Yesterday as a part of tourism week, we took you to the Dolphin Park at Spanish Lookout Caye and tonight we go air boating at Almond Hill Lagoon on the Western Highway and zapping through the jungle canopy at Big Hill Station on the Coastal Road. Alfonso Noble takes us along on his trip.
Alfonso Noble Reporting,
After boarding a bus manned by personnel from the 'Bak A Bush' tour company we move out. But first media personnel get a quick tour of the city by our guide Sabrina. Soon enough we arrive at mile 9 on the Western Highway for our first leg of the tour, an airboat ride. Noel is our captain.
Noel,
"The craft we are using is an environmentally friendly airboat powered by a Chevrolet motor producing 450 horsepower. Keep all hands and feet inside the craft at all times."
Then we board and soon enough the propeller spins into action cruising, gliding and tilting in the waters of the Almond Hill Lagoon. We float across wide spaces, narrow channels skate over marshes. And while we don't see any of the manatees that populate the area our guide tells us all about them.
We're off again to a botanical tour and bird spotting and we do see quite a number of birds, those on the field guide, and even some that were not on the guide like this hawk. It's quite the ride. Carlton Martinez is the station manager here.
Carlton Martinez,
"Basically it is a 45 minute tour out on a wide open pristine marsh, one of the few of its kind here in the country of Belize and you get a chance to see wildlife in its natural habitat and also the experience, it is breathtaking and its also a assuring for people that there are still places on earth where you can enjoy wildlife and nature at its best."
Nature at it's best and we continue for the next leg, back in the bus and onto the Coastal Road, 8 miles of it. We're now into part two of 'Bak A Bush's' tour, cutting though secondary forest for the adventure. First sign a disclaimer, into a cave, meeting the staff, and getting rigged up. Yap.... We're going to do something that's fun.
Guide: "Everybody all hands in the air, a little excitement."
Another cave, a quick hike, and we arrive at a briefing spot to find out what we're going to be doing.
Guide,
"Our main
method of transportation through this forest is by means of traverse. It is easy to do." Demonstration - See It [ON DEMAND]
After that little adventure it's onto this beast for the last leg of the tour. We set off on the elevated platform of this specially rigged up army truck cutting across the jungle through ruts of mud, and water. We arrive at a dry cave for a quick tour of the bats, the whip scorpions, rock formations and Mayan pottery. For most of us on the tour it was an eye opener and marketing officer for the BTB Gale Malic says that's the idea.
Gale Malic, BTB
"What we try to do every year is have the press, the local press, get a feel of what is new in Belize, a new product Belize has to offer. We do it almost at least four times for the international media. So we try to do it at least once a year for the local press so that we can make the general public aware of what their beautiful country has to offer them"
But while there may be things offered, are they affordable?
Carlton Martinez,
"It is quite affordable because each boat takes sixteen passengers and you can definitely contact 'Bak-a-Bush' management and we will setup some thing that is arrangeable for anyone, affordable."
Alfonso Noble,
Do you have special rates for Belizeans?
Carlton Martinez,
"Yes we do have special rates for Belizeans."
Diego Alvarez,
"For everybody. Of course it is mostly for ship lines but we are available for everybody."
Alfonso Noble,
Is it affordable m for the ordinary Belizean to come here and do these things?
Diego Alvarez,
"Definitely"
Definitely affordable, and definitely fun.
Awareness week continues with visitor appreciation day at the Philip Goldson International Airport, and the Fort Street Tourism Village.
