2 Best Sights in The Southern Coast, Belize

Mayflower Bocawina, an expansion of Belize's first protected area, has small Maya ruins, lovely waterfalls, and good hiking on more than 7,000 acres. A private lodge, Bocawina Rainforest Resort, is in the park and has upscale lodging, food and drink, and the longest zipline in Belize. The park has three minor Maya ceremonial sites: Mayflower, T'au Witz, and Maintzunum, near Silk Grass Creek. Nearby are the three waterfalls, usually referred to as "the Three Sisters": upper and lower Bocawina Falls and Antelope Falls. Access to Mayflower is easiest from Hopkins, about 20 minutes by car, but tours are offered from Placencia and Dangriga as well. The entrance to the park is about 4½ miles (7½ km) on a dirt road off the Southern Highway. From the visitor center, to get to the two Bocawina falls, it's an easy hike of about 1¼ miles (2 km) on the marked Bocawina Falls trail. The trail to Antelope Falls, about 1¾ miles (3 km), is more difficult due to some steep sections that can be slick after rains. Maps of the trails are available at the small visitor center. So far, little excavation has been conducted at the Maya sites.

This 1,600-acre park lies along the Hummingbird Highway between Miles 16.5 and 19 in Stann Creek District. Established in 2001, the park is still relatively young, and although it offers no spectacular sights, it does have rustic hiking trails. The Barquedier Waterfall (locally sometimes called Bak-a-Der Waterfall) is about a 20-minute hike from the entrance. The park is part of a community co-management program for nature reserves. It's best to enter the park via the northern entrance at Mile 16.5 of the Hummingbird Highway. Camping is available in the park for BZ$20 per person, plus the park entrance fee. As to the park's curious name, it was named after its principle creek. Billy Barquedier was not a person, at least that anyone knows. Barquedier is an alternative French spelling for a barcadere, a "landing place." No one can identify where the "Billy" part comes from.