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Mainland Belize
Belmopan is the country’s new capital city, carved out of the tropical jungle in the geographic centre of Belize, near the foothills of the Maya Mountains. It has a population of nearly 7000, most of whom are civil servants, and is in the first phase of a 20-year development period. The most imposing building is the National Assembly on Independence Hill, patterned in an ancient Mayan motif.
Corozal was settled around 1850 by Mestizo refugees from Mexico; now it is a well-planned community and the centre of Belize’s thriving sugar industry. Just outside Corozal are two interesting Mayan ruins: Santa Rita, just one mile north of Corozal with a view of the town and its waterfront; and Cerros, once a coastal trading centre which can be reached by a 20-minute boat ride across Corozal Bay.
South of Corozal is the agricultural centre of Orange Walk, where fresh fruit and vegetables can be bought at the markets. Also to the south is the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary where the jabiru stork (the largest bird in the western hemisphere) can be seen, along with howler monkeys, crocodiles and many indigenous birds. Day cruises of the New River, south of Orange Walk, are available with stops at the spectacular Mayan citadel ruin of Lamanai and the Temple of the Masks, where visitors can see the tremendous head of the sun god, Kinich Ahau, carved into the limestone. One of the most famous Mayan ruins in Belize is Altun Ha, located 50km (31 miles) north of Belize City on the Northern Highway. The site was a major ceremonial centre and trading centre in the Classic period (AD 250-900) and an extraordinary head of the sun god, ornately carved in jade, was found here and is now a national symbol of Belize. Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve is located south of the Western Highway about 115km (70 miles) from Belize City. It is an area of fine views and secluded streams, and contains the Hidden Valley Falls which plunge 500m (1600ft) into the valley. Inland from Belize City on the Belize River, is the Community Baboon Sanctuary with one of the few robust black howler monkey populations in Central America.
San Ignacio, surrounded by hills, is the administrative centre for the Cayo district. Not far from San Ignacio are several Mayan sites including El Pilar and the magnificent Xunantunich with its 1500-year-old El Castillo, the second-tallest building in Belize.
The canaa of the Caracol Mayan site in Cayo is the tallest Mayan building in Belize. This site has been claimed to rival such other famous sites as Tikal in neighbouring Guatemala. Also in Cayo are the waters of Rio on Pools in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve.
Near the town of San Antonio, located in the Toledo District inland from Punta Gorda, is the Mayan site of Lubaantum, where the famous perfectly carved crystal skull was found in a temple vault.
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