Its officially been 5 weeks since I left home for the tropical climate of Belize, as a climate change intern. I had a taste of Belize two years ago for a summer course during my undergraduate degree. I stayed on an acre of island known as Billy Hawk Caye. It was true paradise and I couldn’t wait to experience Belize again. For the next 5 months, the capital of Belize is my home. You’re probably thinking that you’ve heard of it, but it’s shockingly not Belize City like everyone thinks. The capital is called Belmopan. It is a small town in central Belize, two hours from Belize City. It is easy to get around and is close to many beautiful places that I’d love to share with you all!
The first adventure began with a water taxi to a small island called Caye Caulker. As we crossed the bright turquoise waters, I remembered why I loved Belize. Pulling into the dock I felt immediate excitement for not only the weekend, but for the next 6 months. We spent the weekend swimming, snorkelling on the reef with nurse sharks and southern stingrays, and lounging in hammocks at our hostel. Not going to lie, the second most exciting part of the weekend, aside from the snorkelling trip, was getting to do roof top yoga! Sounds beautiful, right? It was so relaxing – just what was needed after losing my luggage, finding housing and getting oriented at work! The next weekend we decided to spend time somewhere a little closer. (Pictured above is Shark Ray Alley, Caye Caulker.)
We are surrounded by the Mayan Mountains, pure jungle on the sides of the trail. It took us 15 minutes by bus to get here. The shade created by the tree canopy above is a getaway on its own, sheltering me from the hot sun that my pale skin is still getting used to. It is our second trip outside of Belmopan and we were excited to experience some nature! After a couple hikes, we arrived where we were going: the blue hole.
Although it wasn’t the infamous blue hole in the middle of the ocean, it was still gorgeous and refreshing place to swim. The crystal-clear waters contained tiny fish, nipping at our legs, and a very deep hole that entered into a cave system below. We were happy to find a nearby place to swim! (Pictured right is St. Herman’s Blue Hole.)
On the outskirts of Belmopan is Belize’s smallest national park – Guanacaste. We had low expectations of going, as no one had recommended it to us. When we arrived, it was like we had teleported out of the town. Alongside a highway, is a beautiful forested area surrounding a giant river with a small waterfall. Needless to say, we were shocked by what we were seeing. Only a 40-minute walk from our house was the perfect day getaway! We swam in the river, tanned on the falls and napped on a deck overlooking the river. Couldn’t have asked for a better staycation spot.
Not only do I get to go to beautiful places on the weekend, but also for my job! The field station, where I will spend time monitoring seagrass beds and mangroves is on an island called Calabash Caye located within the Turneffe Atoll. It is covered with mangroves, with a small beach area. We spend most of the time on the boat while we are there, completing the day’s work but also diving, snorkelling and swimming. We’re living the marine biologist’s dream if you ask me!
We have only been here for a little over a month and have already seen so much. I cannot wait to experience more. Where will I go next? Next stop: Tulum, Mexico!
Hannah Swain
Thousands of Nautical Miles from Home 