Belize by District - Toledo District

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Got questions?  Make comments.  Talk to others.  Start a chat.</a>  </p> <hr size="1"> <A HREF="javascript:void(0);" onMouseOver="return overlib('', LEFT, OFFSETY, -150 ,BACKGROUND,'../images/Maps/WorldBelize.jpg', HEIGHT, 359, WIDTH, 492, RIGHT)" onMouseOut="nd();" > <font size="2"><CENTER> Where is Belize?</CENTER></font></A> <hr size="1"> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><font size="2"><a href="../News/index_News.htm" target="_top">Belize News</a></font></p> <hr size ="1" noshade> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><font size="2"><a href="http://www.belizenet.com/history/Part1intro.html">History of Belize</a></font></p> <hr size ="1" noshade> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><font size="2"><a href="../NowList/content_NowList.htm#A to Z" target="_self">A to Z<br> Everything in Belize</a></font></p> <hr> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><font size="2"><a href="../NowList/Cat_Lodging.htm" target="_self">Best Hotels in  Belize</a></font></p> <hr size ="1" noshade> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><font size="2"><a href="../NowList/Cat_FoodServ.htm" target="_self">Best Restaurants in  Belize</a></font></p> <hr size ="1" noshade> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><a href="../NowList/Cat_TourGuides.htm">Tour Guides</a>, <a href="../NowList/Cat_Transportation.htm">Transportation</a>, <a href="../NowList/Cat_MayaSite.htm">Maya Sites</a>, <a href="../NowList/Cat_POInterest.htm">Points of Interest</a></p> <hr size ="1" noshade> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><font size="2"><a href="../Maps/index.htm" target="_top">Maps of Belize</a></font></p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><a href="../Maps/BelizeD/index.htm" target="_top">Belize District</a>, <a href="../Maps/CayoD/index.htm" target="_top">Cayo District</a><br> <a href="../Maps/CorozalD/index.htm" target="_top">Corozal District</a>, <a href="../Maps/Cayes/indexN.htm" target="_top">North Cayes</a>, <a href="../Maps/OrangeWalkD/index.htm" target="_top">Orange Walk District</a>, <a href="../Maps/Cayes/indexS.htm" target="_top">South Cayes</a>, <a href="../Maps/StannCreekD/index.htm" target="_top">Stann Creek District</a>, <a href="../Maps/ToledoD/index.htm" target="_top">Toledo District</a></p> <hr size="1"> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"> <APPLET CODE=RiadaBillboard.class ARCHIVE=../Partner/RiadaBillboard.jar WIDTH=100 HEIGHT=50 codebase="../Partner/"> <PARAM NAME=cabbase VALUE="RiadaBillboard.cab"> <PARAM NAME=name VALUE="PwB"> <PARAM NAME=InitMessage VALUE="BelizeNow Home Billboard Ads: Maximize your Exposure."> <PARAM NAME=InitBackColor VALUE=FFFFFF> <PARAM NAME=InitTextColor VALUE=000000> <PARAM NAME=Copyright VALUE="1stRiadaBillboard Copyright © 1997-2000, Riada International Pty. 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margin-bottom: 0" align="center"> </p> <p style="background-color: #0066FF; border-top: 2 solid #FF0000; border-bottom: 2 solid #FF0000; margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="center"><font color="#FFFFFF" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Destination Guide</font></p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="center"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #0066FF">North Cayes</span></font></p> <ul msimagelist> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Getting There</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Ambergris Caye</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Caye Caulker</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Caye Chapel</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lighthouse Reef Atoll</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Turneffe Islands</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Blue Hole</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Hol Chan Marine Reserve</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Blackbird Caye</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Dive Sites of the North Cayes</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">St. Goerge's Caye</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Spanish Caye Lookout</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Resorts in the North Cayes</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Bacalar Reserve</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Marco Gonzales Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Half Moon Caye Reserve</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Detail Map of the North Cayes</li> </ul> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" width="197" height="182"> <tr> <td height="180" width="191"> <p align="center">Advertise Here</td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #0066FF">South Cayes</span></font></p> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Getting There</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Laughing Bird Caye</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Silk Cayes</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Glover's Atoll</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Ranguana Caye</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Sapodilla