A Belize Vacation offers a variety of activities for families, honeymooners romantic couples and soft adventures enthuses.  A vacations to Belize may include a get-a-way to the beaches for snorkeling or scub diving or perhaps a visit to the Eco Lodges, Mayan Ruins and the luxury rain forest retreats.  Inclusive vacations to Belize are part of the experience when traveling, you often feel you “get to know” the country and it’s culture.  With Belize, there is something even more special,  not only do you get to know Belize, but you leave wanting to know more!  In fact, Belize is such a rich mix of culture, history and nature that the by the time you have to go home, you’re already trying to plan your next trip.  

Having visited Placencia, Hopkins, and Ambergris Caye, I can attest to the beauty of Belize’s beaches.  There are some especially clear blue waters near the Belize Legacy area on the north part of Ambergris Caye.  For luscious spa treatments and beautiful accommodations, try Almond Beach Resort in mainland Hopkins.  Also, if you’re in Hopkins in August like I was, go see the Miss Hopkins pageant!  Watching these talented young women compete for the title of Miss Hopkins was an unparalleled way to experience local culture.  

Making my way to the rainforest Cayo District after my beach and island stays, the landscapes change from flat coastal areas and beach to more mountainous rainforest areas.  At the luxurious Ka’ana Boutique Resort you’ll have the serenity and privacy of a jungle area as well as top notch service from a dedicated staff.  Don’t forget to spend some time in their wine cellar!  

For a more remote luxury hotel experience, a stay at Chaa Creek will exceed your expectations.  Each individually decorated cottage or suite is only part of an overall complete experience there including on-site horseback riding, a spa, medicinal trail, and much more.  

Hidden Valley Inn in the Cayo District is also a charming, upscale cozy inn.  A 7,200-acre reserve is the main highlight here.  In addition, you can do many tours from here.    

On the way back to Belize City, if you are longing for a home cooked Creole Belizean meal, stop in the (tiny!) capital city Belmopan and visit a lovely Creole couple in the market at their food stand.  They have many a story, and scrumptious food!  They have been at their stand for over 15 years.  

All in all, I left Belize with a great idea overall of some of the main highlights.  But you’d better Belize-it that I would like to go back and do it all over again – and more!

If you’d like help planning your Belize vacation, don’t hesitate to contact me at 1-800-626-3483 or email at:  susug@travelpoints.com.  Visit our web site at www.belizetravelpoints.com

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Fly-fishing for bonefish is productive year-round in Belize.  Some of the best action takes place off Ambergris Caye, where bonefish average around three pounds, but can weigh in at as much as eight pounds.  A nine-weight fly rod and floating line with a small fly are the recommended equipment.

Fishers of every skill level can cast the flats for tarpon, permit and bonefish.  English-speaking instructors are on had for those who are new to saltwater fly-fishing.  Mayan ruins, diving, snorkeling, and other sights and activities are nearby for non-anglers.  Call our Belize Specialist for all the details 1-800-538-7461, www.belizetravelpoints.com.

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Belize is a place–and an experience– marked by excitement and adventure. In one week my family (my wife, a teen-aged son and a teen-aged daughter) explored thousands of years of history, walked through caves and jungles of the enchanted ruins, and saw one of the world’s largest outdoor zoos. The mainland and coastal cays are remarkable wonders. We traveled on rivers, through jungles, over mountains and coral reefs, into expansive underground caves, and under glorious waterfalls. Through it all, there was an incredible collection of wildlife.
After hiking through the jungle and visiting Mayan ruins and the bat cave, we retired to the beautiful jungle lodge. After dinner, we discussed the day’s activities with our hosts and another guest.

Another evening was spent in Blancaneaux at the Blancaneaux Lodge. While there we hiked down the Mopan River to Rock Falls, a 100-foot waterfall where large pools of smooth, clean water beckons swimmers to relax and cool off.

