Every culture has their own unusual ‘delicacies’ and Belizeans are no exception. Maybe due to the mix of cultures that settled here; the escaped Africans slaves as well as the German Mennonites, Maya (and more) over the years who brought their own customs and traditions. Mash that into one melting pot and you have a plethora of bizarre!
1. Meet the Gibnut or Paca, also affectionately known as the Royal Rat (since served to Queen Elizabeth II on her Belize visit some years ago). Many Belizeans will tell you its a must-try delicacy. Check out Travel Channel’s Andrew Zimmern gibnut feast here.
2. Split pea soup with Pig tails or Pig Snouts – served with handmade flour dumplings over white rice, this Belizean comfort food is dear to our hearts.
3. It’s no secret that Belizeans love game meat and the Peccary is no exception. Stewed, roasted, smoked or any other variation – it’s an exotic dish that begs to be tried.
4. Armadillo – also known to the Maya as “Wech” is often roasted and served in tacos (with a twist of lime, yum!), as sal-picon (a roasted meat ceviche) and a variety of other ways .
5. Cow-foot or Cow-tongue soup – a famous Belizean response to a hangover is exactly what it says it is.
6. Hickatee or River Turtle is prized meat – already an endangered specie and with a limited hunting season in Belize, consider yourself lucky if you get to try it.
7. Bamboo Chicken or Iguanas – Definitely an acquired taste and mostly consumed in rural areas, but if your taste buds crave the rare and exotic – this is a must try! (Don’t worry, our resident iguanas are perfectly safe from our kitchen!)
8. Bukut or Stinking-Toe (Cassia Grandis) – Not all the bizarre food in Belize are animals; this lovely tree that showers Ka’ana’s guests with its tender pink petals as they’re shown to their rooms, produces pods with sticky, jam-like sections surrounding the seeds. The odor leaves much to be desired (hence its Belizean name) but it’s well known for its medicinal and nutritional values.
We’re loving Trip Advisor’s review of Awe-inspiring places to visit (especially since Belize’s Blue Hole is also featured)! Commentaries are all real reviews from visitors to these places.
1. Antelope Canyon, Arizona, United States
“This is a photographer’s paradise. Pictures rarely do it justice.”
2. The Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef, Ambergris Caye, Belize
“Here’s a great landmark… one of the top ten scuba diving sites in the world.”
3. Angkor Wat, Siem Reap, Cambodia
“The biggest and most stupendous of all the temples.”
4. Trolltunga, Odda, Norway
“Unbelievable… long hike, but once you get to the Troll’s tongue it is instant gratification.”
5. Golden Circle Route, Reykjavik, Iceland
“This scenic driving route through southwestern Iceland features excellent scenery and major sights.”
6. Moraine Lake, Alberta, Canada
“Spectacularly beautiful and the backdrop of the mountains makes it just stunning.”
7. Kyaikto (Golden Rock), Yangon, Myanmar
“Visiting the Golden Rock is an adventure… view from the mountain ridge is fantastic.”
8. Fushimi Inari Shrine, Kyoto, Japan
“It’s amazing to walk in those red tunnels… it all feels ancient and magical”
9. Uluru, Northern Territory, Australia
“The sunrise/sunset and the way the rock changes color is just amazing…”
10. Jiuzhaigou World Heritage Site, Sichuan, China
“It’s highly unlikely you will see landscapes like this anywhere else in the world.”
A picture can say a thousand words right? We handpicked our top 10 Belize Travel Images that depict everything from flora, fauna and everything else that makes Belize – well, Belize. Send us your favorite images!
1. The ‘Mother of all Caves’ .. Actun Loch Tunich ! This expedition starts off with a vigorous hike into the foothills of the Maya Mountains. The edge of the Actun Loch Tunich sink hole sits over 300 feet above the basin below, 200 feet above the rainforest canopy that grows out from the sink hole basin.
2. Jaguars are found throughout Belize in the lowland forests and along the coasts. Adult jaguars are solitary and only come together for a short time to breed. Belize, however, has one of the healthiest populations in Central America, and the Jaguar is protected from hunting throughout Belize. You can book a tracking expedition with us to see these magnificent creatures in their natural habitat.
3. This flashy and iridescent blue butterfly is the beautiful Blue Morpho that is widely known throughout Belize. Look carefully and you will see them all around our property.
4. The green iguana, known locally as “bamboo chicken”, is the largest lizard in Belize and one of the largest in the world. It is often found perched on a branch overhanging a river, and when threatened will plunge into the water for safety.
5. They are one of 3 types of rays inhabiting the waters of Belize. The spotted eagle ray is covered with large white and cream-colored spots on dark background and has a white underbelly. These rays can be found along reefs, walls and sandy areas, including shallow areas. Spotted eagle rays generally swim alone, although they are sometimes observed in pairs and occasionally schools.
6. Belize’s national flower is the Black Orchid. The flower is actually not black at all but deep purple or violet in color. It is one of the few Orchids that flowers all year long.
7. The Maya are just one part of the rich melting pot of cultures that exist in Belize. Their vibrant Maya history and culture is respected and celebrated in Belize and the world.
8. Red Eyed Leaf Frog: The red eyed leaf frog lives on leaves. This frog is nocturnal; hunts at night and sleeps during the day. In the forests of Belize, the Red-eyed tree frog minimizes water loss by resting underneath leaves and tucking its limbs up close to its body.
