Maya Day is held every year in March at the Tumul K’in Center of Learning in Blue Creek Village and celebrates Yucatec, Mopan, and Kekchi Maya culture. Nearby is Hokeb Ha Cave, whose limestone-framed entrance has a waterfall cascading down it. Cultural activities and cave scenery offer different ways to shape your travel plans.
Maya Day in the Village
Maya Day includes games such as Greasy Pole and Greasy Pig. Tortilla-making and corn-grinding demonstrations are also among the activities. The Fire Dance, a traditional display of skill and agility, takes place before Maya Day. Games, demonstrations, and dance give the festival a range of cultural highlights. If you are planning your trip for March, check the exact date and program in advance.
Caves Around Blue Creek
An approximately 20-minute walk from Blue Creek Village leads to the entrance of nearby Hokeb Ha Cave. Inside is the polychrome Hokeb Ha Vase, dating from 600 to 800 AD; it was also depicted on a Belizean postage stamp. The cave is thought to have possibly been used in the past for water-related rituals associated with Maya beliefs about the underworld. This interpretation remains an assumption.
Because water levels and cave conditions change seasonally, guided tours are required at Hokeb Ha Cave. Tours are offered through Blue Creek and neighboring villages. Confirm the guide and tour arrangements before your visit. This helps you account for seasonal conditions rather than planning a cave visit without regard to them.
Dry Cave is also located in Blue Creek Village. It can be reached via an approximately 20-minute walk; trail conditions may vary. When planning, you can consider this cave as a separate option and distinguish the walking information from that for Hokeb Ha Cave.
Toledo: Nature and Maya Sites
In the wider destination of Toledo, Payne’s Creek National Park is located in the Toledo District. It covers 37,680 acres and protects hypersaline, saline, brackish, and freshwater habitats, as well as mangroves, broadleaf forest, and savanna. The park directly protects a variety of species, including twenty endangered or threatened species. Rio Blanco National Park is also in the Toledo District: its waterfall is 100 feet wide and drops 20 feet into a pool suitable for swimming. The two park descriptions highlight different natural environments and waterfall features in Toledo.
Toledo also offers a range of Maya archaeological sites. Uch’ben’kaj, also known as Uxbenka, is considered the region’s earliest known Maya settlement and dates to the Early Classic period, around 250 to 500 AD. Nim Li Punit belongs to the Maya Classic period. Its name means “Big Hat” in Q’eqchi’ Maya and refers to an elaborately carved stela depicting a Maya king wearing an elaborate headdress. Lubaantun offers a different architectural style: its structures are made of large black slate blocks without mortar and feature rounded pyramid corners and the distinctive “in-and-out” wall technique.
Regional Connections
In Toledo, daily buses connect Punta Gorda with Belize City. Village buses connect rural areas with the town on weekdays. Water taxis also regularly run from Punta Gorda to Livingston and Puerto Barrios in Guatemala. Check schedules and connections before your trip, as services and times may change.
Discover more destinations: Monkey River Town, Punta Gorda.
Back to the main travel overview: Toledo.
