Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

NICH and Dr. Awe are teaming up for the 2nd offerings of the Cave Guiding Course for the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave. The 1st was decades ago. They'll be from May 20th to May 25th and May 27th to June 1st. Contact the IA for more information.

Actun Tunichil Muknal was highlighted by the BBC recently.  It's a great article explaining many facets of the cave, along with some of the Maya history of its use.  They interview Hector Bol in the article.  Definitely worth a read.

"In Belize's ATM Cave, details of ancient Maya religious sacrifices come into focus as new research creates a picture of how rituals were used to re-enact the Maya creation story."

Video of the day.  UNILAD Adventures tagged along with the British Army, and put together a nice video about many of the popular spots in Belize.  They start here in Cayo with Xunantunich, somehow missing ATM, Mountain Cow Cave, and Barton Creek cave, and then they do some cave tubing.

"This week we're exploring the beautiful paradise of Belize. With its picturesque beaches, ancient Maya ruins [archaeological sites], incredible wildlife and action-packed excursions, this truly is an adventure like no other!"

The Institute of Archaeology is having a slogan and poem competition for International Archaeology Day.  You could win a trip to ATM or Xunantunich.  Check out the NICH page for more information.

Great article about the Offering Cave, located not too far from San Antonio.  

"It’s only been several minutes since John, Antonio and I descended into the gradual deep darkness of the Offering Cave, nestled within Elijio Panti National Park in the Maya mountains of Belize, accessible only on horseback or on foot, and once used by the ancient Maya for offerings.

We are the only three people in the cave. And this difference is only one of many in stark contrast to the more popular and accessible ATM Cave, famous for the fully intact crystallized human skeleton nestled within a tight cave chamber that serves as the ultimate reward for the hours of driving, hiking, and at times scary cave spelunking required to get there.

On this gorgeous day in March, we’ve abandoned the sunshine and jungle shade and are instead clambering around in The Offering Cave to gaze in amazement at artifacts left behind by the Maya of Belize.

We’ve just spent two hours on horseback on rugged trails through the foothills of the mountains to get here from San Antonio–a 45-minute drive from San Ignacio–and have placed full trust in our guide Antonio. He’s a jovial 59-year old man with an infectious smile and clear passion for sharing this cave and off-the-beaten-path Belize with adventurous travelers. He’s also an expert in photo ops, and has worked with countless archaeologists throughout the open caves of Belize. He also leads groups of students through the mountains, teaching survival and natural skills."

Travel Weekly highlighted Belize in its latest article, and Cayo, of course, gets most of the story's focus.  The San Ignacio Resort Hotel, Ka'ana, and Gaia Riverlodge are all mentioned as great lodging options. 

While ATM is somehow not mentioned, the Black Hole Drop, Actun Loch Tunich, is, as is the Green Iguana Conservation Project.  Caracol, Xunantunich(Hanna Stables gets a shout out in regards to getting there), and Cahal Pech, some of Belize's nicest Maya archaeological sites, are recommended. 

"Neatly wedged between Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean Sea, don’t let its size fool you – there’s plenty here for a standalone holiday. Its Mayan experience is at the heart of it all, predominantly in the western Cayo District, home to the unassuming capital Belmopan, aka the ‘Garden City’ thanks to surrounding waterfalls, caves and rivers that are ideal for hiking, birdwatching and soft adventure.

The tourist hub, though, is San Ignacio, a small town of lively local bars and restaurants, and a good base for Caracol, Belize’s most impressive Mayan city; Cahal Pech, the oldest known site in the Belize River Valley; and the temples of Xunantunich, where a new tomb was discovered in 2016. Hanna Stables offer horse-riding tours here, including a quirky ferry crossing with horses in tow.

Cayo District is home to the Actun Loch Tunich cave, where a hike and abseil take you 300 feet down into Central America’s largest cave system."

The Toronto Star has a fun write up about the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave.  Midas resort is mentioned as a nice mid-range place to stay.  

"While we manoeuvre our bodies over and around rock formations, at times swimming through the river, I am boggled at the thought of trying to forge through the slippery terrain while carrying torches, food offerings and utensils....

Minus hallucinogens, it’s still a trippy experience. Huge crystal formations slide down the cave walls, melding into boulders, swallowing stalactites that drip from the ceilings. The surfaces shimmer when illuminated. At times it feels almost like a prehistoric cathedral. In just moments in the brooding stillness, you’re enveloped in the all-encompassing, mesmerizing beauty of this underworld."

'There are hundreds of caves in Belize that served as portals to what the Maya called Xibalba—home to ancient death gods, rituals, and extraordinary relics left behind.'

Travel Awaits has a nice article about many of the adventurous excursions found around Belize, and of course, Cayo sights make up the majority of the list.  They highlight Caracol and Actun Tunichil Muknal, along with Mountain Pine Ridge and the Garcia Sisters.  Definitely worth a read.  

"Atop a plateau near the Guatemalan border rest the ruins of a city that was once the political powerhouse of the ancient Maya civilization. Dubbed Caracol, the nearly 25,000-acre archaeological site is known for its vast agricultural field system and sophisticated city planning. But despite how remarkable it is, Caracol offers visitors lots of freedom to wander around the site on their own. You can even climb the Sky Palace -- the tallest man-made structure in Belize. The site only receives about 10,000 visitors a year, so you won’t have to worry about running into crowds at this curious place. To get to Caracol, rent a car and make your way to the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in the Cayo District. Or, take the easy route and set up a guided tour with your hotel."