9. The falls here at Davis Falls are about 500 feet high and are the second highest in the country (after 1,000-Foot Falls in the Mountain Pine Ridge), and the natural pool at the base of the falls is 75 feet deep. The swimming is wonderful, and the undisturbed forest around the falls is great for a picnic or enjoying nature.
10. You never know what color palette the sunsets in Belize will bring you. It is ever-changing, ever so beautiful and nothing short of spectacular each and every day.
Today marks exactly one month before the predicted “End of the World”- at least according to the Maya Calendar- and we want you to end it with a bang (That is if it really ends, anyway!) Here’s our list of suggestions of the most memorable things you can do here in Belize!
The whale shark is the largest fish in the world, and one of the largest creature of any kind alive today. They are most often seen in Belize from Placencia or Hopkins. Unfortunately, since whale sharks are night feeders, there really are no guarantees as to when they show up.
3 or 4 days before and after the full and new moons in April and May are the best times to interact with the sharks, they are often sighted through the summer months as well. They roam up and down the coast, the Gladden Spit area about 26 miles off the coast of Placencia is known to host large concentrations of whale sharks during April and May when Mutton and Dog Snappers are spawning (the whales ingest the spawn as food).
Despite their size, whale sharks are a remarkably gentle and curious creature. The whale shark’s gentle natures makes swimming with them a special treat for divers and snorkelers. The whale shark’s curiosity even pulls fishing parties into its thrall. We have sometimes had whale sharks seem to be asking to be petted as they glide alongside our fishing boats.
An opportunity to share the water with a creature larger than a school bus does not come often in life – and is definitely not soon forgotten!
It’s amazing and pretty fun to see what puns you can come up with using the word “Belize.”
“Un-belize-able!”
We couldn’t help ourselves, and we thoroughly enjoyed making a list of our favorites to share with you:
1. Unbelizeable!
2. Don’t stop Belizing.
3. Belize it or not!
4. Do you Belize in love?
5. You better Belize it!
6. Belize you can, and you’re halfway there!
7. The less you know, the more you Belize!
8. Do you Belize in magic?
9. I can’t Belize I ate it all!
10. “Belize Navidad” – Merry Xmas!
An important etho at Ka’ana is to be eco-conscious. This, of course, finds it’s way into our design aesthetic. Typically, we like to recycle objects in new ways and use the what we have on the grounds as much as possible (Have you seen our Organic Garden?) We are big on details; they make all the difference, right? See more below or read more about our Accommodations.
1. Fresh flowers in every room picked from the grounds.
2. Palmetto sticks are used throughout the resort, providing great texture and color.
3. Antique explorer objects: compasses, telescopes (Some found nearby!) and others from our owners’ collection to evoke a sense of adventures past.
4. Bamboo, cut and joined together, used for headboards and lamp fixtures.
5. Refurbished wood frames of villa door.
6. Antiqued custom-made metal doors for our Private Villas.
7. Hammocks.
8. Antique Spanish books.
9. Ikat – Typical Central American patterned Fabrics.
Sweeten up your weekend with our Banana-Hazel Martini!
Banana-Hazel Martini: Banana, Frangelico Liqueur and Vodka served Martini style.
Ingredients
1 Oz. Frangelico Liqueur
½ Banana (Ripened)
2 Oz. Vodka
3 Cubes Ice
Preparation
Add ¼ Banana into mixer and liquify. Add 1 Oz. Banana, Frangelico Liqueur, Ice and Vodka into shaker; shake thoroughly – and pour into Martini glass. Garnish with Banana slices or Cherry, Enjoy!
Lamanai means “submerged crocodile” in the Maya language and it’s also the name of the third largest, and possibly most interesting, archeological site in Belize.
Located in the Orange Walk District, the Lamanai temple complex sits atop the western bluff of the New River Lagoon and is surrounded by pristine rainforest.
Lamanai was occupied continuously for over 3,000 years and it’s remoteness contributed to it’s continuous occupation, well beyond most other Maya sites, until at least 1,650 AD.
Set in tropical forest, and providing spectacular views from several of its large temples, Lamanai provides a unique experience into the culture of the Maya and the biological diversity of the tropical forest.
Lamanai features the second largest Pre-Classic structure in the Maya world and unlike other ruins, much of Lamanai was built in layers where successive populations built upon the temples of their ancestors, instead of destroying them.
Although hundreds of ruins are said to remain unexcavated in the nearby jungle, three of the most impressive temples have been renovated: the Jaguar Temple, named for its boxy jaguar decoration; the Mask Temple, adorned by a 13-foot stone mask of an ancient Maya king; and the High Temple, offering visitors a panoramic view from its summit.
What remains of two 16th century Catholic missions are also nearby. Maya natives rebelled and burned the churches to the ground as part of a regional uprising. A make-shift Maya stelae, standing in front of what remains of one church, is widely interpreted as renouncing all allegiance to Christianity.
The site’s protected status provides for an abundance of wildlife inside the park. There are a growing number off howler monkeys that make Lamanai their home and you will most likely see them peering down through the branches as you wander the trails. In addition, the marshlands around the lagoon supports many species of water birds and wildlife, including crocodiles.
