Belize City is an excellent base for day trips into the jungle and out to the reef. The Belize Zoo, 30 minutes west on the Western Highway, is one of the best small zoos in the Americas — home to jaguars, pumas, tapirs, and howler monkeys, all native to Belize. Cave tubing and ATV rides through the rainforest to Mayan cave systems can be booked through operators in the city. A wildlife boat trip down the Belize River promises crocodiles, iguanas, and exotic birds. For the reef, Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker are both within reach by water taxi (45–90 minutes).