Cayes</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Dive Sites in the South Cayes</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Resorts and Lodging in the South Cayes</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Detail Map of the South Cayes</li> </ul> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #0066FF">Belize District</span></font></p> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Belize City</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Burmudian Landing</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Belize Zoo</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Altun Ha Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Burrell Boom</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Ladyville</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Philip Goldson International Airport</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Baron Bliss Memorial</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lodging in Belize City</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lodging in the Belize District</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Food Services in Belize City</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Food Services in the Belize District</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Northern Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Western Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Southern Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Coastal Road</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Transportation in the Belize District</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Detail Map of the Belize District</li> </ul> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #0066FF">Cayo District</span></font></p> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Belmopan</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">San Ignacio</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Viejo Del Carmen</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Blue Hole National Park</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Pine Ridge Mountains</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Maya Mountains</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Chiquibul National Park</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Caracol National Monument</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Caracol Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Humingbird Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Western Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">El Pilar Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Pacbitan Maya</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Xunantunich Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Going to Tikal Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Chiquibul Road</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Detail Map of Cayo District</li> </ul> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #0066FF">Corozal District</span></font></p> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Corozal Town</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Shipstern National Reserve</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Butterfly Breeding Center</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Cerros Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Sarteneja Peninsula</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Santa Rita Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The New River</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Rio Hondo River</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lodging in Corozal Town</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Northern Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">North to Chetamul Mexico</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Crossing the Border into Belize</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Consejo</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Detail Map of Corozal District</li> </ul> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" width="197" height="182"> <tr> <td height="180" width="191"> <p align="center">Advertise Here</td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #0066FF">Orange Walk District</span></font></p> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Orange Walk Town</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lodging in Orange Walk Town</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Auguas Turbias National Forest</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Rio Bravo Conservation Area</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Northern Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The New River</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lamanai Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Nohmul Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Cuello Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Gallon Jug</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Detail Map of Orange Walk District</li> </ul> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #0066FF">Stann Creek District</span></font></p> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">How to get there</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Placencia Peninsula</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Placencia