We travel to grow - our Adventure Guides show you how. Experience the places you visit more directly, freshly, intensely than you would otherwise - sometimes best done on foot, in a canoe, or through cultural adventures like art courses, cooking classes, learning the language, meeting the people, joining in the festivals and celebrations. This can make your trip life-changing, unforgettable. All of the detailed information you need is here about the hotels, restaurants, shopping, sightseeing. But we also lead you to new discoveries, turning corners you haven't turned before, helping you to interact with the world in new ways. That's what makes our Adventure Guides unique. The only English-speaking country in Central America, Belize is home to 500 species of birds, innumerable Maya ruins, as well as the world's second largest barrier reef. Over 80% of the land remains covered with primeval forest and 30% has been set aside as national parks/preserves. All manner of tips and recommendations for the first-time or veteran Belize traveler. Encouraging eco-travel, Vivien Lougheed profiles many of the unique archeological sites, wildlife preserves, marine sanctuaries and conservation areas. Explore firsthand Belize s myriad attractions. This guide provides detailed information on travel to Belize as a whole, but it then goes on to cover the Cayes -- the many islands offshore. Diving, snorkeling, sailing, fishing, windsurfing and sea kayaking are what most people do in Belize. Other travelers may read, tan, drink and eat seafood. For all this we head for the cayes. The cayes of Belize have the second-largest coral reef on the planet and their two atolls include some of the most challenging dive sites in the world. The area is huge, with only three cayes being densely populated. Many are uninhabited. If you want a party scene after a day playing on or in the water, then Ambergris Caye, Caye Caulker or Tobacco Caye are the places to go. If seclusion and quiet is what you seek, head to Glover's Reef or a resort on one of the privately-owned cayes. If you need adventure in the sun, go kayaking in the south. About 450 islands are bordered by 150 miles of reef that runs between 10 and 40 miles from the shoreline. The islands are of four types. There are the wet cayes that are mainly mangrove and are often partially under water. There are coral islands that are solid clumps of dead coral. The sand cayes are the most habitable. They are a combination of sand, coral and mangrove. Finally, there are three atolls - Glover's Reef, Lighthouse Reef and the Turneffe islands. "Belize holds three of the four coral atolls in the Caribbean, hosts the world's only jaguar reserve, and has the highest waterfall in Central America. The author's updated book is a tour guide helping the adventure-oriented traveler take advantage of these rare visions as she tells how to make the most of Belize, from locating a local tour to visiting backroads and less traveled areas of the country. A must for any traveler who wants to experience the outdoors of the country." -- Library Bookwatch. "As portable as they are helpful, and heavily illustrated as well, the volumes in this series remain very reliable in making certain that adventure is a major ingredient of your trip." -- Booklist. "A perennial top seller, this book overflows with tips and recommendations for the first-time or veteran Belize traveler. An eco-traveler, Lougheed pays special attention to unique archeological sites, pristine wildlife preserves and marine sanctuaries." --Advance Magazine