Take it Belize-y

Take it Belize-y

Take it Belize-y:  This is an easy-going approach to exploring Belize with laid-back activities and comfortable yet casual accommodations. The first half of your trip in Western Belize has you canoeing through caves lined with Mayan artifacts or visiting one (or both) of the nearby Mayan ruins, Xunantunich and Cahal Pech.  Another day can be spent exploring San Ignacio’s Iguana Project, botanical gardens, the local market, Tikal (Guatemala) or Caracol.  After your time in the Cayo District exploring lost Mayan cities, float over to the Caribbean Coast on a cave tubing tour in route to Hopkins, a small Garifuna village. Your beachfront stay presents unlimited opportunities to relax or play in the ocean with snorkeling, diving, and sailing all at your doorstep.  Break up pool and beach time with a boat trip down the Sittee River for birdwatching during the day or an evening boat trip to checkout nearby bioluminescence!

Destinations: San Ignacio, Hopkins Village

Duration: 8 days

*Price Range: $$$

*Rates inclusive of full vacation experience – hotels, tours, domestic transfers, and tax (excluding international airfare).  Actual price based on length of travel, number of travelers/rooms, seasonal rates (high, low, peak), number of tour activities, and mode of domestic transportation.

$$$: At or under $1,200 per person

$$$: $1,200 – $1,800 per person

$$$: $1,800+ per person

  1. DAY 1:

    Fly into Belize Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE). Outside the airport you’ll find your private driver who will be holding a sign with our logo and your name on it. They will then assist with your luggage and drive you from Belize City to San Ignacio. Feel free to stop at anytime during your private ground transfer for photo opportunities, restrooms, lunch, or to simply stretch your legs. If you arrive to Belize by early afternoon, make a pit-stop at The Belize Zoo in route to San Ignacio to learn about some of Belize’s native species that you may encounter on your trip! Check into your suite at Mystic River and have a drink at the Palapa Bar before dinner.

  2. DAY 2:

    After fueling up with a delicious breakfast, explore one of the nearby Mayan sites either underground at the Barton Creek Cave or to the pyramids at Xunantunich and Cahal Pech. If you happen to be visiting San Ignacio on a Saturday, make sure to check out the local market for fresh produce and artisanal crafts. Return to Mystic River in the afternoon for a swim in the Macal River before dark. Enjoy dinner at Mystic River’s open-air restaurant and then head to the palapa bar to share adventure stories with fellow guests and new friends.

  3. DAY 3:

    Spend a full day at Belize’s largest Mayan site, Caracol, or cross the border into Guatemala to explore the Mayan capital, Tikal. If you’re wanting a slower paced day, head into San Ignacio and visit the Iguana Project and Botanical Gardens. Have lunch at a local restaurant or cafe in town and dessert at a chocolate making workshop.

  4. DAY 4:

    Today you’ll make your way from Western Belize to the Caribbean Coast. Relax and sip on a cold beverage as you float on a tube through a cave system at Jaguar Paw. Continue your journey to the beach until you reach Hopkins, a small Garifuna village with wonderful food and music. Check into your room at Almond Beach Resort, a beachfront boutique hotel a mile outside the village center. Enjoy local Garifuna drumming and dance while you dine at the hotel’s restaurant, Jaguar Reef.

  5. DAY 5:

    Soak up the warm sunshine while admiring the Caribbean Sea’s various shades of turquoise blue. Belize offers some of the world’s best snorkeling and diving within the second largest barrier reef system in the world. Make sure to experience the beauty of the barrier reef with a day or two of snorkeling or diving. For dinner this evening, bike or walk down the beach to Love on the Rocks or Chef Rob’s Gourmet Cafe for an exquisite lobster or steak dinner.

  6. DAY 6:

    Spend a day sailing the Caribbean Sea to white sandy islands surrounded by clear blue water. In the evening, sign up for a bioluminescence boat tour at The Anderson Lagoon and watch as the dark water starts to glow blue!

  7. DAY 7:

    In the morning, take a leisurely boat ride up the Sittee River to spot some of Belize’s common and rare bird species. Afterwards, return to Almond Beach and enjoy your last afternoon relaxing on the beach or by the pool.

  8. DAY 8:

    Take a short, two-hour private ground transfer back to Belize City for your international flight home.

  • Canoe through the Mayan Underworld at Barton Creek Cave
  • Spend a full day exploring the Mayan capital, Tikal, on a day trip to Guatemala
  • Roam around San Ignacio’s small town and visit The Iguana Project or local Saturday market
  • Cave tube at Jaguar Paw in route to the Caribbean Coast
  • Enjoy Garifuna drumming and dance while dining at the resort’s restaurant
  • Check out bioluminescence on an evening boat trip from Hopkins

 

Best for: Family, Couple, Small Group

Bucket list experiences: Belize Zoo, Mayan ruins (ATM, Xunantunich, Cahal Pech, Caracol, El Pilar, Tikal), rainforest, Iguana Project, chocolate, botanical gardens, cave tubing, snorkel, dive (Glover’s Reef Atoll, Turneffe Islands, Blue Hole), Garifuna community, Garifuna drumming, Mesoamerican Reef, beach, bioluminescence, birding at Sittee River

Accommodations & Location:

  • Mystic River, San Ignacio
  • Almond Beach Resort, Hopkins Village

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