Village</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Dangriga</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Big Creek</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Mango Creek</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Independence Village</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Southern Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lodging in Stann Creek</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lodging in Placencia Village</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Maya Beach</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Seine Bight</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Jaguar Preserve</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lodging in Dangriga</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Mayflower Compound</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Victoria Peak</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Road to Placencia Village</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">The Hummingbird Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Dive operators in Placencia Village</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Detail Map of Stann Creek District </li> </ul> <div align="center"> <center> <table border="1" cellpadding="0" width="197" height="182"> <tr> <td height="180" width="191"> <p align="center">Advertise Here</td> </tr> </table> </center> </div> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left"><font color="#FFFFFF" size="1" face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><span style="background-color: #0066FF">Toledo District</span></font></p> <ul> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">How to get there</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Punta Gorda</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Monkey River Town</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Nim Li Punit Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lubaantun Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Uxbenka Maya Site</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Lodging in Punta Gorda</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">San Antonio Town</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Maya Mountains</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Southern Highway</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Machaca Forest Reserve</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Going to Livingston Guatemala</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Getting to Honduras</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Bladen River Nature Preserve</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Richardson Peak</li> <li> <p style="margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px" align="left">Detail Map of Toledo District</li> </ul> </td> <td width="60%" height="222" style="padding: 10" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" valign="top"> <table border="0" width="100%" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 8pt; font-weight: bold"> <tr> <td align="center" width="25%" style="border-left: 1 solid #CCCC99; border-right: 1 solid #CCCC99; border-top: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 2; padding-bottom: 2"> <p><a href="index_BbyDist.htm" target="_top">Belize by District</a></td> <td align="center" width="50%" style="padding-top: 2; padding-bottom: 2" colspan="2"> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"><a href="index_FAQ.htm" target="_top">Belize FAQs  -  Most often Asked Questions</a></p> </td> <td align="center" width="25%" style="padding-top: 2; padding-bottom: 2"> <p align="center"><a href="index_Facts.htm" target="_top">Belize Facts & Figures</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="25%" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border-left: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1"> <a href="BCayesNorth.htm">North Cayes</a></td> <td align="center" width="25%" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border-top: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1"> <a href="BBelize1.htm">Belize District</a> </td> <td align="center" width="25%" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border-top: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1"> <a href="BCayo1.htm">Cayo District</a> </td> <td align="center" width="25%" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border-right: 1 solid #CCCC99; border-top: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1"> <a href="BCorozal.htm">Corozal District</a></td> </tr> <tr> <td align="center" width="25%" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border-left: 1 solid #CCCC99; border-bottom: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1"> <a href="BCayesSouth.htm">South Cayes</a></td> <td align="center" width="25%" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1"> <a href="BOrgWalk.htm">Orange Walk District</a> </td> <td align="center" width="25%" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border-bottom: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1"> <a href="BStannCrk1.htm">Stann Creek District</a> </td> <td align="center" width="25%" style="font-size: 10px; font-weight: bold; border-right: 1 solid #CCCC99; border-bottom: 1 solid #CCCC99; padding-top: 