The real magic was underwater, where we had the privilege of witnessing sea turtles in their habitat. As we donned our snorkeling gear and plunged into the clear blue waters, these majestic creatures glided gracefully around us. Watching them scratch an itch against the walls, munch on algae, and move with such carefree elegance left us in awe. Their innate graceful movements were mesmerizing.

Apart from the aquatic wonders, Grand Cayman also runs a bird sanctuary. Its aim is to protect these winged creatures from poachers. The guide mentioned an old tradition where people used to catch and gift birds, a practice that has evolved over time. While this tradition is no longer seen as appropriate, some individuals still engage in it, posing challenges for the sanctuary’s conservation efforts. A cool trick I learned is that they don’t teach their parrots how to talk since it would allow poachers to draw them out of hiding.

We also visited an interesting tourist attraction called Hell. Despite the ominous name, Hell is a small area of eroded limestone formations. The porous, dried lava rock looks almost moon-like. Adding to quirky ambience, the gift shops sell stuff like postcards joking about sending greetings “from Hell”.

Snorkeling with the turtles was definitely the highlight of the entire trip hands down. We actually almost missed the excursion because of inclement weather that made it difficult for the cruise ship to send smaller ships to drop tourists off on the shore. I’m super glad that the weather cleared up, but we almost missed this amazing experience.

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The ruins contain several temples and plazas central to Mayan religious and civic life dating back to 200-900 AD. Our guide explained that Altun Ha was a vital trading outpost and agricultural hub in its era. We learned that the site gets its name from the Mayan words for “water” and “stone,” likely referring to the stone water reservoirs enabling life in this area.

Wandering through the sprawling ruins, we spotted many of the tropical trees thriving in Belize’s humid climate. Our guide pointed out plants like avocado, and allspice trees that would have sustained the Mayan people centuries ago. I got to sniff a fragrant allspice leaf, though the guide told us not to chew it since it’d cause irritation in the mouth. It made me chew it even more, but I didn’t dare chew it until I got back on the cruise ship, but by then, the leaf had lost its potency.

We also learned more about Mayan concepts of beauty and status. The guide explained that elongated skulls, flattening forehead bones, filing teeth, and inlaid jade flakes signified nobility and were considered highly attractive. The famous Jade Head sculpture found at Altun Ha in the 1960s would have adorned a spiritual leader. Its craftsmanship and 15 pounds of precious greenstone underscored the power and status of its owner in ancient times.

Wandering through the stone temples and plazas of Altun Ha gave us a glimpse into daily and ceremonial life centuries ago. It was eye-opening to visualize the rituals, agriculture, and artifacts underscoring this vital Mayan trade hub. The allspice, and avocado trees surrounding us emphasized the continuity between past and present in this region.

See more of Altun Ha here