Three alternatives for staying with the Maya (and near the villages) in Southern Belize. Extracted from the Third Edition of The Adventure Guide To Belize by Harry S. Pariser. Copyright 1995, Hunter Publishing. All rights reserved.
Village Guesthouse Program
One way to explore the area is with the Village Guesthouse Program designed by the Toledo Ecotourism Association Village Guesthouse Ecotrail Program. Lodges have been built in Laguna, San Pedro Columbia, Santa Cruz, San Jose, and San Miguel. The basic lodges are generally thatched with cohune palm, and there are eight bunk beds in each; men and women are segregated, and the charge is BZ$16. Bathrooms are detatched. Each meal--all with different Maya families--costs BZ$6. Tours of local attractions are BZ$5 ph. Musical performances are also available. Access to the villages is either by local transportation or by charter. Many visitors to Belize maintain that a stay in the village was the highlight of their trip. For information and reservations contact TEA, Box 75, Punta Gorda, or call 07-22119. While in PG, stop by Nature╒s Way and chat with Chet. Be sure to give him (or mail him) the evaluation program so that the program may be monitored. sights and attractions: Laguna offers a cave with pictographs and another with bats, a swamp with great birding, and hiking. Santa Cruz has a park (the RÆo Blanco), waterfalls and pools, as well as nearby Uxbenka ruins. At San Pedro Columbia, you can visit Lubaantun, ride in a canoe, and visit old cacao groves. San Miguel offers visits to caves, hikes to Lubaantun, and river canoeing. The most remote of the Maya villages participating, San JosÄ may only be reached by horse or on foot at times; it offers hiking.
The Indigenous Experience
This innovative project is the brainchild of the Villorias and is an attempt to facilitate contact and cultural exchange between locals and outsiders. For a BZ$10 fee they connect you with a Maya family homestay. You can stay with a family, share a lunch or dinner of pumpkin stew and corn tortillas or a breakfast of eggs and tortillas. As there are no special facilities or tourist amenities offered, nor is there any privacy, it's not for everyone. You'll bathe by moonlight in the cool river, stoop on the outhouse and use a corncob to clean yourself (if you wish), watch tortillas being shaped by hand, sleep in a hammock in the same room with the kids, and generally experience life in a similar fashion to the way it's lived by billions all over the world. If you wish you can have a "hands on experience" such as picking corn in the fields, harvesting coffee and cacao beans, threshing rice stalks, or chopping firewood--all of the innumerable activities that make up a sustainable subsistence lifestyle. But there's one typical "Third World" experience you won't have--being kept awake all night fending off mosquitoes: there are none. Rates (of which all the money provides badly needed income for the family) are BZ$10 for a hammock and BZ$4 for each meal. For more information contact the Villorias at PO Box 73, Punta Gorda and enclose US$3 to help defray duplicating costs. If you╒re already in PG, visit their offices by the ferry pier (under ╥services╙ above). Again, remember to fill out the evaluation forms. If you have complaints and/or suggestions, be sure to let them know.
Lubaantun
Translating as "Place of the Fallen Stones"--which is the modern but not the original name--this is the foremost Maya archaeological site in the nation's S. A major Late Classic ceremonial center, the site sits poised on a tall ridge near San Pedro Columbia which the Mayans leveled off--building up to form a roughly rectangular shape, about 300 yards long by 160 yards wide, featuring square courts surrounded by pyramids once topped off by thatch buildings. Constructed upon a core of rocks, smaller stones, and layers of earth, the structures were faced with hard crystalline limestone blocks which resembled marble when viewed from a distance. What makes the the site unusual is that there are no stone buildings set on platforms or pyramids, very little stone scupture, and no stelae. It is thought that decoration was done in wood. From its highest structure you can just barely see the Caribbean more than 19 mi. away. layout: Its five main plazas include 11 major structures grouped around five main plazas and three ball courts. Lubaantun differs from other Mayan sites in a number of ways. For example, other than ball court markers, there are no stelae or sculpted monuments, and the entire site is essentially one temple complex. Unlike other Maya temples, no mortar is used. Rather than leveling off the site, the Maya systematically shaped and added fill to the slopes, and the tallest structure rises to 40 ft. The site is crumbling badly in the aftermath too many visitors scampering to the top for a view. There isn't much to see here, but the serenity and ambience--augmented by the whir of cicadas and the crisp crackles of birds and the haunting rattle of a boring woodpecker--is wonderful. Keel-billed toucans and brocket deer frequently visit the ruins late in the afternoon. getting here: To get here, make the first R after the village church, then proceed down the clay and gravel road, turning L when you see the sign--about 20 min. from the village in all.