1; padding-bottom: 1"> <font color="#CCCC00">Toledo District</font></td> </tr> </table> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"> </p> <hr color="#CCCC99" width="225" size="5"> <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><i><b><font face="Arial Rounded MT Bold" size="4">SOUTH TO TOLEDO</font></b></i></p> <hr color="#CCCC99" width="225" size="5"> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="center"> </p> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="24%" height="195" bgcolor="#FFFFFF" style="border-style: solid; border-width: 2" align="right"> <tr> <td width="24%" align="center" height="20" valign="middle" style="padding-left: 10; padding-right: 10; padding-top: 2; padding-bottom: 2"> <b><font size="2" color="#000080"><a href="../Maps/index.htm" target="_top">CLICK-ON-MAP OF BELIZE</a></font></b> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="24%" align="center" height="165" valign="middle" style="padding-left: 10; padding-right: 10; padding-top: 2; padding-bottom: 2"> <p align="center"><MAP name="FPMap0"><A> <AREA href="../Maps/CorozalD/index.htm" shape="polygon" coords="48, 6, 41, 6, 34, 19, 40, 19, 52, 32, 58, 32, 62, 20, 60, 8, 57, 13, 46, 13" target="_top"></A> <AREA href="../Maps/OrangeWalkD/index.htm" shape="polygon" coords="35, 18, 23, 33, 14, 30, 9, 34, 9, 63, 15, 61, 25, 60, 33, 54, 36, 46, 38, 34, 51, 31" target="_top"> <AREA href="../Maps/CayoD/index.htm" shape="polygon" coords="9, 62, 7, 108, 25, 101, 31, 90, 34, 80, 37, 74, 38, 65, 36, 54, 33, 55, 26, 60, 16, 61" target="_top"> <AREA href="../Maps/ToledoD/index.htm" shape="polygon" coords="7, 108, 5, 130, 17, 131, 22, 130, 25, 124, 34, 120, 36, 114, 43, 108, 48, 104, 40, 103, 34, 96, 31, 90, 26, 101" target="_top"> <AREA href="../Maps/StannCreekD/index.htm" shape="polygon" coords="38, 71, 50, 71, 52, 76, 56, 79, 53, 81, 52, 92, 49, 102, 40, 103, 35, 97, 32, 90, 35, 81" target="_top"> <AREA href="../Maps/BelizeD/index.htm" shape="polygon" coords="51, 70, 39, 70, 37, 61, 35, 53, 39, 34, 51, 33, 60, 32, 55, 45, 53, 52, 55, 53, 54, 55" target="_top"> <AREA href="../Maps/Cayes/indexS.htm" shape="polygon" coords="24, 129, 79, 129, 81, 70, 51, 70, 53, 75, 56, 79, 53, 85, 53, 101, 49, 106, 38, 115, 36, 118, 31, 124" target="_top"> <area href="../Maps/Cayes/indexN.htm" target="_top" shape="polygon" coords="82, 67, 54, 66, 57, 50, 56, 48, 59, 38, 61, 31, 63, 24, 64, 17, 61, 7, 84, 7"> </MAP><IMG border="0" src="../images/PinPointMap9.jpg" align="center" usemap="#FPMap0" alt="Click a Region and Go!" style="margin-top: 6" width="87" height="139"></p> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="24%" align="left" valign="middle" height="10" style="padding-left: 10; padding-right: 10; padding-top: 2; padding-bottom: 2"> <p align="center" style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0"><font size="1">Click an area of the map for more facts and details.</font></p> </td> </tr> </table> <table border="0" width="70%" cellspacing="0" style="font-size: 10pt"> <tr> <td width="25%" valign="top" style="padding-left: 10; padding-top: 15"> </td> <td width="75%" valign="top" style="padding-left: 10; padding-top: 15"> </td> </tr> <tr> <td width="25%" valign="top" style="padding-left: 10; padding-top: 15"> </td> <td width="75%" valign="top" style="padding-left: 10; padding-top: 15"> </td> </tr> </table> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><a href="../Maps/ToledoD/index.htm" target="_top"><img border="0" src="../images/ThumbToledo.jpg" style="float: left" width="184" height="166"></a>Toledo is located deep in southern Belize.  These remote locations have the least amount of infrastructure.  The Southern highway is unpaved and in some places can hardly be listed as a highway at all.  Even so, the Toledo district has some of the roughest and most pristine rain forest anywhere in Belize and perhaps in all of Central America.  This area to has become the homeland of the restricted Mayan Civilization including two groups; the Mopan Maya and the Kekchi.  They live is traditional thatched roof huts where there might be a single bed and a few clay pots around a corner table.  Most of the cooking is done outside so each hut seems to have a little camp site nearby.  From north to south the small wooden and thatched roof huts increase in number and in some cases it seems a small village has sprung up near the roadside.  The cultural center of the southern Mopan Maya is San Antonio located in central southern Toledo.  "PG" as it is known locally in Belize or Punta Gorda as it is referred to by tourist, is the largest town in Toledo with a population of 6,230 people.  Punta Gorda is the southern most town of any population in Belize.  It is also the capital town of the state district Toledo.  The area of Toledo has the slowest growth rate of Belize, is the least populated region, and is economically the most depressed area of the country.  Yet the people seem blissfully unaware, living lives of meager substance, but always friendly and seem to be a happy.   </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><b><img border="0" src="../images/IconTrans.gif" style="float: left" width="25" height="25"><a name="Getting to the South Cayes">Getting to "PG" and around Toledo</a>.  </b>A tiny airstrip outside of Punta Gorda services the district and the township which is the primary destination location in Toledo.  