| The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest reef | | | | Unfortunately two major natural disasters |
| in the world and only Australia's Great Barrier | | | | threatened to completely destroy the Belize |
| Reef is larger. The reef barrier just off the coast | | | | Barrier Reef. In November of 1998 Hurricane |
| of the Central American country of Belize is a | | | | Mitch directly hit the Barrier Reef ripping up |
| wonderful and beautiful site to see. | | | | hundreds of years worth of coral growth. Since |
| One of the most popular activities to do while at | | | | corals are animals and not plants they can not |
| Belize's Barrier Reef for locals and tourist alike is: | | | | take root else where. Just after Hurricane Mitch, |
| spear fishing! If you never catch anything while | | | | El Nino brought warmer then usual waters to the |
| spear fishing it is still fun and exciting and the local | | | | reef and literally cooked it to death. All the dead |
| people always say, "You can't get fish any | | | | reef on the bottom of the ocean floor is known |
| fresher." | | | | to the local Belizean people as, 'The Standing |
| One activity you should not expect to do while in | | | | Dead.' In that fish still like the coral reef whether it |
| Belize is surfing. The reef barrier just off the | | | | is dead or alive, there has been no impact to the |
| Belizean cost, naturally breaks down waves | | | | livelihood of local people, since, for many, the reef |
| before they reach the shore. | | | | is their main source of food. |
| The Belize Barrier Reef alone brings over | | | | Over 10 years after Hurricane Mitch, Belize as a |
| one-hundred-million US Dollars to the country | | | | country, is recovering. Though the Belize Barrier |
| every single year. Belize has tens of thousands of | | | | Reef is not fully restored to its' former glory, it is |
| tourist visit each year just to experience this | | | | well on its' way and is still a must see world |
| magnificent reef; one of Belize's prized treasures. | | | | attraction! |