Cayo Scoop! The Ecology of Cayo Culture

NICH and Dr. Awe are teaming up for the 2nd offerings of the Cave Guiding Course for the Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave. The 1st was decades ago. They'll be from May 20th to May 25th and May 27th to June 1st. Contact the IA for more information.

Actun Tunichil Muknal was highlighted by the BBC recently.  It's a great article explaining many facets of the cave, along with some of the Maya history of its use.  They interview Hector Bol in the article.  Definitely worth a read.

"In Belize's ATM Cave, details of ancient Maya religious sacrifices come into focus as new research creates a picture of how rituals were used to re-enact the Maya creation story."

Travel Awaits has a nice article about many of the adventurous excursions found around Belize, and of course, Cayo sights make up the majority of the list.  They highlight Caracol and Actun Tunichil Muknal, along with Mountain Pine Ridge and the Garcia Sisters.  Definitely worth a read.  

"Atop a plateau near the Guatemalan border rest the ruins of a city that was once the political powerhouse of the ancient Maya civilization. Dubbed Caracol, the nearly 25,000-acre archaeological site is known for its vast agricultural field system and sophisticated city planning. But despite how remarkable it is, Caracol offers visitors lots of freedom to wander around the site on their own. You can even climb the Sky Palace -- the tallest man-made structure in Belize. The site only receives about 10,000 visitors a year, so you won’t have to worry about running into crowds at this curious place. To get to Caracol, rent a car and make your way to the Chiquibul Forest Reserve in the Cayo District. Or, take the easy route and set up a guided tour with your hotel."

Interesting take on hiking the ATM cave.  While no amount of exposition can come close to capturing the experience, this is a well written article.  The author agrees: Everyone should see the ATM cave at least once.  

"The A.T.M. Cave – as it’s known to tourists who can’t pronounce the original Maya name – is one of the key attractions for adventurous travellers in Belize. Actun Tunichil Muknal translates as ‘the cave of the stone sepulchre’, a sepulchre being a place of burial, a tomb. More on that in a bit. The cave is almost 5 kilometres deep, but we’ll only explore the first 850 metres.

When Manuel announces that it’s time for the last jungle toilet times, we know there’s no way back. He urges us to jump into the cold turquoise water and swim across the pool that marks the entrance to the cave. It’s time to plunge into Xibalba, the Mayan ‘place of fear’ or ‘empire of shadows’. It’s the underworld according to the ancient local mythology, only accessible through caves. Here, the gods of death rule, together with their helpers.

We clamber on the first boulder and the exploration can start. In the beginning, there’s lots of squirming and bending and floundering through small openings. Sometimes, the water is knee-deep, at other times it reaches until our waist or even higher. It’s hard to imagine how the Maya must’ve been scrambling up and down with candles and torches."

Video of the day.  Daniel Velazquez made a video of a trip to Actun Tunichil Muknal with Carlos the Caveman a few years back.  It's a really well done video, and suits Carlos perfectly.  Rest in Peace, Carlos Panti.

"Carlos Panti, AKA Caveman. 
Here is a video promo I did with my friend a few years, we did some great expeditions together, see you on the other side Chucho. rest in peace Carlos Panti."

Caracol, Xunantunich, and Actun Tunichil Muknal are all highlighted in Green Globe Travel's list of amazing Maya Archaeological Sites(not ruins please).  They have an interesting take on the translation of Xunantunich...  There's some good history information in the article.

"Built some 1300 years ago, Xunantunich (whose name means 'Sculpture of Lady' in the Maya language) was the ceremonial center in the Belize Valley.

The site is located along the Mopan River, near the border with Guatemala. Its central feature is Belize’s second tallest structure (at 130 feet), which is rather generically referred to as 'El Castillo.'

Though archaeological evidence indicates the area was populated as early as 1000 BC, it didn’t blossom until it was connected with nearby Naranjo in the late seventh century. The site consists of over a dozen palaces and temples, half a dozen plazas, ball courts, and much more that still has yet to be unearthed.

One of the highlights of Xunantunich is that visitors are allowed to climb to the top of El Castillo. The stunning scenic view from the top includes the surrounding ruins, then stretches out over miles and miles of jungle. Another nice part of this site is that it doesn’t have the overwhelming crowds that mass tourism attractions like Chicken Itza get."

Great article about Actun Tunichil Muknal, one of the coolest sights on Earth.  Needless to say, the author was blown away...to the point of using expletives...and she did work in 'unBelizeable' into the article too.

"Now, I did a lot of cool s#%t in Belize. I snorkeled with sharks, turtles, manatees, and rays in Caye Caulker, climbed a mountain, hiked through the jungle at night, let a tarantula crawl up my arm without fainting, and explored ancient Maya temples, Indiana Jones-style. OK, that last one was technically Guatemala but it still counts.  However, one more–exploring the ATM Cave in Belize—is among not just the coolest things I did in Belize, but one of the most unbelizeable experiences of MY LIFE."

'There are hundreds of caves in Belize that served as portals to what the Maya called Xibalba—home to ancient death gods, rituals, and extraordinary relics left behind.'

Men's Journal interviews Anthony Mahler, the Minister of Tourism, and they ask some good questions that get answered with Belize's sustainability in mind.  Actun Tunichil Muknal is recommended to readers.  