The Southern highway south out of the Stann Creek district becomes difficult to travel and may be washed out and cutoff during the rainy season, especially in October and November.  Bus service to the area does run once daily from Belize City through Dangriga.  The trip takes as long as 10 hours to complete from Belize City and can be a grueling ride with many stops and side road excursions.  All other roads in Toledo are worse and at certain times of the year will be impassable.  A US$80 plane ticket from Belize City municipal or international is recommended.  Tour companies operated in Punta Gorda can deliver to other destinations in the district safely.  Individual rental and self guided drive about tours of the district are not recommended.  In Punta Gorda, the ferry leaves twice a week to Puerto Barrios in Guatemala or Puerto Cortes in Honduras.  On request you can make private arrangements to be transported by boat to Livingston, Guatemala.  These three destinations and the ease of arranging transportation in Punta Gorda at the port office there is the primary reason for travelers to pick "PG" as a destination in Belize.         </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><b><a name="Punta Gorda"><img border="0" src="../images/IconFlag.gif" style="float: left" width="25" height="16">Punta Gorda </a></b><a name="Laughing Bird Caye">is the lowlands<b> </b></a>base camp for exploration of the southern Belizean highlands which includes some of the most lush jungle areas anywhere in Central America.  In these jungles among the Maya Mountains are several Maya Ruins, cave systems, nature reserves, and several waterfalls.  But Punta Gorda is at best only an outpost with a few tourist services and places to visit.  Along the coast area, less rain is recorded than in the highlands of the district, but Punta Gorda receives more rainfall than any other urban areas in Belize; approximately 400 cm (160 inches) per year.  You can expect 200 days when measurable rain will fall on "PG".  Punta Gorda is only 5 blocks wide from seawall to the airstrip access road that leaves town running northeastward.  But the town stretches out at the seas shore for 25 blocks.  The town is overgrown with lowlands grass and jungle entangled trees.  It seems when you visit there that the town is being reclaimed by the rain forest.  But the people of Punta Gorda are the friendliest you will find in such an outpost location in Belize and are always willing to help you find a location or even personally escort you to your destination without asking for money.  Since the people of Punta Gorda are only slightly better off economically than the out lying communities in the Toledo, which are the poorest in Belize, tips would be a generous gesture of thanks.  The liveliest spot in Punta Gorda is the port depot where twice a week the ferry boat departs for nearby Guatemala or Honduras.  If you want the real jungles of Belize, you should select this remote area in the far southern region called Punta Gorda, which includes several hotels and restaurants.  At the seafront is the cyber cafe which does offer a single computer to access email or use as a planning tool for trips to other locations.  Farmers day is on Wednesday of each week in which every household in Punta Gorda stocks up on a weeks supply of vegetables, fruits, and breads.  Punta Gorda's main service is as a port town for personal import and export of goods or even yourself  from or to Central America and as a base camp to begin a trip deeper into the frontier of the Belizean highlands.  </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><b><a name="Expeditions & Tours in Toledo"><img border="0" src="../images/IconFlag.gif" style="float: left" width="25" height="16">Expeditions & Tours in Toledo </a></b>all leave from Punta Gorda.  You can contact the Toledo Visitor's Information Center in Punta Gorda to receive a list of local tour companies.  One company that is popular is the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) who can be contacted by email at <a href="mailto:tide@btl.net">tide@btl.net</a>.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <blockquote> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><img border="0" src="../images/BD14579_.GIF" style="float: left" width="15" height="15">A nearby church to Punta Gorda is the <b>Church of the Nazareth</b> run by the Pallotine Sisters.  The church has a Spanish look and fill and is Catholic in denomination.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><img border="0" src="../images/BD14579_.GIF" style="float: left" width="15" height="15"><b>Cerro Hill</b> located west of "PG" is a popular tourist attraction near the town's water pump station.  The trails are well marked and the hike, though medium ranked in difficulty, can be extra hard to complete during the wet season.  The hike along an old military trail lasts about 30 minutes and circles an area about 2 km (1.3 miles).  The hike includes a history lesson about the area and a lecture about how difficult it was to live in a young Belize cutoff from the world.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><img border="0" src="../images/BD14579_.GIF" style="float: left" width="15" height="15">South of Punta Gorda some 19 km (13 miles) is the <b>Temash and Sarstoon Delta Wildlife Sanctuary</b>.  