Floating Underground
The tropics of Central America are known the world over for their lush jungle environs, incredible ancient ruins, and plentiful opportunities to pursue all manner of adventure sports and relaxing seaside activities, from diving and snorkeling to jungle treks and simple sunning on the beach. What many who seek out the ancient Aztec and Maya cities or plop down at once of the many world-class resorts overlook is what many might call the opportunity of a lifetime :the ability to ride the underground rivers of Belize.
Glimpse Into the Past
Few methods of traveling around Central America are more fascinating and comfortable than underground cave-tubing. Not only can you relax in the soft embrace of a warm, gentle current, you'll be able to see many remnants left by the region's ancient cultures. The caves are accessible from cenotes, or above-ground sinkholes, which allow you to descend down into the sub-surface realm and travel backwards in time to a simpler, less complicated time. Many veteran travelers who have ticked off many or all of Belize's ancient ruins, spectacular dive sports, and world-class resorts have yet to take this simple but unforgettable trip down the underground river paths once traveled by some of humanity's earliest societies.
Charting your own course is an option, though for many first-timers, the abundance of cave-tubing shops that offer guides and equipment will be a welcome convenience. You'll float down tepid subterranean rivers that were once used by the ancient Maya as a source of drinking water and for irrigation (a practice they invented); as a result, you'll be served up a bevy of fascinating historical sights and artifacts as you relax in the gentle grip of the underground river, carrying you along the route.
A Vacation Underground
If you'd rather take the reins in your own hands, information and online reviews of cave-tubing companies and routes are plentiful, and they'll aid you in planning your own unforgettable journey down these Methuselan waterways. Advice from fellow travelers who have first-hand experience remains as invaluable as always, and the online review sites will help you make short work of deciding where to get your equipment from, and where to take it when you're ready to being your trek. In the Cayo District, the Caves branch route has a reputation amongst backpackers for being particularly convenient and fascinating. Located just a short hop from Hummingbird Highway, the Caves Branch route is one of the region's oldest; archaeological evidence suggests that it was used by the Maya empire as transportation thoroughfare nearly 2,000 years ago.
Finding information on the internet before you travel will allow you to verify the responsibility and veracity of the cave-tubing company you eventually patronize, though it should be said that by and large, the tubes given to tourists and trekkers are up to international standards of safety and reliability. Rounding out your list of caving equipment will be a life-vest (safety first) and a caver's light, worn on a band around the forehead, providing illumination in the dark gaps between cenotes where you will truly feel removed from the bustle and worry of life on the surface. The Caves branch trail also features several incredible natural formations, notably Celestial Bird and Vision Serpent, which look remarkably man-made, but were actually created by centuries of limestone deposits dripping down from the caves' surface structure.
An Amazing Ride
If you're the adventurous type, don't fret; not all the cave-tubing routes are resigned to slow drifts down placid underground rivers. Fast water and rapid currents are available in some of the more advanced routes; slipping and sliding down the subterranean tunnels will be a thrill you aren't likely to forget. All travelers to Central America ought to think seriously about spending some time in Belize's majestic underground tunnels. Few other places allow you to experience such startling history, underground wildlife, and the deepest recesses of humanity's ancestral civilizations all at the same time.
The tropics of Central America are known the world over for their lush jungle environs, incredible ancient ruins, and plentiful opportunities to pursue all manner of adventure sports and relaxing seaside activities, from diving and snorkeling to jungle treks and simple sunning on the beach. What many who seek out the ancient Aztec and Maya cities or plop down at once of the many world-class resorts overlook is what many might call the opportunity of a lifetime :the ability to ride the underground rivers of Belize.
Glimpse Into the Past
Few methods of traveling around Central America are more fascinating and comfortable than underground cave-tubing. Not only can you relax in the soft embrace of a warm, gentle current, you'll be able to see many remnants left by the region's ancient cultures. The caves are accessible from cenotes, or above-ground sinkholes, which allow you to descend down into the sub-surface realm and travel backwards in time to a simpler, less complicated time. Many veteran travelers who have ticked off many or all of Belize's ancient ruins, spectacular dive sports, and world-class resorts have yet to take this simple but unforgettable trip down the underground river paths once traveled by some of humanity's earliest societies.
Charting your own course is an option, though for many first-timers, the abundance of cave-tubing shops that offer guides and equipment will be a welcome convenience. You'll float down tepid subterranean rivers that were once used by the ancient Maya as a source of drinking water and for irrigation (a practice they invented); as a result, you'll be served up a bevy of fascinating historical sights and artifacts as you relax in the gentle grip of the underground river, carrying you along the route.
A Vacation Underground
If you'd rather take the reins in your own hands, information and online reviews of cave-tubing companies and routes are plentiful, and they'll aid you in planning your own unforgettable journey down these Methuselan waterways. Advice from fellow travelers who have first-hand experience remains as invaluable as always, and the online review sites will help you make short work of deciding where to get your equipment from, and where to take it when you're ready to being your trek. In the Cayo District, the Caves branch route has a reputation amongst backpackers for being particularly convenient and fascinating. Located just a short hop from Hummingbird Highway, the Caves Branch route is one of the region's oldest; archaeological evidence suggests that it was used by the Maya empire as transportation thoroughfare nearly 2,000 years ago.
Finding information on the internet before you travel will allow you to verify the responsibility and veracity of the cave-tubing company you eventually patronize, though it should be said that by and large, the tubes given to tourists and trekkers are up to international standards of safety and reliability. Rounding out your list of caving equipment will be a life-vest (safety first) and a caver's light, worn on a band around the forehead, providing illumination in the dark gaps between cenotes where you will truly feel removed from the bustle and worry of life on the surface. The Caves branch trail also features several incredible natural formations, notably Celestial Bird and Vision Serpent, which look remarkably man-made, but were actually created by centuries of limestone deposits dripping down from the caves' surface structure.
An Amazing Ride
If you're the adventurous type, don't fret; not all the cave-tubing routes are resigned to slow drifts down placid underground rivers. Fast water and rapid currents are available in some of the more advanced routes; slipping and sliding down the subterranean tunnels will be a thrill you aren't likely to forget. All travelers to Central America ought to think seriously about spending some time in Belize's majestic underground tunnels. Few other places allow you to experience such startling history, underground wildlife, and the deepest recesses of humanity's ancestral civilizations all at the same time.
About the Author:
Do you enjoy the outdoors and adventure? For more information look for Mayan Ruins Belize. If you're into adventure you'll love Belize Tours for a great trip.
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