As mentioned in a previous post, while at Cayo Espanto we elected to go on two excursions. The first was to Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley. These are very popular snorkeling destinations where we saw a variety of sea life to include nurse sharks, rays, turtles, and tropical fish. We took Cayo’s private 35-foot yacht, the Sarah Kate. Drinks and snacks, including delicious cookies, were on board waiting for us. As the water depth is very shallow surrounding Cayo Espanto’s island, the beginning of the trip was a slow cruise. After we got to deeper waters, German, the Captain, was able to open it up and get a move on. We arrived at the site with several other boats already there. It was time to get in the water, so we grabbed our gear and made the plunge. I took my GoPro with me to film some of the encounters.
Our second excursion we took later in our stay was to Lamanai, the ancient Mayan civilization in the middle of the Jungle. Rick, our houseman, took care of arranging all of the local flights and transfers, we just had to show up. We took the private boat from Cayo Espanto to San Pedro to take a flight to a small runway for our trip into the jungle. After we landed, a van was waiting to drive us to the boat launch for the cruise up the river. This might have been one of the most fun rides I have been on. The journey up the New River took a little over an hour to get there. The river twists and turns and made for a real fun ride at fast speeds. We were lucky enough to get seats on the boat under the canopy. There was a couple that sat in the front of the boat without cover and roasted in the sun. It was a very hot day, even with the breeze from the boat ride.
During the boat ride, the Captain would stop for various wildlife and to explain the history of sites along the way. We were able to spot a small crocodile, iguana, and a Jacana also called the Jesus Christ bird because it appears to walk on water.
We arrived at Lamanai Archaeological Reserve and grouped up with our tour guide who would walk us in. First stop, bathroom break!
Next up was a walk passed some Howler Monkeys down a stone path to the first temple.
As the tour ended, we were treated to some local cuisine to include chicken, rice, and fried plantains. I’m not sure if it tasted so good because I was starving from all the traveling, but I really enjoyed those plantains. We made our way back onto the boat (made sure to get the shady seats) and off we went. Once we got back, it was time to catch our plane ride back to the island.
