

Admission fees are $5.00 Bz. ($2.50US) for adults; children 4 to 12 years old are admitted for half-price, and children under 4 are admitted free

Open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. every day - the best times to see the butterflies is between 10 and 4.

More information when I find my journal for Belize

Address: Past Mile 71 (114 km) on the Western Highway

Directions: About 6 miles /10 km & 10 minutes west of San Ignacio, just before San Jose Succotz.
About a 1 ½ hour drive from the Belize airport by car

Phone: 011-501-9-32265

Website: http://www.thetrekstop.com/trophead.htm

Hidden Valley or Thousand Foot Falls

This is believed to be the highest waterfall in Central America and is actually over 1,500 ft to the bottom. A viewing platform overlooks the falls. There is a short scenic trail around the escarpment for taking in the valley view. We drove up and had lunch up there. The road is unpaved.

Directions: Mountain Pine Ridge