The Belize Barrier Reef is the main draw for many visitors. It runs 300 km along the coast and is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley off Ambergris Caye are among the most-visited dive and snorkel sites. The Great Blue Hole — a massive underwater sinkhole about 70 km off the coast — is one of the most famous dive spots in the world, though it's a long boat ride and better appreciated by experienced divers.
The cayes offer dramatically different experiences. Ambergris Caye (and its main town, San Pedro) is the most developed, with resorts, restaurants, and golf carts everywhere. Caye Caulker is smaller, slower, and cheaper — the motto is "Go Slow," and they mean it. The Turneffe Islands and Lighthouse Reef are remote atolls popular with divers.
Maya ruins are scattered across the interior. Xunantunich, near San Ignacio, is easily visited and has a large pyramid with views over the river valley. Caracol, deeper in the jungle, was one of the largest Maya cities in the region. Lamanai, accessible by river boat from Orange Walk Town, is particularly atmospheric, with temples rising out of dense forest.
The western interior around San Ignacio is Belize's adventure hub — caving (Actun Tunichil Muknal is one of the best cave experiences in Central America), zip-lining, horseback riding, and whitewater tubing on jungle rivers. The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve has waterfalls, granite hills, and clear swimming holes.
Southern Belize is the least-visited region and worth the effort. Hopkins is a Garifuna village with good beaches and great seafood. Placencia Peninsula has some of the country's best mainland beaches. And Punta Gorda is the jumping-off point for the Toledo district's Maya communities and cacao country.
The Belize Zoo is worth a half-day stop on the Western Highway. All the animals are native to Belize and were rescued or born in captivity — jaguars, tapirs, harpy eagles, crocodiles, and more. It's one of the best small zoos in the Americas.