It is a common place to find out about the Gibnut, known in Belize as the royal rat.  The rodent is a favorite meal in Belize and has the taste and consistency of roast.  The foliage is incredibly dense in these regions and the area supports a large colony of the Blue Morpho butterfly.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><img border="0" src="../images/BD14579_.GIF" style="float: left" width="15" height="15">Out to sea are the unspoiled cayes of the Belize south waters.  This complex of cayes includes several small islands, some with a single house or resort located at the center of a group of palms with white crystal sand beahes.  The resort of Paradise Islands Resort managed in Placencia is very popular for day trips of snorkeling.  The absolute best beaches in Belize are located among the several small islands that make up the horseshoe shaped group of cayes called the <b>Sapodilla Cayes</b>.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><img border="0" src="../images/BD14579_.GIF" style="float: left" width="15" height="15">The coastline of Toledo and the cayes located off the coast directly east of Punta Gorda have gained a reputation as the <b>best fishing (both deep sea far to the east and local sea and river fly fishing)</b> spots in Belize.  The visitor's center in Punta Gorda can give you a list of local fishing guides and arrange fishing expeditions for interested clients.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> </blockquote> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><b><a name="Bladen River Nature Reserve"><img border="0" src="../images/IconFlag.gif" style="float: left" width="25" height="16">Bladen River Nature Reserve</a> </b>is a area inaccessible during most of the year.  It is also the most pristinely preserved rain forest areas in all of Belize.  It is an unpopular destination due to the difficulty of access, but for the hardcore adventurer the Bladen can offer a massive number of rewards.  This small unknown area of Belize includes huge limestone regions, large unexplored caves systems where you can discover your own personal sight of possible Maya inhabitation, sinkholes of which many have only been seen by over flights of the region but are too difficult to reach by a hiking expedition, and several waterfalls spread out among three of the largest water flow rivers in Belize.  The reserve also contains a large population of the Jaguar and over 200 listed species of bird making the sight a bird watchers paradise.  Also located within the boundaries of the Bladen Reserve is a yet unexplored Maya Site called the Quebrada de Oro meaning passageway fo gold.  The reserve is run by the Belize Audubon Society from which you must first get a permit to access the reserve.  The permit will only be granted if you have a guide service reserved to give you a tour of the park.  The Bladen River Nature Reserve spans 37,000 hectares (92,000 acres) and protects the the watershed to Monkey River, the largest water flow in southern Belize.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><b><a name="Columbia River Forest Reserve"><img border="0" src="../images/IconFlag.gif" style="float: left" width="25" height="16">Columbia River Forest Reserve</a> </b>is located immediately adjacent to the Bladen River Nature Reserve to the southwest and west of Punta Gorda in the Belize highlands of the Maya Mountains.  A cave located within the park near the village of Esperanza opens up in the earth like a huge mouth swallowing a river entirely.  The water runs some distance through the cave system exiting into several smaller streams with waterfalls and small ponds.  To explore this park you also are required to have permits which are checked by the reserves caretaker at the entrance.  Access to the reserve is difficult.  This is no park for occasional hikers or nature lovers.  The remote and dense jungle zone is for the serious adventurer with experience living in an outdoor jungle setting and who is prepared to defend themselves against possible large animals.  You must have salt pills to survive and have food and water purification systems.  You can arrange a survival tour in San Jose who also will arrange your permit to access the reserve from the Belize Forestry Department.  This trek into the jungle at Columbia River Forest Reserve is strenuous and has a difficulty rating at the maximum level.  Do not attempt this one unless you are well prepared.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><b><a name="Monkey River"><img border="0" src="../images/IconFlag.gif" style="float: left" width="25" height="16">Monkey River</a> </b>is the location of the once profitable banana trade.  Large plantations were located near the river north to Big Creek in the Stann Creek district.  Bananas were trucked or moved to the rivers banks and offloaded onto large flat barges and transported in open sunlight to waiting barge ships at the mouth of the river which opens into the Caribbean Sea.  Disaster struck the banana plantations in the 1930s when a disease spread rapidly through the plantations.  Belize had to slash and burn the fields to stop the disease.  The river trade at Monkey River dried up and the town of Monkey River which had grown around the trade route suddenly lost its only livelihood.  The area became economically depressed and has never recovered.  