'

Having a sustainable tourism master plan is at the core of what I do. I aim to balance development and innovation while preserving the natural and cultural resources. About 40 percent of our entire territory of Belize is under protected status.'

Belize is getting the recognition it deserves for being the foodie capital of the region.  Cayo has quite a few chef-owned restaurants, and is known for having some of the best food in the country.  Conde Nast Traveller just published a great article on culinary and cultural tourism around Cayo and Belize.  They interview Lyra Spang from Taste Belize in Placencia, and mention the San Antonio Women's Cooperative and Ka'ana.  

"A nation famous for its archaeological sites, rainforests, and reefs is finally getting attention for its diverse and sustainable food scene...

In the Cayo District, home to popular archaeological sites like the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave, the San Antonio Women’s Cooperative invites travelers to learn about the Yucatec Maya practices of farming according to moon cycles, and hand-grinding corn to make tortillas. Boutique hotels in the area are also employing Maya women from the community for hands-on experiences. At Ka’ana Resort in San Ignacio, guests can step inside a traditional-style Maya hut where sisters Amrita Cocum and Clarita de la Fuente lead cooking classes around a blazing fire hearth overlooking tropical gardens."

Nice article about what to do when visiting Belize for the first time.  Caving, Maya archaeological sites, and visiting the reef are the 3 focused on.  The Old House Hostel gets a great shout out for Cayo, along with the Soul Project.  Xunantunich, Caracol, and Actun Tunichil Muknal are highly recommended.

"No matter what level of adventure (and even history) you’re looking for, there are plenty of options to embrace the Belizean cave system in a truly epic way or in a slow, relaxing way, or both! It’s up to you.

Chaa Creek has an interesting article about Belize caves, and how Forbes Magazine likes the Great Blue Hole.  They list 5 of the best caves in Cayo too.  Actun Tunichil Muknal tops the list. 

"Our Underground Love Affair With Belize Caves.  Belize’s Caves offer deeply moving experiences – from diving sparkling Caribbean waters to canoeing, tubing or rappelling hundreds of feet into a forest canopy."

Video of the day.  Dr. Jaime Awe has a short explanation of the importance of Actun Tunichil Muknal cave. 

"Explore Belize’s Maya Archaeological site, Actun Tunichil Muknal cave in this deleted scene from National Geographic's One Strange Rock. Watch more One Strange Rock Mondays 10/9c. Catch up on-demand & with the Nat Geo TV app.

Deep in the jungles of Belize, a sacred site has begun attracting tourists that are willing to hike, swim, and climb their way to reach it. The Actun Tunichil Muknal cave, a place of great significance for ancient Maya, was discovered in 1989. After years of research by Belizean archeologist Jaime Awe and his team, the site was opened to the public in 1998. The site is home to dozens of skeletons, including the famous Crystal Maiden.

Although the cave now draws much interest from adventurous tourists, it is still not widely seen: a few years ago, photography and video were banned. In 2017, Awe visited the cave again with National Geographic during filming for the new series One Strange Rock.

'They're portals to the underworld, to where important gods resided," Awe says, highlighting the cave's importance to the Maya civilization and the world. "We also see human sacrifice. Things must have been really difficult for the Maya to be doing this. The Maya certainly contributed to their own demise.'"

The Toronto Star has a fun write up about the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave.  Midas resort is mentioned as a nice mid-range place to stay.  

"While we manoeuvre our bodies over and around rock formations, at times swimming through the river, I am boggled at the thought of trying to forge through the slippery terrain while carrying torches, food offerings and utensils....

Minus hallucinogens, it’s still a trippy experience. Huge crystal formations slide down the cave walls, melding into boulders, swallowing stalactites that drip from the ceilings. The surfaces shimmer when illuminated. At times it feels almost like a prehistoric cathedral. In just moments in the brooding stillness, you’re enveloped in the all-encompassing, mesmerizing beauty of this underworld."

Belize as been featured in an Article from MSN Lifestyle.  The article starts off with the Maya archaeological site of Xunantunich, talks about the Belize Zoo, and mentions Actun Tunichil Muknal.  They somehow forgot the Cayo market, but do mention the market in Belmopan.  

"Visitors can head off in search of Belize's ancient history at the Xunantunich ancient Maya archeological site on the Guatemala border.  Culture vultures who aren't put off by the lack of infrastructure for tourism in the country -- which covers a total area of around 23,000 square km (or 8,900 square miles) -- can visit these Mayan ruins to capture emblematic photos of Belize.  Plus, the archeological site is on the top of a hill, offering breathtaking views."

The Sunshine Coast Daily has a great article about Actun Tunichil Muknal.  It's well written, and precisely captures the ATM experience.  Worth a read.  Best quote: "No photos are allowed in the cave, since some numpty dropped a camera on one of those skeletons and broke a hole in the skull in 2012."

"Actun Tunichil Muknal cave is an ancient Mayan ceremonial site in Belize.  Mayans used the cave to help spirits reach other worlds and to worship the gods - using food, clay pots and human sacrifices among other offerings.  Entering the cave, near San Ignacio, requires swimming and rock climbing.  There are impressive rock formations throughout the cave which takes four hours to explore."