BelizeJourney to

OCT 31–NOV 8, 2015Join Seacology in Belize for an unforgettable eco-tour and visit to Abalone Caye Island, where Seacology has helped protect

the Port Honduras Marine Reserve. On this 102,400-acre reserve comprising a robust belt of mangroves, coral reefs, and sandy shoals, you will have the chance to see a variety

of fish and wildlife. You will also visit local communities that have partnered with Seacology to build a ranger station, protecting the reserve from poaching and illegal fishing,

and a seawall to reinforce the station against erosion.

Seacology

SEACOLOGY

Punta Gorda

Simply referred to locally as PG, Punta Gorda is a relaxed, Caribbean community with just a dozen streets (and about as many cars). PG is home to approximately 6,000 people. Its busiest days are market days, especially along Front Street. Here, you’ll find fishermen hauling in their catches, farmers selling cassava and plantains, and Maya women touting handicrafts. Near the waterfront are several cayes with great beaches, snorkeling, scuba diving, and fishing.

Head inland from PG, and you’ll find some of the country’s most verdant, unspoiled terrain. Here, you can hike through rainforests, birdwatch, explore old ruins, and visit modern Maya towns. Punta Gorda may be the last stop on Belize’s Southern Highway, but it’s a great jumping off point for the rest of the Toledo District.

Set in the verdant hills above the coast of southern Belize, Belcampo is a sanctuary from the everyday world. The definition of agritourism-chic: a jungle lodge, organic farm, and a 12,000-acre nature reserve, Belcampo Belize offers the best in local food and culture, active adventures, wildlife viewing, saltwater fly-fishing, and world-class hospitality.

Placencia

Placencia is the name of both a slender, 25-kilometer (16-mile) peninsula that runs parallel to the Belizean mainland and the village at its southernmost tip. Home to some of the country’s most spectacular beaches, this long ribbon of land is flanked to the west by a lagoon and views of the distant Maya Mountains and to the east by mangroves and the turquoise Caribbean Sea.

Belcampo Lodge

Turtle Inn is possibly the jewel in the crown of the three Francis Ford Coppola properties in Belize and Guatemala. Located just outside the village of Placencia the lodge features picturesque thatched cottages decorated exquisitely with Asian furnishings and textiles. There is a beachfront bar, circular swimming pool, and a large open-air restaurant as well as an excellent dive shop and spa.

Turtle Inn

Punta Gorda Town, Abalone Caye Island, Belize

December 2000 Construction of a ranger station at the Port Honduras Marine Reserve

The Toledo district in southern Belize contains some of the country’s most pristine natural areas. After many years of effort, the Toledo Institute for Development and Environment (TIDE) succeeded in persuading the government to establish the Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR). Management of the 847-square kilometer (327-square mile), 133-island reserve is the responsibility of TIDE, a small nongovernmental organization with very limited resources. Since opening, there has been significant poaching within the reserve by outside fishermen. Seacology’s support enabled TIDE to build a highly visible ranger station on an island, Abalone Caye, near the reserve’s most sensitive area.

Abalone Caye Island, Belize

January 2012 Reinforcement and stabilization of the Seacology-funded Port Honduras Marine Reserve Ranger Station, Abalone Caye

The Port Honduras Marine Reserve (PHMR) is home to the endangered Antillean manatee (Trichechus manatus manatus), loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta), green sea turtle (Chelonia mydas), and the hawksbill sea turtle (Eretmochelys imbricata), as well as other important and rare species. Abalone Caye is a half-acre island located within an important area of the reserve that is the most biologically sensitive as well as most vulnerable to illegal activities. Abalone Caye has recently suffered severe coastal erosion, which threatens the existence of the PHMR Ranger Station as well as the safety of the rangers. Seacology is providing support to TIDE to reinforce and stabilize the ranger station, which is critical in protecting the 102,400-acre PHMR.

Belize

BOOK YOUR SPOT

TRAVEL ITINERARYOctober 31 Travelers will be greeted upon arrival at Belize

International Airport and taken onwards for a domestic flight to Punta. Stay overnight at Belcampo Lodge.

November 1 Optional birding and nature walks in the reserve, and a river canoeing and kayaking adventure.

November 2 Transfer by boat to Seacology’s project in Abalone Caye. East or West Snake Caye snorkel experience.

November 3 Optional birding and nature walks in the reserve. Tour of Labaantun site and Blue Creek Cave.

November 4 Optional birding and nature walks in the reserve. Tour of Paynes Creek National Park. Transfer to Turtle Inn and check in.

November 5 Full-day snorkel tour and a BBQ lunch. Optional scuba

diving. Reservations can be made with a 50% non-refundable deposit. Final paymentis due by July 31st, 2015. Payments can be made to Elevate Destinations by

electronic check (ACH), wire transfer, or credit card. A 3% charge is levied on credit card charges.

Double Occupancy $8,000 per person*

Single Occupancy $10,000 per person*

*These prices do not include international airfare.

Cost includes accommodation and meals as indicated in itinerary above, English-speaking guide and Seacology representative throughout, private ground

transportation, domestic flights in Belize, and a Seacology project site visit. Cost does not include international airfare, travel insurance, visa, entry tax,

personal expenses, drinks, or tips.

Trip cancellation insurance is recommended for all participants: www.csatravepro.com | Agent code W8000402.

To register or for more information, please contact: seacologysafari@elevatedestinations.com or 800.605.0571

November 6 Tour of Cockscomb Jaguar reserve. Lunch at local restaurant and dinner at Turtle Inn.

November 7 Free day or optional snorkeling, scuba diving, or other tours.

November 8 Domestic flight to Belize International Airport (Breakfast only)

All days except November 8 include breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

• Punta Gorda

Labaantun • • Abalone Caye

• Cockscomb Jaguar Reserve

SEACOLOGY

1623 Solano Avenue Berkeley, CA 94707Phone: (510) 559-3505 | Fax: (510) 559-3506islands@seacology.org | www.seacology.org

Seacology protects ecosystems and helps communities on islands around the world by providing funds to villages for a

needed civic project — such as a new school or health clinic — in exchange for the conservation of a nearby forest or coral reef.

Since 1991, Seacology has supported over 250 projects on 155 islands in 55 countries, protecting more than a million acres

of marine and forest habitat.