history: Lubaantun apparently was occupied only briefly near the end of the Classic Period between 730-890 AD. It is believed that cacao was used to trade for the imported objects (jade, obsidian, and lava) found at the site--a thesis which the excavation of a ceramic musician wearing a cacao-pod pendant in 1970 supports. The site first came to attention when it was uncovered by members of the Toledo settlement in 1875, and it was first excavated by Thomas Gann in 1903. Harvard University╒s R. E. Merwin visited the site in 1915. Taking the first photos, he spirited away three carved ball court markers (each depicting two men playing the game) to Harvard╒s Peabody Museum. Another of the men who worked here was the famous archaeologist J. Eric S. Thompson in 1926-27 under the sponsorship of the British Museum. As Pusilha, 30 mi. to the SW, seemed to be more interesting, the British Museum expedition virtually abandoned this site during the late 1920s. In 1970 a group of Cambridge archaeologists and geologists under the leadership of Norman Hammond continued to excavate the site, finding it to be larger than originally thought--a suprising discovery in light of the fact that it was in use only from approximately AD 700-889 or possibly as short a time as AD 730-750. Although the stone was quarried locally, smaller objects such as blades and axes where imported. Some stone carvings have been found on ballcourt markers and on walls. the crystal skull: The site's most controversial find is a crystal skull unearthed by Anna Mitchell-Hedges, daughter of expedition leader and Atantis researcher FA Mitchell Hedges. Coincidentally or not, she found the skull on her 17th birthday. Its origins are uncertain, but all agree is is a remarkable piece of work. A similar skull is found in the MusÄe de l'Homme in Paris. Today the crystal skull abides with Anna in Ontario, Canada. For a rather zany view of the crystal skull, written by "New Age" folk in Marin County, CA , read The Message of the Crystal Skull (see ╥Booklist╙). Note that it has Lubaantun situated incorrectly on its Belize map! practicalities: The site is open 8-5. The caretaker may or may not be present to collect admission. In terms of ambience, the best times to visit are definitely dawn and dusk. There's nowhere to stay, but it should be no problem to camp. Or you can stay in San Pedro as part of "the Indigenous Experience" or at the Village Guesthouse which will afford you a bit more privacy (see above). You can ask the caretaker to ferry you back to San Pedro in a dory; tip him a couple of dollars.
Fallen Stones Butterfly Ranch
A roller coaster of a road leads up about a mile from the entrance to Lubaantun ruins to Toledo╒s most remarkable lodge, one notable for its views, wildlife, and overall tasteful ambience. It is the product of one man╒s vision.
fauna: Right around the vicinity of the farm you can see magnificent blue morpho butterflies and the lesser-known but nonetheless spectacular white morpho resides some four mi. away. There are also three species of owl butterfly as well as a number of heliconids. All three of Belize╒s toucan species are here as are hummingbirds and other flying wonders. You might see an agouti come right up on the property feasting on coconut chunks, and jaguar tracks may be seen on nearby trails. There╒re also a couple of nests of the stingless Maya bees which each produce about a pound of honey per year.
the butterfly farm: Outside visitors may pay BZ$3 to visit the butterfly farm. Owner Ray Halberd ╒s been interested in butterflies since he was eight, but his employment in tropical agriculture kept him busy over the decades and it is only in recent years that his long-held dream of operating a butterfly farm has come to pass. Ray operated a butterfly farm in the Philippines (on the island of Panai in Iloilo city) for 2.5 yrs. until one day when seven gunmen showed up with the intention of kidnapping him for ransom. Luckily, he was not on the farm that day. After that ╥I wasn╒t very keen to go back and stay there.╙ The kidnappers were eventually apprehended: ╥One was shot dead while resisting arrest, and the others are languishing in jail.╙
There are two rooms filled with eight different species of butterflies. As the butterflies have a tiled roof over their heads while Ray himself lives under a thatched roof, his workers consider him to be ╥a bit deranged.╙ The farm╒s highlight are its blue morphos who live only about 12 days but spend their days filling the world with color. There will be some 4-5,000 blue morpho caterpillars in total when the farm is fully operational. The eggs resemble little drops of water. As it╒s difficult to tell the dew drops apart from the eggs in the morning, it╒s probably a technique used for camouflage purposes. every butterfly has a different colored pupae; some are jade green. You might see a newly-hatched one hanging on its pupae. You╒ll note that the resting blue morphos resemble the owl butterflies except that the eye is not so large. In flight it goes from something expertly camouflaged to something frighteningly bright. Each of the passion flowers found inside the enclosures caters to a different species--sort of like jocks choosing their brand of beer. Another serves as a processing area where the pupae are fed.