Some tourism today has revived the little town which does not have running water or electricity.  A local church and school serves the area and the Anglican church at Placencia has a program to track the cemetery and help the local towns people to cope and survive keeping the town a historical site for travelers to stop for a traditional Belizean meal, to visit small handicraft stores, and receive a historical lesson on the area of the Monkey River Basin.  Nature tours are available up the river from Punta Gorda and Placencia daily.  The tour ends in a short walk through the jungle to identify various species of trees and plants and see the howler monkey families living in the jungle canopy.  But caution, the mosquitoes are very thick in the damp and dense jungle area.  Bring repellent with you and use a doggy bush (a branch of a plant) to slap away the insects.  Tours typically cost about US$60 and last from about 9 am until 3 or 4 pm in the afternoon.  Bring sun lotion also and your camera as well as binoculars.  The animal life along the river will excite you if you have never made such a trip up a wild untamed jungle river before.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><b><a name="The southern Maya"><img border="0" src="../images/IconFlag.gif" style="float: left" width="25" height="16">The southern Maya</a> </b>built their temples in low long house type structures rather than tall like those ceremonial sites found at Lamanai and Caracol.  There are currently three major sites that have been excavated with many more, some of which have only been discovered but not yet even approached by modern archeologist.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <blockquote> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><a name="Nim Li Punit"><img border="0" src="../images/IconTemple.gif" style="float: left" width="34" height="24"><b>Nim Li Punit</b> <b>(BIG HAT)</b> </a> in the far southern region of Belize in the district of Toledo,  is one of three major sites. Located near the southern highway, Nim Li Punit offers a different view of Mayan architecture and lifestyle. The site contains three main plazas with one structure rising to a height of 12.2 meters (40 ft). Here, the Maya built low structures that run along the plaza floor over 60 meters (200 ft) long and construct major ceremonial temples using dry masonry.<br> <br> Nim Li Punit is relatively young and dates back to the Middle Classic Period (400 to 700 AD). Architecture dramatically deviates from the traditional building structures of older sites far to the north. This may have been due to climate or was a purposeful outpost deviation. Far from the command and control centers of the Mayan Empire, they may have chosen to experiment with different techniques and materials. Large numbers of unfinished stelae were found here. One of the stelae depicts a Mayan warlord and his family, showing the use of Copan incense; a tradition used by the Maya primarily in the southern regions of Belize today.<br> <br> The jungle still holds many secrets of this site. Scientists of today debate whether this site should be classified as a full Maya site or if this was a funerary site to Lubaantun. Since its discovery in 1976, only minor excavation has been conducted. This Middle Classic Period site has much to teach us about the Maya of the far southern regions. The Maya of Nim Li Punit lived within the traditional Mayan civil structure and obviously interacted with those from the north, but yet show interesting deviations and cultural changes of the later periods and a perspective of the southern Maya.<br> <br> Located just to the west of the southern highway, access to the site is not difficult. A welcome center has been built at the site showing a history of the discovery and excavation. Tours are available from Punta Gorda, Dangriga, the Placencia Peninsula, and by arrangement in Belize City. The individual explorer can arrive close to the entrance to the site by bus and hike the balance of the trip. Limited facilities are available at the welcome center. <b>The view from the site combined with locality to near by traditional Mayan villages gives the traveler a feeling of return to the age of Maya.</b></p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><a name="Lubaantun"><img border="0" src="../images/IconTemple.gif" style="float: left" width="34" height="24"><b>Lubaantun </b></a><b>(PLACE OF FALLEN ROCKS)</b> is another of the southern region sites that used the dry masonry for construction. The location of this site is remote; located west of the southern highway near San Pedro Colombia, the second largest Mayan village in the Toledo district, and only 8 km (5 miles) north of San Antonio village. Punta Gorda is 32 km (20 miles) to the southeast. This site shows another deviation in structure. The city is laid out in concentrate circles with the major ceremonial areas at the center surrounded by a circle of civic, political, and elite residences. The outer circle is comprised of general residences.