Belize -
Maya Mountains Marine Corridor

Total Area of Park: 121143 ha

More Information

Partners: Toledo Institute for Development and the Environment (TIDE)

Location: Toledo District, Southern Belize

Site Description:
All attractions are located within two hours of Punta Gorda. Areas to visit range from the Maya Mountains to the Barrier Reef in the Gulf of Honduras. Forest areas include the largest true subtropical rainforest in Belize, with a great diversity of species of rare and endangered plants, birds, insects, and animals, including five species of wild cats. The coastal area provides one of the richest and most critically important habitats in the Caribbean: a mangrove coast dotted with small coral cayes inside the Barrier Reef, which serves as a habitat for manatees, crocodiles, and abundant coral reef life. This portion of the Barrier Reef has been proclaimed a World Heritage Site.

Principal Ecotourism Attractions:

• Maya Ruins
• Maya and Garifuna communities
• Birdwatching
• Rivers with manatees and iguanas
• Sandy turtle nesting beaches
• Isolated cayes
• SCUBA diving to view whale sharks
• Saltwater fly-fishing for bonefish, permit, and tarpon

Guide Availability: English speaking guides available for all of the above activities.

Infrastructure: Kayaks available, more than 12 lodging facilities available in Punta Gorda ranging from very modest to good.

Accessibility: 1 hour flight from Belize city.

Number of Visitors Per Year: This is the least developed District of Belize and the most distant from Belize City.