Style Blueprint has a nice article about visiting Belize.  Surely in Cayo alone there are 700 reasons to visit.  Ka'ana gets a great shout out in the article, along with many of the sites around Cayo, like MPR, ATM, Caracol, and Big Rock Falls.  And of course the amazing food is talked about.  Worth a read.

"Travel to the western part of the country to hike through lush jungles and visit world-renowned historical sites. One option is to take a day tour into the Chiquibul Forest Reserve via the Mountain Pine Ridge to visit one of the largest Maya cities in Belize: Caracol. This ancient city served as the political center of the Maya population. As you explore Caracol, keep an eye out for howler monkey, keel-billed toucans, and other wildlife.

More adventurous travelers can explore historic cave systems, including the famous Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave in the Cayo District. You’ll hike for about 45 minutes through a wonderful nature reserve with numerous crystal-clear stream crossings. After a short swim, you’ll take a guided hike into the cave system, which still contains evidence of the Maya civilization, including ceramics, stoneware and skeletal remains."

Interesting take on hiking the ATM cave.  While no amount of exposition can come close to capturing the experience, this is a well written article.  The author agrees: Everyone should see the ATM cave at least once.  

"The A.T.M. Cave – as it’s known to tourists who can’t pronounce the original Maya name – is one of the key attractions for adventurous travellers in Belize. Actun Tunichil Muknal translates as ‘the cave of the stone sepulchre’, a sepulchre being a place of burial, a tomb. More on that in a bit. The cave is almost 5 kilometres deep, but we’ll only explore the first 850 metres.

When Manuel announces that it’s time for the last jungle toilet times, we know there’s no way back. He urges us to jump into the cold turquoise water and swim across the pool that marks the entrance to the cave. It’s time to plunge into Xibalba, the Mayan ‘place of fear’ or ‘empire of shadows’. It’s the underworld according to the ancient local mythology, only accessible through caves. Here, the gods of death rule, together with their helpers.

We clamber on the first boulder and the exploration can start. In the beginning, there’s lots of squirming and bending and floundering through small openings. Sometimes, the water is knee-deep, at other times it reaches until our waist or even higher. It’s hard to imagine how the Maya must’ve been scrambling up and down with candles and torches."

Video of the day.  Daniel Velazquez made a video of a trip to Actun Tunichil Muknal with Carlos the Caveman a few years back.  It's a really well done video, and suits Carlos perfectly.  Rest in Peace, Carlos Panti.

"Carlos Panti, AKA Caveman. 
Here is a video promo I did with my friend a few years, we did some great expeditions together, see you on the other side Chucho. rest in peace Carlos Panti."

The premier issue of Caribbean Culture & Lifestyle is out, and McNab Designs has done it again.  Well done, vivid, informational, and Cayo is all throughout.  Ajaw chocolate, and the Green Iguana Conservation Project are both mentioned as great sights to see in San Ignacio proper.  ATM, Xunantunich, and Cahal Pech are highlighted as must see's.  The only flaw: Simply Delicious, which is recommended for eating, has just closed. 

"Welcome to the first issue of Belize’s newest travel publication, Caribbean Culture + Lifestyle!  CC+L is the go-to for the best in current, local and regional travel news. Plus… It’s available on-the-go."

Great online article about horseback riding to Xunantunich.  Hanna Stables gets another rave review.  

She also wrote about Carlos the Caveman taking her to ATM.

"Xunantunich, also known as the Mayan ruins that no-one can pronounce, are actually closer to the Belize-Guatemala border than San Ignacio, near the town of Benque.  It is easy to reach by public transport from San Ignacio, just hop on a bus to Benque and get off by the ferry that crosses the river.  I was considering doing that, but then found Hanna Stables, which offers horse-riding excursions to the Maya site.

Hanna Stables offers half day horseback riding tours in Belize that include pick up from San Ignacio, the ride to Xunantunich, entry, guided tour, the ride back, and a delicious home cooked lunch, before a lift back to San Ignacio."

Great article about Actun Tunichil Muknal, one of the coolest sights on Earth.  Needless to say, the author was blown away...to the point of using expletives...and she did work in 'unBelizeable' into the article too.

"Now, I did a lot of cool s#%t in Belize. I snorkeled with sharks, turtles, manatees, and rays in Caye Caulker, climbed a mountain, hiked through the jungle at night, let a tarantula crawl up my arm without fainting, and explored ancient Maya temples, Indiana Jones-style. OK, that last one was technically Guatemala but it still counts.  However, one more–exploring the ATM Cave in Belize—is among not just the coolest things I did in Belize, but one of the most unbelizeable experiences of MY LIFE."

The Sunshine Coast Daily has a great article about Actun Tunichil Muknal.  It's well written, and precisely captures the ATM experience.  Worth a read.  Best quote: "No photos are allowed in the cave, since some numpty dropped a camera on one of those skeletons and broke a hole in the skull in 2012."

"Actun Tunichil Muknal cave is an ancient Mayan ceremonial site in Belize.  Mayans used the cave to help spirits reach other worlds and to worship the gods - using food, clay pots and human sacrifices among other offerings.  Entering the cave, near San Ignacio, requires swimming and rock climbing.  There are impressive rock formations throughout the cave which takes four hours to explore."