Join us on our biggest family adventure trip so far to Belize! I think, as travelers, we sometimes forget that our vacations do not always turn out the way we planned them in our minds. As a travel agent, I remind my clients that it is the unexpected, good and bad, that make memories. On this particular trip, I am reminded to take my own advice. I am not sure what I expected from Belize (perhaps Hawaii?) but I was stunned to find out how little I knew about this beautiful, untamed country! At every turn, we were met with adventure! As a travel agent, I am not often surprised and this was definitely a trip that took me by surprise!
First, a little background on this country. Belize is a country in Central America, bordered by Mexico and Guatemala. The official language is English, but the unofficial language is Belizean Creole. The second most spoken language is Spanish. Belize is roughly the size of Massachusetts (which has a population of almost 7 million) but in contrast has only about 380,000 residents. The food is varied with Latin and Caribbean influences. Their currency is the Belizean Dollar but the US Dollar is taken almost everywhere. ($1 US = $2 BZ)
In Belize, you can visit the mainland with Jungles and Beaches or you are visiting one of the many Cayes (Click here to learn the difference between a Caye and an island) closer to the second largest barrier reef in the world! We decided to visit both!
Day 1 – Belmopan. Here we go on Day 1 of our adventure! Southwest now offers direct flights to Belize from Denver on certain days of the week. In just a little over 4 hours, we arrived in Belize City where we found our transfer driver with our name written adorably in chalk on a sign. From here, we drove 1.5 hours to the capital of Belize, Belmopan. Our hotel in Belmopan was located in the jungle. This was my first surprise. Having never visited a true jungle before, I had expected greenery and forest, but what I did not expect was a true jungle complete with giant ferns, large flowering plants, boa constrictors, all manners of insects, and if you are lucky (!) a jaguar!
Don’t feel scared for us though. We weren’t roughing it by a mile. This was one of the most luxurious and special hotels I’ve ever stayed in: The Sleeping Giant Lodge. From the moment you arrived, you somehow felt like you had been there before. We stayed in the spacious River House but there were all types of accommodations sprinkled throughout the property.
Our hammock in the jungle
Our porch
The jungle house
A 5 star restaurant on site in an open air venue and beautifully fountained pool completed this incredible experience.
5 star restaurant with open air seating
All food and cocktails are made fresh from local ingredients in a farm to table type setting. One night they told me they were late making my mojito as they had to gather fresh mint from the garden.
Spicy Belizean Margarita
Day 2 – Belmopan & Mayan Ruins Tour. Several excursions are offered from the lodge in small groups. For this day, we selected the Mayan Ruins Tours: my next surprise. First, we had a good 1.5 hour drive to the border of Guatemala where we crossed a river in a hand cranked ferry. This ferry only moved about 50 feet across the river and we found ourselves asking “Why not a bridge?”. They explained that with the tensions between Guatemala and Belize, the border is not secure and this solution provides for them a way to close the crossing!
“Ferry”
Now, I know this may surprise you but I’ve never visited a Mayan ruin before in any of my travels. I had assumed we would be LOOKING at Mayan ruins in an untouched, protected manner. However, I was soon finding myself climbing 130 feet to the top of the Xunantunich ruins. We learned Mayan culture is still a big part of Belizean culture and that they are taking great care to preserve this heritage.
Xunantunich ruins
View from the top!
After having lunch at a local cafe, we moved on to a second Mayan ruin, Cahal Pech, a much older site. Again, we climbed around and through tunnels and steps, all to the delight of my kids! At one point, the tour guide pointed out termites on a tree explaining they were high in protein and plucked one from the tree to snack on. My son immediately jumped up and snatched his own termite snack proclaiming it tasted exactly like peppermint and wood!
Cahal Pech ruins
After returning to the lodge, we immediately jumped in the pool to cool off. The jungle in the summer is as hot as you are thinking…well, maybe hotter.
Next up on our adventure: A night jungle hike. I know what you are thinking. You are thinking “Were you really surprised this would be an adventure? You booked a jungle hike…AT NIGHT”. I know, I know…blame the Disney vacationer in me. I felt like maybe it would be like the Jungle Boat ride in Disney complete with plastic elephants and animatronic crocodiles. I soon found out…this was the REAL DEAL. This was an actual jungle at night. We saw tarantulas, bats, and every type of beetle you have ever seen in a book.
Full moon on the night hike in the jungle
Can you spot the tarantula?
Day 3 – Belmopan & Cave Tubing. Yes, yes I can hear you now proclaiming, “Now really? Did you really think Cave Tubing would be EASY?”. Well, yes I did. I pictured myself serenely floating down a well lit cave complete with animatronic bats. Ok well maybe not the animatronic bats, but you get the picture. This actually required a hike (carrying your tube, life vest, helmet, and head lamp) down into a cave lit only by our headlamps. It was actually incredibly interesting to see the cave and learn more about Mayans and how caves factored into their culture, but I was once again surprised by this adventure!
Cave Tubing Adventure
Afterwards, we visited a local sinkhole in the National Park for a chilly swim!
Blue Hole sink hole
Day 4 – Flight to Ambergris Caye. Ambergris Caye is an island off the coast of Belize known for the second largest barrier reef in the world. As a SCUBA family, we couldn’t wait to check this out! However, one thing stands in the way of world class diving: The Cessna. Yes this 14 passenger Cessna (our seat directly behind the pilot) was something to thrill even the most experienced flyers!
Belmopan Airport
Up close and personal with the pilot
We arrived safely at our hotel, Ramon’s Village, a beautiful beach side Polynesian themed location complete with Dive Shop, restaurant, and lagoon style pool!
Day 4 – Ambergris Caye. We woke up bright and early for our first dive, but as soon as we spotted the choppy waves, we knew we weren’t going. Fortunately, when there is bad weather on the windward side, you just head to the leeward side and it is sunny and calm! We rented a golf cart and headed to “Secret Beach” which as you can see is not as secret as you would hope. It was a gorgeous white sand beach with restaurant, drinks, and the clearest water you could imagine! No SCUBA? No problem!
Not so secret beach?
The kids found a guy selling fresh coconuts who would cut them open, add ice and a straw and you could drink your fresh coconut water right on the beach!
Day 5 – Caye Caulker. Ok today is the day we will dive right? NO! Bad weather again!? How can we be so unlucky? We are at one of the best dive destinations in the world and we can’t dive! We decide instead to catch the ferry to Caye Caulker, a sleepier caye nearby. From there, we took yet another ferry to a beach called Koko King. This beach allows you to use all their beach, chairs, & equipment as long as you buy at least $10 in food or drink for each person. Another gorgeous beach and weather thanks to the leeward side! Who needs SCUBA?
The Belize ferry schedule
Belize for me in one word: Frozen Coconut Mojito
Day 6 – Scuba diving Ambergris Caye. We finally made it to our SCUBA adventure part of the trip!! We could only do an early dive as our plane left the next afternoon, but it was enough to enjoy this healthy, active reef full of wildlife including a nurse shark!
Later we snorkeled Shark Ray Alley! I knew there were plenty of sharks when my daughter hopped in and I could hear her scream through her snorkel! I couldn’t count how many sharks and rays were in this area but it was definitely another surprise for this travel agent! I really hadn’t expected this!
Day 7 – The Trip Home. Of course, our trip home involved the small plane back to the mainland and then an international flight home. Belize was definitely a surprise adventure for me, but I would for sure go back to this incredible and diverse country! Are you looking for your own adventure? Email me for how you can take a trip to Belize!