When the farm will be full operating, 600 pupae of 35 species will be exported to Europe and the US every week which should bring in a BZ$3,000 gross. However, the process is extremely labor intensive, and the pupae must be transported by courier, so this cuts down on the profitability. The lodge is intended to help support the butterfly ranch. Ray╒s intent is to turn the area around the lodge into a breeding ground for butterflies through clearing an area for them and by enriching the natural vegetation with food and nectar plant sources.
practicalities: The cabins are a combination of KekchÆ and European-design elements. You can sit on your porch and view the Columbia and Maya Mountain reserves: only a vast expanse of jungle stands between you and San Ignacio. There are seven rooms in all; some can accommodate up to four. Solar power provides light and operates a fan, and shower water is heated via individual heaters. Food is highly imaginative and suprisingly well prepared; vegetarians can be catered to. Meals are loosely based on Maya cooking, but an international dish (such as a West African peanut stew) is served for Sun. lunch which attracts a wide variety of outside visitors as well. Repasts are served in the Chiclero╒s Restaurant and Bar as well as the open-air Columbia View Restaurant which commands a view of the village of the same name. Room rates are around BZ$130 s, BZ$155 d, BZ$180 t, and BZ$205 quad, and meals cost BZ$12 for breakfast, BZ$16 for lunch, and BZ$30 for dinner. BZ$100 OW is charged for transport to or from PG for one to three. For more information write Box 23, Punta Gorda. In PG itself contact Alistair King (07-2126, 07-2104) at the Texaco Station at the N edge of town.
More information about The Adventure Guide to Belize:
╥..the most up-to-date, extensive coverage of Belize in print; an adventure-travel-oriented guide which explores outdoors and urban opportunities alike.╙--The Bookwatch
╥The book was consistently on the mark, with the facts and also the spirit of each place. Everybody had their own guidebook. I think yours was the most helpful. Thank you for the good book.╙--K. S., Falls Church, VA
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The Adventure Guide to Belize also includes:
Ñ 38 maps and many color photos
Ñ The best snorkeling and diving spots
Ñ All ranges of accommodation from camping to exclusive resorts
Ñ Travel to and from Mexico and Guatemala
Ñ Dining for gourmets, vegetarians, and lovers of creole and Central American cooking
Ñ Birdwatching spots, horseback riding, and the best hiking trails
Ñ Travel to and from the outlying islands, parks and reserves, and archaeological sites
Ñ Car rental, taxi, bus, and flight information
Ñ Local lore and other festivities
Ñ Natural history and environmental conduct
Ñ Local services including tours, post offices, and shopping
Ñ Complete background information on history, politics, economics, and ethnic groups
$14.95 365 Pages IBSN 1-55650-647-3
Other books by Harry S. Pariser include the newly-published The Adventure Guide to the Dominican Republic, (Second Edition) $14.95; The Adventure Guide to Costa Rica, (Second Edition) $15.95 ("best-balanced, most comprehensive guide"--Lan Sluder, Travel Forum, CompuServe); The Adventure Guide to the Virgin Islands (Third Edition) $14.95; The Adventure Guide to Barbados, (Second Edition) $16.95; The Adventure Guide to Puerto Rico, (Second Edition) $14.95; and Jamaica: A Visitor's Guide $14.95 (Second Edition).
All are available from Hunter Publishing, 300 Raritan Parkway, Edison, NJ 08818. Call (908-225-1900) or fax (908-417-0482). Also distributed nationwide by Ingram. For more information contact Harry S. Pariser at (415) 665-4829 or write 1327 9th Av., No. 1, San Francisco, CA 94122. Or e-mail salsa@slip.net
Copies may also be ordered from Harry S. Pariser at the above address for US$20 (check or money order); copies are shipped via priority mail. Please mark ╥BOOK ORDER╙ on the envelope.