<br> <br> Lubaantun shows an extension to the south with its stone cut dry masonry structures, use of Copan incense, and low flat architecture. A well-connected political structure and trade route to the north, west, and east can be identified. The site is practically void of any carvings and almost no stelae monuments were found. This supports scientific research that Nim Li Punit was a funerary of Lubaantun with all the ceremonial structures of Lubaantun located at Nim Li Punit. Perishable structures atop the flatten mounds probably contained most of the carvings and thus are lost. A sudden population growth is noted at the site during the Late Classic Period (250 to 700 AD) and it is believed that Lubaantun became the capital of the regional state. The site was also a distribution center, bringing maize and fish to a central location then distributing the goods to residential areas in the surrounding region. Also, deep-water fish bones are found in concentration at the site supporting the distribution idea. Evidence from other sites point to Lubaantun as the trade location of the cacao bean, the barter money of the Maya. It is believed that many things were brought south to Lubaantun from the north for trade of the cacao bean such as volcanic glass rock and jade. Copan was also produced here in large quantity.<br> <br> Lubaantun can be accessed several ways according to the brave heart of the explorer. To reach the main entrance requires a 2.4 km (1.5 mile) hike down the public pathway. A shorter reach for the site is to cross the Colombia River at San Pedro Colombia and hike a short distance to the sites ceremonial center. Access to the region can be arranged by tour at Punta Gorda. Dangriga, Belize City, and Placencia Peninsula also offer overnight trips to the site, but the closest accommodations would be in San Antonio. Restrooms and a picnic area are located near the center of the site but no water facilities are available. A trip to Lubaantun is not complete without a trip to Nim Li Punit. It is recommended that one arrange a tour of both sites with a local tour operator of which the best are sponsored from Punta Gorda. A visitor center is located at the site.</p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"> </p> <p style="margin-top: 0; margin-bottom: 0" align="left"><img border="0" src="../images/IconTemple.gif" style="float: left" width="34" height="24">Named <b>OLD PLACE</b>, <b><a name="Uxbenka">Uxbenka</a></b> is located 5 kilometers (3 miles) from San Antonio village and only half a km (.33 miles) from Santa Cruz in the deep southern areas of the Toledo district of Belize. In southern Maya tradition, the site is located on a ridge overlooking the flatlands area of Toledo and lose stone construction is used to erect their temples. Uxbenka is minor in ceremonial significance but its position at the foot of the great Maya Mountains and relative close proximity to San Antonio village makes the site an attractive tourist spot.<br> <br> At Uxbenka, more than twenty (20) stelae were found of which six (6) are carved and finished. One of the stelae dates to the Early Classic Period meaning that Uxbenka is the oldest Maya site in southern Belize. It also contains one of the oldest stelae known to exist in the Mayan Empire. The suggestion that Uxbenka is the birthplace of the practice of marking Mayan Lordships with stelae is unproven and considered radical misknowledge. More evidence is required to adopt this point of view. Salvage excavation continues at Uxbenka. Additional funding is needed and a certified excavation program will be required to fully expose this site. Due to its age and location in southern Belize, this site above others in the southern region offers the most to explain how the Maya lived, worshiped, and developed a civilization of a different tradition than sites located to the north.<br> <br> Uxbenka should be a <b>must see</b> on anyones agenda who is traveling to Belize to learn more about the Mayan Empire. Without the understanding of how the southern Maya developed traditions different than the Maya of the north, a picture of the Mayan Empire is incomplete. Overnight accommodations are available in San Antonio village and <b>the best tours of Uxbenka originate in Punta Gorda.</b> For independent explorers, access to the site should begin in Santa Cruz, which is serviced by bus 3 days a week from Belize City and Dangriga. A short hike will deliver you to the entrance of the site. An explorer should take all necessary supplies including water, food, and comfort items. <b>There are no accommodations at the site and overnight stays are not allowed. Remember, Uxbenka is not yet a mature site but the insight it offers is beyond compare to any other in southern Belize.</b></p> </blockquote> <p align="left">  <p align="left"><font><a href="mailto:info@belizen.com"><img height="16" src="../images/Iconemail.gif" width="25" border="0" style="float: left"></a> </font><font color="#FF9900"><a href="mailto:info@belizen.com">ASK BELIZENOW</a>.  </font><font color="#800000">Did you read Belize by District and didn't find the answer to your question?  Email us your unanswered questions and we will do our best to reply an answer to you.  We at the Network look forward to hearing from you.  We also encourage you to use our <a href="../index_Talk.htm" target="_top">message board</a>, <a href="../index_Talk.htm" target="_top">chat area</a>, and <a href="../index_Talk.htm" target="_top">talk back section</a>. </font> </td> </tr> </table> <hr color="#CCCC99"> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="100%"> <tr> <td width="100%" bgcolor="#CCCC99" style="font-size: 8pt; 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