Families ‘Come Together’ in Belize
Jul 7th, 2009 by wwftravel
Cave canoeing in Belize (c) Kerry Riordan
When you go to Belize you are, in a way, going to one of the last frontiers—a place of unspoiled beauty where tourism has yet to be fully developed. Pretty amazing considering it’s only a two-hour flight from the United States and is the only English-speaking country in Central America.
From crystal clear waters to Maya archaeological sites to the wildlife living in rain forests, it’s easy to stay occupied. “There is something here for everyone—young and old,” said Kerry Riordan, a Belize specialist for the tour operator coordinating our December 2009 Belize for Families trip.
For many children, corresponding with local pen pals and then meeting them during the tour, to have ice cream together and play a pick-up game of soccer is a highlight. “It was so amazing to watch how easily they interacted with one another,” Riordan recalled. “Even the adults bonded.”
For teens, donning headlamps to float through deep river caves atop inner tubes left quite an impression. They climbed up rock formations inside the cave to see Maya artifacts. “It was like something out of a movie,” Kerry says. “The artifacts are left as they were found. No velvet ropes, like in a museum.”
Grandparents often enjoy the visit to the ancient city of Tikal, and on her trip she had a traveler celebrating his 80th birthday. It had been his dream to explore the archeological site with his grandchildren. “It was a wonderful thing to witness all the generations together marveling at the sites,” she says.
In 2002, WWF helped establish 11 new Marine Protected Areas in Belize, and for all family members, snorkeling among the tropical fish and the Mesoamerican Reef is one of the trip’s most rewarding experiences. Then there was time to relax, enjoy the beach and reminisce about the week’s adventures.
“I’ve noticed that families really seem to come together on this trip,” Kerry says. “You can look from child to parent, and they will both have the same expression of wonder on their face.”
Learn about upcoming WWF Family tours.