Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM Cave)

This was worth the trip to Belize. Our guide Dimas was awesome! This is the real deal, you will be climbing wet rocks and need to keep your balance in and out of the water. The only safety measures are a helmet and your judgement, plus the guide's first aid and emergency equipment. Belize doesn't allow any type of cameras because some a couple idiot tourists dropped them on top of skulls causing obvious permanent damage and another one stepped on a human bone trying to get a better angle of another skull.

The most MUST DO thing in Belize. We did it with my two little siblings (13 and 16) and they had a blast. You have to book with a registered guide (I recommend Limpkin tours). You drive out there to the ranger station, hike out to the cave (crossing a river 3 times), swim into the cave, hike up into the cave through water (deepest at chest level), then take your shoes off as you explore the upper chamber. Truly a fantastic experience and the reverence you feel exploring this Mayan holy site is amazing.

This was an incredible experience that I highly recommend but you need to be in average physical condition and not be claustrophobic as certain passage ways are tight. Mayan artefacts and body remains are omnipresent but my favorite part was the sheer beauty of the rock formations. It is no wonder at all that the Mayans considered this place sacred. This is an all day trip. I’m sure you read about the shoes getting wet part which is an understatement! Sorry not too many pictures as no cameras, phones or anything else is allowed in the cave.

I booked my ATM TOUR through Yellow Belly Backpacker hostel. The guide Daimo was amazing! You can rent water shoes from hostel and the cave itself was amazing. If you are not claustrophobic, I don’t think you will feel anything overwhelming and I got 7am tour, which was perfect with less people in the cave, we came back to hostel at 2pm and the shuttles to Flores leaves around 2:30-3:00 pm. So if you want to earn time, you can just keep moving after the tour to Guatemala. It was also my first cave experience, so I really enjoyed, it’s totally worth it.

My favourite activity we did while in Belize! We booked through Crystal Paradise Resort (10/10 stay by the way) and we got extremely knowledgeable and passionate guides who were able to answer any questions we had. Our group size was small too which was great!

Easy drive from Belize city or the airport. $5 to enter for tourists. I recommend you get a guide to get the interesting side of the story. The museum is before the site entrance and it's free. You can climb on any of the pyramids just ensure you keep them intact and preserve them. Watch your step as it is steep and also super slippery when wet. It's mind boggling how old these are! Recommend highly!

This is an amazing experience... if you are fit and thin. You will have an absolutely great time if you: likely are older than 16 (or well over 48 inches), confident swimmer, confident on slippery rocks, OK with tight spaces, agile and nimble, adventurous and curious. The creek crossings prior to the cave are a good test, but only of swimming not claustrophobia. Things I wish I had known: you only bring a pair of dry socks which the guide puts in their dry bag. Nothing else. No phone, no bug spray, nothing except your bathing suit, sturdy closed toe, back strapped sandals like Keens, a water shirt. Pro tip: wear neoprene reef gloves to protect the stalagtites and have a little extra grip. You must have a guide, you must book days or weeks in advance.

Such a great cave tour. Amazing to see the attracts still in place, as found. You can no longer take cameras in which is understandable since tourists dropping cameras caused major damage. You must go with an authorized guide.