Mayflower Bocawina National Park | Belize

Mayflower Bocawina National Park

Nicholas Gomez
International Services Ltd.

I recently took another trip to Placencia Village in southern Belize to spend some time away from the city. While looking for something interesting to do on my Sunday, I stumbled across this national park just on the outskirts of Silk Grass Village and right down the highway from the entrance to Hopkins. For BZD $10, you can enter and stay all night,

The Mayflower Bocawina National Park is full of activities for everyone whether your looking for a strenuous mountain trail to a waterfall or something more peaceful like exploring some of the Maya Ruin sites. Camping is also allowed in the park, but be sure to bring your own food and water.

Being the explorer I am, I decided to take the 1.7 mile hike to the 100 ft high Antelope Falls. Now, 1.7 miles might seem like a walk in the park (no pun intended), but before attempting this trail, be sure to prepare with these tips.

Water

To be safe, I recommend each person to bring 2 liters of water. You can re-fill your bottle from the base of the waterfall since it is safe to drink.

Breakfast

Be sure to eat a good breakfast before attempting any strenuous activity.

Shoes

Drop on a good pair of tennis shoes. This will help you to grip when climbing up certain spots.

Clothing

I recommend wearing shorts and a light tank top or t-shirt. Hats and gloves are optional.   If you wear glasses, bring a cloth specifically for wiping the lens. Sweat could drop into your glasses and make it hard to see. This reminds me...be prepared to sweat.

Snacks

For energy, I recommend bringing along some sort of energy bar for when you are in need of a boost. If you can't find one, a regular snickers bar is fine.

The Antelope Trail starts off on a flat surface where you could find many species of plants and a variety of butterflies and reptiles. Bug- Repellent, surprisingly, was not needed. The trail later leads up to steps which have been placed to make it easier for you to climb. There are a lot of steps so take your time. There will be rest points along the way, so if you feel like taking a break, don't hesitate to stop for a few minutes.

Some sections are close to the side of the mountain so be sure to hold on the rocks, roots and rope and try not to step on smooth rocks and dead leaves.

You will then meet a large bench. This is the last rest station before the climbing portion of the trail. There are ropes and sturdy trees and roots to help you up. After some climbing, you will see a short trail down to the View Point where you will be able to see how far you've come. The view is filled with mountainous terrain and an untouched rainforest.

After two more minutes of climbing, you will have arrived at the Antelope Falls. The water will be cold, but the best idea is to just jump in. All that climbing you did will be well rewarded. At this time, feel free to swim, take pictures, and re-fill your water bottles from the waterfall.

After cooling off, the trail going back down will be much easier. You could get back in less than half the time it took you to reach the waterfall.

Belize is filled with many secret swimming spots, some harder to reach than the others, but this one will make you work for it. I have to say this adventure was one I will definitely make again.


All photos are the property of International Services Ltd.