Congratulations to Rudolph Gentle, Pernell Flowers & Timoteo Vanegas of Team Print Belize/Wrobel & Co. (in white below) who came in 2nd place in the Master’s category at La Ruta Maya.
Keep up the strong paddling!
There are many special events in Belize for retirees (and everybody else) to enjoy.
One of the best is the annual La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge, the biggest annual sporting event in Belize, which takes place during the first week of March. It is the longest race of its kind in Central America: more than 180 miles on the Belize River over the course of four days.
Dozens of athletes gather with their canoes at the Hawkesworth Suspension Bridge on the banks of the Macal River in San Ignacio District with the goal of being the first to reach the Belcan Bridge in Belize City. Between 90 and 100 teams from Belize, U.S.A., Canada, Japan, the U. K. and other countries participate.
Each day, after paddling for hours, the canoe teams come ashore, where they are met by fans at checkpoints local villages which include Banana Bank, Double Head Cabbage, and Burrell Boom.
The event is open to the general public and everyone is invited to to enjoy fun-filled days with food, live entertainment, games, prizes and of course views of the race action.
The race has its origins in the 1995 Save Our Rivers Programme, a canoe race intended to promote cleaning and maintenance of the Old Belize River. These days, anyone can participate.
Thinking about visiting Belize to scout it out for a possible retirement? Early March for La Ruta Maya is an excellent time to pick.
But regardless when you come, here are some tips to help you prepare for your Belize vacation:
- Climate – the best time to visit Belize is after or before the rainy season, which typically begins in May and ends in November. January is the coldest month with averages of 27 degrees Celsius
- Vaccinations – diseases are not a widespread problem in Belize, but visiting a foreign country always means that you may get exposed to potential contagions. Therefore it is best to have your immunization card updated, and visitors should use insect repellants on exposed skin when roaming about the country.
- Insurance – travel insurance is a great way to cover emergencies especially the health kind. Find a local travel insurance provider that is also accredited in Belize.
- Electricity – Belize supplies 110 volts of electricity. Most of the plugs in the country can either be two or three pronged US plugs. This means that appliances or gadgets that operate in 220 volts will not be able to get the needed power, so if you’re visiting Belize from Europe, for instance, it might be a good idea to bring a power converter.
There is so much to love about this country. Click here for an overview of Belize. And please be sure to visit our Belize FAQ and Belize Resources pages for helpful information.
