Adventures in Nature Belize

If you're looking for more than a lazy week on the beach, this guide is an excellent resource. I just spent a week in Belize and found it very helpful in deciding how to best spend my time and what to see in each place.

In addition to standard guidebook material, it has a chapter on Belize's animal and plant life, which I found to be a great resource while visiting the Cockscomb jaguar preserve. And there's a long section on various outdoor activities (snorkeling, caving, etc.), in addition to more standard guidebook content (regional info, history, etc.)

You always wonder if a guidebook writer really knows what he's talking about, but after using this guide to get around Belize, I can say that Richard Mahler really knows this little gem of a country.

I'm the editor and publisher of Belize First Magazine (Webedition available) the Belize guidebooks on the market. This is one of the best, with good basic coverage of hotels, restaurants, sightseeing, tours, dive and snorkel options, etc. plus refreshingly different coverage of the natural side of Belize, both on the mainland and on the cayes. Richard Mahler knows his stuff.

--Lan Sluder Editor & Publisher Belize First Magazine

Updated version of the classic "A Natural Destination" guidebook. The change in title also reflects a more reader-friendly format profiling "the jewel of the Caribbean." You'll find travel trips, hotel recommendations and a terrific overview of the country's environment. Clever insets explain useful trivia, such as why Belizeans speak English or profile the life of a fisherman. An excellent guidebook and a useful reference volume, this book is a jewel in itself.

I am now the sole author of this book (my friend Steele Wotkyns has moved on to other projects) and spent several months in early 1999 revising the text, photos, maps, and all hotel, restaurant, transportation, and outfitter listings. I've been traveling regularly to Belize since 1986 and have been particulary fascinated by its natural beauty, Maya ruins, diverse cultures, and national parks. If you have a spirit of adventure and a desire to experience everything this delightful country has to offer, I think you'll find this book the most useful among all the available guides to Belize. It's chock full of practical information (from on-line addresses and websites to hotel recommendations and adventure travel specialists) as well as some gorgeous photos by the country's best nature photographers: Tony Rath and Kevin Schafer. Obviously, I'm biased, but I hope you'll check out this new edition if you or a friend are considering a trip to Belize.

We just returned from a 3 week trip to Belize. It was our first trip to Belize, or even any where south of the border. We planned the trip with the help of this book and one other. We found the reccommendations, suggestions, and other helpful info to be right on the mark. We're only slightly adventurous but with the help of this book, felt confident enough to use the local buses, make and change plans as needed mid-stream, and immerse ourseves in the local culture. Our trip was great.