Whether you go at it on your own or use a guide, our eight eco-friendly bike destinations will make you glad you traded in four wheels for two.

 

 

With its comfortably flat roads, breathtaking Mayan ruins, and gorgeous greenery, Belize is a cyclist’s dream destination. It has the lowest population density of any Central American country, so there’s untouched habitat at every turn (don’t be surprised if you catch glimpses of macaws, howler monkeys, and maybe even jaguars). For a long stretch of scenic sights, take a ride on the southern-running Hummingbird Highway, and enjoy views of broadleaved jungle vegetation and the towering Maya Mountains. As you climb slowly along the Western Highway, you’ll enter the Cayo district, which is dotted with waterfalls, 1,000-year-old ruins, and exotic flora and fauna including orchids and keel-billed toucans. If mountain biking is your thing, be sure to take the 21-mile ride down the rough-and-tumble Chiquibul road south of San Ignacio — an energetic town that plays host to Belizeans of all creeds — into the 300-square-mile Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve (40 percent of Belize is protected as nature, wildlife, or marine reserves). Here, you can stop to enjoy your lunch next to Thousand Foot Falls, the country’s tallest cascade. Further south, in the jungle of Chiquibul National Park, you can take in Caracol, Belize’s largest Mayan site, where it’s estimated that 36,000 structures lie beneath the jungle canopy. Caracol includes the towering Canaa Temple, still Belize’s tallest man-made structure.

 

GUIDE:

 

Off Beat Roads (416-928-0628, offbeatroads.com) uses local guides who are well versed in Belize’s animal and plant life, as well as Mayan history. The company fits as many temples and wildlife reserves as possible into its 11-day Belizean ride ($1,600). Perk: a side trip to Guatemala’s Tikal is included; dominated by five enormous temples — steep-sided limestone pyramids rising powerfully from the jungle floor — it’s one of the world’s most famous Mayan sites.

 

 

You won’t have to pedal very far for a taste of Belize’s most common food: rice and beans. Made with red beans, black pepper, and grated coconut, it’s the perfect dish to top off energy stores. And since you’re never more than 60 miles from the ocean, you’re guaranteed an abundance of fresh seafood as well. Try conch — a staple of the Maya for centuries. Also, if you’re looking to add a little pizzazz to your provisions, don’t leave without trying Marie Sharp’s Hot Sauce, whose fiery primary ingredients come from local farmers.

 

 

Based in San Ignacio, Pacz Tours (011-501-804-2667, pacztours.net) offers a great full-day walking trip ($80) exploring the remarkable cave system of Actun Tunichil Muknal. Located in the lush jungle alongside Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve, the caves still contain Mayan pottery and skeletal remains. This trip is included in Off Beat Roads’ bike tour of Belize.