You gotta BELIZE it!

Only English-speaking country in Central America, with an estimated population of 370,000 more residents in the rainforest than in the villages and communities. The locals are very warm, the destinations very diverse and (still) not overcrowded. Depending on how many cruise ships are docked in Belize City, the excursion destinations in the hinterland are more or less busy.
Our first stop took me to the Belize Zoo two weeks ago, which was founded in the 1980s by a US-American woman as part of a National Geographic film project to raise abandoned animals and promote species conservation. During the previous boat trip on the Old Belize River, we encountered dolphins and birds. Other groups reported crocodiles and manatees. Overall, a great tour to explore nature extensively!
On the other hand, yesterday's stop was at the Xunantunich archaeological site, about two hours away from Belize City. In the middle of the hinterland, unknowingly from the bus, I noticed the sign that indicated the Mayan temple as an archaeological attraction. Once there, we had to cross the river with a small local ferry before being taken to the actual program part by minivans. Once at the top, we had a gigantic view of the three individual plazas or assembly areas of the former Maya city, as well as the second highest temple "El Castillo" with a height of 40 meters. The ascent on the high steps, which seem huge compared to the size of the Maya, is definitely worth it! Beautiful to see Guatemala from above towards the east and to get fantastic views into the green heart of Belize.

Belize is definitely worth a visit! A rich culture that has been developing continuously, especially since gaining independence from British colonizers in 1981. The nature and the hinterland are particularly recommended!