The Blue Hole
A cool swim.
Haakon S. Krohn — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Yourexhalekiss — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Laslovarga — CC BY-SA 3.0 · Nosferattus — CC0
A small national park on the green, hilly Hummingbird Highway between Belmopan and the southern coast, with two sights in dense tropical forest: a natural blue pool and a large limestone cave. The inland Blue Hole is a sinkhole whose roof collapsed over an underground river, bringing the water up into a deep pool of clear turquoise among trees and ferns before the river slips under the rock again. Visitors go down stone steps to swim in its cool water. St. Herman's Cave lies about a kilometre away along a forest trail, opening with a huge mouth reached by old stone steps built by the Maya, who used the cave long ago. Visitors enter its first section with torches, and can go deeper or float its river on tubes with a guide. The park has walking trails, a lookout over the forest and a visitor centre. The trail to the cave is slippery after rain, so bring sturdy shoes and a torch. Heat and humidity are high and mosquitoes plentiful, so carry water, repellent and a hat.
A cool swim.
Huge and dark.
A lookout.
Hummingbird Highway, about 19 km south-east of Belmopan
Yes, in clear, cool, deep water; there are no lifeguards, so swim with care.