Ivory Heights Expeditions

  The Lagoon’s Pulse The paddle sliced into the turquoise water of Ambergris Caye’s lagoon, the splash cutting through the humid stillness as I leaned into the stroke, my kayak rocking slightly under me. I’d come to Belize for an adventure travel fix, a solo travel paddle through mangroves and reefs, chasing the kind of wild that makes your pulse hum. My gear was basic—waterproof bag, a hat, a cheap life vest—because budget travel kept me lean, every Belize dollar stretched to the edge. The sun beat down, relentless, and as a stingray ghosted under me, a question bubbled up: How much does safety weigh when you’re this far out on your own? The mangroves loomed, dark and tangled, and I figured I’d find out one way or another. This kicked off in Belize City, where I’d landed a few days back, crashing in a hostel with a sagging roof and a fan that buzzed like a dying bug. Route planning was my first move—Belize is small, but the cayes are a haul, so I’d snagged a water taxi to ...