Toledo and the
Cayo Districts |
Cayo
District: The Cayo District is "out west" where the rivers
are wide and much of land is untamed jungle.
The main population centers are San Ignacio Town
(also sometimes confusingly referred to as Cayo, e.g., "island" because the
town is surrounded by water on all sides) and Belmopan, Belize's national
capital (not a lot to see there).
No public airports, so all transportation is by
road. Most resorts and jungle camps will pick you up and drive you to
your Cayo destination (for a fee, of course). Cost of private ground
transportation varies based on location of pick-up and final destination.
The average charge is $145 USD for one-way transport from Belize
International Airport to the resort or camp. (The charge is per
vehicle, not per person.)
Public bus transportation is fairly easy and
inexpensive, with the only kicker being the $25 USD cab ride from the
International Airport back into Belize City to catch the bus. (No
public bus transportation from the International Airport.)
Favorite Cayo activities are Mayan ruins, caving
(some of the best), river canoeing, butterfly farms, jungle trekking, jungle
horseback riding, rock climbing and jungle camping. Day or overnight
trips from Cayo to the Tikal Mayan ruins in Guatemala are common.
Lodging choices range from deluxe jungle resorts
and spas, to simple cabanas and tent camping.
Vacations combining 3 or 4 days in the Cayo
District and 3 or 4 days in Placencia or San Pedro are a good way to get a
taste of the variety of activities and natural beauty of Belize.
Transportation from Cayo to Placencia involves
either
- A road trip back to Belize City to the Municipal
Airport to catch a flight to Placencia, or
- A road trip down the Hummingbird Highway to
Dangriga Town (to catch a flight from there to Placencia), or
- A road trip all the way down the Hummingbird, to
the Southern Highway, and then south down the Placencia Road -- a road
that's in less than perfect condition most of the time.
Depending on where you are in the Cayo District,
the trip back to Belize City to catch a plane to Placencia is the easiest
and fastest option. (In the Cave's Branch area of Cayo, take a vehicle
down to Dangriga and fly from there.)
The only way to get to San Pedro from Cayo is to
get back to Belize City and either fly or take a ferry.
Toledo District: The Toledo District south of Placencia is the most wild,
undiscovered and "lost-in-time" part of Belize.
So for those of you
who don't mind very basic accommodations and the total absence of 3-star restaurants (much
less 4 or 5-star), and welcome the opportunity to immerse yourself in both the Mopan and
Kekchi Mayan cultures, plus explore caves,
jungles and rivers that you can be sure most of your friends will never,
ever see - Toledo is the place.
But, Toledo
explorers must expect the unexpected, and realize that Toledo is
not the place for "slick" Disney-type tours.
We suggest that
clients who would like to explore Toledo plan on spending at least 2 or 3 days there, but
base the rest of the vacation in Placencia or other
parts of Belize. (Travel via air from Placencia to Punta Gorda
is easy, quick and relatively inexpensive -- by road
is a different story entirely, although not as bad as it used to be now
that the Southern Highway is nearing completion.)
Lodging in Toledo can
be in a very comfortable seafront lodge in Punta Gorda
(referred to as "PG" by Belizeans), Toledo's largest city. Or, we can
arrange a stay at a jungle butterfly farm, small guesthouses in the interior of the Toledo
District, a Mayan home stay, or a night in a Mayan cultural camp.
Available Toledo
activities include sea or river kayaking, sport
fishing, uncharted jungle explorations,
caving, birding and canoeing.
The Mayan Home Stay Program is a special project centered in Blue Creek
Village that involves visitors living in the homes of Mayan families.
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Just let us know
if you're interested in Toledo and we
can start exploring options for a very
unique Belize adventure. Also, take a
look at our our new Toledo kayaking
and fishing vacations. |
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