Crooked Tree Sanctuary

Speices:
113; in 1 day (3 hours on boat with guide; $20 with Ruben a good guide and true Belizean)
98; 1 day high tally
Birding:
***** Wow ! Now this was amazing birding ! There were not only quanity of species but also the shear numbers of each species was amazing. From what I understood Crooked Tree (the name of the town, which the Belizean Audubon Society named the sanctuary after), is an island surrounded by mangroves and forest.
Trails:
The sanctuary has a well developed trail system, most of which go right through town. Unfortunately, the boardwalk was destroyed, I’m sure it would be a great hike if it does one day reopen.
Where:
North central Belize, 5kms of the main highway.
How Do I get there:
Take any bus going from Belize City to Orange Walk or to the Mexican boarder. From here you might have to hike the 5kms down a gravel road, otherwise there are a few buses or simply hitch a ride, the locals sure seem nice enough. This is the only road going into Crooked Tree so its only a matter of time before someone will come along.
Accommodations:
Accommodations in Crooked Tree are surprisingly somewhat limited. There were only two places that I knew of, both of which were somewhat on the pricier side (compared to what we were paying in Guatemala), with a room with private bath for $35-45 at Sam Tillets. We ended up tenting at Sam Tillets for $10 a night with a bathroom with hot shower to use, a very good deal.
What to bring:
· Food and beer was quite cheap if you went to the local eateries. Sam Tillet’s was a bit steep though ($4 average for a skimpy breakfast).
· Dry bag? You might want it if you go on the early morning birding tours.
· Sunscreen, it gets to be pretty warm and most of the trails/roads are in the sun.
· Tent (it really saved us a ton here) But bring a lock.