Chocolate Festival, Belize
When: Mid-May (14-17 May 2027) Why: For chocolate, in all its forms What: Each May, Belize hosts what may be many travellers’ dream event: a three-day festival dedicated to chocolate. The Toledo district is Belize’s chocolate capital, and cacao has such a long history here that it was once used as currency. Proceedings kick off in the district capital, Punta Gorda, with the Wine & Chocolate Gala, an evening of indulgence where Belize’s finest chocolatiers pair their creations with carefully selected wines. The following day, the streets are taken over by the Chocolate Street Fête, which includes live music performances and
stalls selling sweet treats and traditional foods inspired by the region’s Maya heritage. While the ancient Maya primarily consumed chocolate as a drink, they also incorporated cacao into rich savoury sauces served with dishes such as chimole, a deep, dark meat stew. It’s a reminder that there’s far more to chocolate here than dessert. How to do it: Punta Gorda has an airport with flights to Belize City, which is otherwise a four-hour drive away. There are also boat shuttles from Puerto Barrios and Livingston in Guatemala. Festival tickets are available to purchase online via the official website.
chocolatefestivalbelize.com
Inti Raymi, Peru
When: 24 June 2027 Why: For reliving the pomp and ceremony of the Inca Empire What: To get a taste of pre-colonial Peruvian life, you can’t do much better than Inti Raymi, a modern revival of the Inca Festival of the Sun held every June to mark the southern hemisphere’s winter solstice. The celebration sees Indigenous communities from across the Andes gather in Cusco — the former capital of the Inca Empire — for a day of processions, music and elaborate traditional dress. Festivities begin at Coricancha — once the most important temple in the Inca world and the centre of sun worship — where celebrants dressed in patterned tunics and tasselled crowns parade through the city. From there, the celebrations move through Plaza de Armas before culminating at Sacsayhuamán, the vast hilltop fortress overlooking Cusco. Along the way, there are speeches in the Quechua language, traditional dances, coca-leaf reading ceremonies and even a mock llama sacrifice. With thousands of performers, a sea of spectacular costumes and the Andes forming a beautifully dramatic backdrop, this has to be one of South America’s most sensational historical re-enactments. How to do it: The ceremony at Sacsayhuamán is a ticketed event and sells out months in advance. To secure your place, book with an authorised tour agency like Ingreso Inti Raymi. The same goes for hotels in Cusco, which tend to fill up quickly during the event.
ingresointiraymi.com
NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC TRAVELLER – LATIN AMERICA COLLECTION 37
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