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.

Katie Nelson with Belize TravelPOINTS recently spent two weeks in Belize and it was the vacation of a lifetime!

Belize is a small country, about the size of Massachusetts, which makes getting around and exploring the country very easy. Belize may be small but it is loaded with activities and adventures to keep you busy and to keep people coming back year after year. Although it’s located in Spanish-speaking Central America, the official language is English. There is a diverse culture of Maya, Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Mennonite, Chinese and Taiwanese making Belize a melting pot. We began our journey with the scenic drive to Blancaneaux a pristine resort in the Cayo district (owned by Francis Ford Coppola). We crossed the border and visited the infamous Tikal Archeological site on our first full day in Belize. My father had been waiting to visit Tikal for the past 30 years since seeing the temples featured in Star Wars Episode IV and it was every bit as amazing as he pictured it. Tikal is the largest Mayan city in Central America with spectacular temples, park-like grounds and all the signature wildlife such as blue morpho butterflies, howler monkeys, spider monkeys, coatimundis, toucans, and the list goes on. The San Ignacio market was bustling with Mayan women chatting and exchanging goods. The Mennonite communities also have a strong presence in the Cayo district area and you can see the men trading timber and riding into town by horse and buggy. Of the many tours in this area, we chose Barton Creek Cave canoeing and the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave expedition.

Both were incredible and unique tours! Our guides were the most informative I have ever had, with great passion they shared their history and knowledge with us. We then moved on to the mainland coast villages of Placencia and Hopkins. Both are small fishing villages with lots of local flavor and you can access both jungle and beach from these locations which makes them popular among visitors that want the best of both worlds but don’t want to move hotels during their stay. We enjoyed our hike through the Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve looking for any sign of the elusive and majestic creature.

The Belize Zoo is well worth a visit and you are guaranteed to see all the charismatic mega fauna up close and personal. The best food on the trip was by far the cheesy shrimp Creole at a local restaurant called Wendy’s in Placencia and the native Garifuna drumming and dancing at King Cassava’s in Hopkins is another “not to be missed” hotspot. Turneffe Atoll at Blackbird Caye Resort, a diver’s paradise, was our next stop. The underwater colors and abundance of life were truly amazing. The Blue Hole dive was out of this world! We swam among schools of brilliantly colored fish, eagle rays, black-tip reef sharks, and turtles. Each dive was different and equally as amazing as the next. Our last stop was the popular island get-away of Ambergris Caye. With the laid back “no worries mon” attitude of the island, the hustle and bustle of everyday life a distant memory.

You won’t find any chain hotels, cruise ship docks or super stores here. If you’re not the type to sit and relax on the beach, there’s plenty to do on the island, such as diving, snorkeling, fishing, manatee watching, kayaking, and wind surfing to name a few. One of Belize’s best attributes is that you still get the feeling that you’re discovering new things, as opposed to the “been there done that” of the typical tourist trap places. It’s clear that Belize has a profound respect for its natural resources and is working hard to make sure they’re both protected and able to be enjoyed by Belizeans and visitors alike. This is a fabulous destination for the whole family, couples or those looking for adventure. And I am happy to help arrange the journey you have been dreaming of.

James TravelPOINTS Belize/Costa Rica and Dive Specialists at 1-800-274-0507

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