South & Central America

In what was formerly known as British Honduras, the steamy rainforests and spectacular coral reefs encompass an area roughly the size of Wales.  With a tiny population of just 266,000 people, the main attraction for the visitor to Belize is its incredible and largely untouched natural environment.

From mountainous forest to dazzling beaches, the country is host to an extraordinary array of flora and fauna.  Black howler monkeys, timid tapirs and Central America’s largest spotted cat, the jaguar, all roam beneath the rainforest canopy.  Belize’s major investment in eco-tourism ensures that visitors can appreciate the spectacularly diverse surroundings through a combination of state and private reserves whose role is to protect over 40% of the territory.

With a colourful history involving the powerful Mayan empire, hopeful Spanish Conquistadors, cunning British pirates and African slaves, the Belizeans are a polyglot, culturally diverse people.  Over 300 years of history shared with Britain has bequeathed English as the official language of state, but over half the population speak Spanish, and a strong Creole influence remains.

Above all, Belize’s greatest natural attraction is its superb coral reef, which shadows its entire coastline, the longest in the Western Hemisphere.  Hosting an astonishing array of sea-life, it acts as a barrier, calming the inshore waters and creating excellent conditions for water sports, whilst the extraordinary Blue Hole ensures the diving in Belize is some of the best in the world.