Top Ten Central America Classic Adventures

What's the most novel way to go through sacred Maya caves? Float! Less than a half-hour drive south of Belmopan, the nation's capital, is a jungle-covered mountain range riddled with limestone caves, circular sinkholes, and underground rivers. And you can take a guided float trip on an inner-tube through one of the many flooded caves known for their crystalline stalactites and thousand-year-old artifacts. These caves, sacred to the ancient Maya, are home to sightless fish and crabs, as well as bats. One underground river rises for only a few hundred feet, creating the shimmering centerpiece for Blue Hole National Park. Nearby is Five Blues Lake, a beautiful body of water whose colors change by the hour. Surrounding all this are thick forests criss-crossed by hiking and bridal trails. Several local lodges provide accommodations.