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 Pick your own, Belizian style Belize has a Caribbean coast and the longest living barrier reef in the world. Inland there are beautiful and mysterious jungle covered mountains, which are largely unexplored. A glimpse of the Maya Mountains can be seen from Steppingstones. We often speculate about the wonders, both natural and architectural, which must be hidden there. The Belize Government has taken a very enlightened view of environmental matters, and about 40% of the country is designated as a reserve - marine, wildlife or archaeological. This results in a profusion of wildlife, which due to the low population density is able to thrive and live alongside the human population. Southern Belize was a centre of the Mayan world, and there are still many traditional Mayan villages to be seen today. The modern world has passed much of our part of Belize by; people are happy to do things in the old ways, although they are not ignorant of the advantages of the modern world. Our friends Simonetta and Francisco light their home with candles, but have installed solar power in their church. Most people round here speak English; some speak only Spanish or Ketchi (Mayan dialect). Many people speak all three languages, plus Creole. You'll have no trouble understanding or being understood by the vast majority of people you'll meet.  A lovely day for fishing The driest months countrywide are (in order from the most dry) April, March, February and January. These are months when the dry easterly trade winds blow steadily. Seasonal rains usually start in June and continue into July. Often there's a dry period in August, and then September rains may pick up again and on the sea the winds may go calm. October and November usually see the start of "northers" - cool air coming down from the north, bringing squalls, windy weather and choppy seas. The northers typically die off in December or January. Overall, Belize has a pleasant subtropical climate -- think South Florida but nicer -- with a mean annual temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit and a mean annual humidity of 83%. Our buildings are all built to catch the prevailing breezes, and have shady verandas which make it cool indoors for most of the year. Although November to April is the high season, we personally like the weather in the Green Season, May to October, a little better, although it is hotter. We also enjoy the slightly longer days. Hurricane season in the Caribbean is June to November. Belize is rarely troubled by hurricanes, and this part of Belize has only had two in sixty six years. Belize has far fewer hurricanes than Florida. |