What You Always Wanted to Know about Belize Tourism
Have you heard about karst? This is the name given to areas which are formed on limestone shelves. This is by itself an amazing phenomenon and the fact that it gave result to thousands of caves thousands of years ago makes it a great historical event as well. You will learn from the Belize tourism travel guides available that these caves had been considered sacred by the ancient civilizations of Maya, who used this place for religious rituals.
The Legend That Fuels Belize Tourism
Long time ago archeologists discovered the use of these caves. This dates back to about 1000 BC, which is amazing. The rituals that took place in these natural wonders were the result of the superstitious beliefs of the Mayans that these caves were in fact portals to the underworld or the world of the dead. Historians previously recorded that there was only one such portal known at that time called Xibalba and that was located in Guatemala; however more recent discoveries show that all the caves were treated as Xibalba by the Mayans.
The interesting and mystique historical background has spurred on the Belize tourism especially for those who love historical relics. There is a lot to see and experience from historical point of view in Belize. The archeological excavations have unearthed a remarkable array of artifacts as well as human remains which points to the facts that that some of the sacrifices might have involved humans - both adults and children.
Among the major attractions you would find here are the Caves Branch Cave System which has a flowing water source with a constant temperature round the year of about 75 degrees; the Che Chem Ha Cave where the Mayans lived around 800 AD; the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave where many rituals like bloodletting and human sacrifice were done to appease the Mayan deities.
The Great Adventurous Side of Belize Tourism
If you love adventure more than history, Belize would still be a great destination for you. For a moment you can forget the historical significance of these caves and look at them from another angle. You will find that these caves are a haven for canoeing, swimming, hiking and tubing (a less known sport, but thrilling nonetheless).
The Belize tourism department provides official guides for these striking adventures, who not only know the area's historical importance and all there is to know about your safety, but also some great 'secret' places to have fun - places that you would never have discovered on your own.
To summarize it - visit to Belize can be both educational as it would be thrilling. This could be the making of a vacation like no other considering the fact that almost everything here has a legend behind it.