Our next destination was Ambergris Cay. (A “cay” is a small low island or reef of sand, rocks, etc.) The cay had white, sandy beaches and coconut palms. It was the perfect place to relax in a beautiful tropical atmosphere. There was also a touch of “civilization,” with seaside restaurants, waterfront bars, miles of beaches, superb resort hotels, and the reef. Ambergris Cay is just a short hop from Belize City. We stayed at Ramon’s Village and Cayo Espanto. Ramon’s Village is a quaint resort hotel with grass huts, a good restaurant, and a great location. Days were spent snorkeling and bone fishing. Evenings were spent taking a short walk into the town of San Pedro for dinner and limited shopping.
Fishing in Belize is world class! A guide took us bone fishing and we had a very successful day.

A visit to the resort island of Cayo Espanto unveiled a romantic paradise. Individual huts have their own splash pools, private docks, and all of the amenities that are needed for a relaxing stay. Island guests can relax, take a paddle boat ride around the island, bonefish off of their private docks, and eat wonderful meals.

Belize is a destination that provides a lot to see and do. If you are interested in learning more about my family’s trip, or you would like to plan a trip like this for yourself or your family, contact Belize TravelPOINTS at 1-800-626-3483, www.travelpoints.com.

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Katie Nelson, Belize and Costa Rica Specialist at Belize TravelPoints, recently visited Belize on an amazing, world-class diving and fishing trip to Turneffe Island Lodge.

Belize is well-known for its pristine reefs that make up the second largest barrier reef in the world and it boasts 3 out of the 4 coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere, with Turneffe being the largest and most diverse.  I stayed at the luxury private island get-away, Turneffe Island Lodge, and experienced some of the best diving I have ever seen, ate delicious food and went fly fishing with world record holder, Cody Kittleman, as my guide. Does it get any better than this? You better Belize-it! Belize is the #1 fly fishing Grand Slam capital of the world!! The “Grand Slam” of the fishing world is when you catch a bonefish, permit and tarpon all on the same day. Cody Kittleman has caught 11 Grand Slam’s which is twice as many as anyone else in the world and he has done it all from Turneffe Island Lodge. He says he rates it number 1 because nowhere else can you find such an even mix of fish plus the lodge has a policy that limits the amount of fisherman at one time to preserve the pristine marine life and they have luxury accommodations and first class cuisine to top it all off! 

As I arrived into the country, I was greeted by a representative from the lodge and transferred to the marina where we boarded the boat for an hour ride to the lodge. The lodge is set on a 14acre private island with beautiful white sand beaches and clear blue Caribbean waters lapping at your doorstep. The rooms are floor to ceiling Belizean hardwood and each has an asian-inspired outdoor shower and oceanfront balcony. There is a de-salanization plant on the island so all the water is safe to drink and they are the only resort in this area with a fresh water pool. With a maximum of 40 guests on island, there is plenty of privacy to relax but you will certainly leave having made friends.

The diving package includes 3 boat dives per day plus a weekly trip to the renowned  Blue Hole. With the visibility at 100 feet, you can clearly see the vibrant colors of the reef and countless species of marine life. During my dives I saw hawksbill turtles, moray eels, eagle rays, nurse sharks, and best of all…the White-spotted Toadfish which is endemic to Belize! The diving here will appease everyone from novice divers to the most experienced with over 70 different dive sites within 15 minutes of the lodge.

The flats of Turneffe have long been touted as the premier flats fishing grounds of the Caribbean. I feel extremely privileged to have been in the company of Cody Kittleman and to have felt the excitement as he introduced me to his passion of fly-fishing. I have always enjoyed fishing and have spent a lot of time fishing with my dad. Fly fishing is truly an art form and although I quickly picked up the fluid motion of the arch, I can certainly appreciate how difficult this sport is to master. Your sight must be trained to hone in on the pushes and feeding fins of the bonefish and you have to be quick and accurate to catch the attention of a permit. Cody hand-made each fly specifically to imitate small invertebrates found in the area. The “Merkin” crab pattern, half & half clousers and “Black death” patterns work best in this area (along with a lot of skill and luck!). Whether you are a beginner or world-class angler, you will certainly find yourself in fly-fishing paradise at Turneffe Island Lodge.    

Call me today to book your next fly fishing trip to Belize! Katie Nelson at Belize TravelPoints 1-800-626-3483 or katien@traveloints.com.

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