People travel from all over the world to Belize to be treated by the herbal remedies of the rainforest and the traditional practices of the Tanah villagers. This path of natural healing, often referred to as the Medicinal Trail Belize, offers travelers a unique chance to witness ancient remedies still in use today.
Rainforest at the opening of the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave (Jonathan Brunger)
Belizean People and Ancestral Knowledge
The knowledge of how to use hundreds of varieties of medicinal plants, prayers, and secret stones known as "zax tuns" has been passed down from their ancestors. The Garcia Sisters have gained much of their knowledge from their uncle, the most famous and respected Belizean bush doctor, Don Elijio Panti. The Belizean people continue to preserve and share their deep-rooted traditions, many of which are centered around natural healing and connection to the land. Xunantunich (LAURIE ENGLEKING)
Medicinal Plants in Belize and Their Uses
Plants are very important to the way of life in Tanah. For example, the cohune palm nuts are used for jewelry or to extract oil for cooking, while the young shoots, when boiled or fried, make a delicious snack, and the roots can be used for a blood tonic. In Tanah's botanical garde,n a vine grows which quenches a day's thirst. These are just a few examples of the powerful and diverse medicinal plants in Belize, many of which are used daily in both traditional remedies and household needs.
On the banks of the Macal River in western Belize (Aaron Conway)
Belizean Herbs and Holistic Healing
Plants provide the villagers with definite cures for asthma, arthritis, and baldness, among others. It is through communion with nature, preservation of traditions, and a holistic lifestyle that the Mayan Herbal Remedies and Teas can be shared. These traditional Mayan rainforest remedies are based on Belizean herbs that have been tested through generations of practical use and spiritual guidance. Here are three Medicinal Plants in Belize Shared with Tourists consulting herbalists along the Medicinal Trail that are still used today by the Belizean people for healing:
1. Jackass Bitters (Neurolaena lobata)
Known locally as a “cure-all,” jackass bitters is a common remedy for parasites, digestive problems, and infections. Its strong, bitter tea is often offered to tourists seeking natural detox treatments or help with stomach issues. Many herbalists in Belize describe it as one of the most important Belizean herbs. 2. Cohune Palm (Attalea cohune)
While mostly known for its oil and nuts, herbalists use the roots of the cohune palm as a blood tonic and the young shoots as a nutrient-rich snack. In traditional Mayan rainforest remedies, the plant plays both a culinary and medicinal role. Tourists exploring the rainforest often encounter this plant in local remedies or teas. 3. Allspice (Pimenta dioica)
Used both as a spice and a medicinal herb, allspice is applied topically to relieve muscle pain and brewed into teas to ease indigestion. Tourists who meet a herbalist in Belize may experience a warming massage using allspice-infused oil or sip a tea made from its leaves for respiratory relief.
These experiences highlight the deep connection between the Belizean people and their natural environment, offering visitors not just treatment, but cultural insight into Belizean herbs and traditional Mayan rainforest remedies.
Trip Planner: Visit a Herbalist in the Belize Rainforest If you're planning a Belize rainforest tour, be sure to include a visit to the rainforest to experience the Medicinal Trail Belize. Many travelers choose to meet a local herbalist, learn about Belizean herbs, and explore traditional Mayan rainforest remedies as part of their cultural itinerary. Start your Belize Trip and have a herbal remedy consultation during your trip. Talk to our trip planner now.
