Belize packs a serious punch for a country that commands a tiny sliver of Central America.
From ancient jungle temples to ivory beaches scalloping the coast to dozens of unspoiled, offshore islands, Belize is blessed with an outsize proportion of natural splendor and for avid divers, the world’s second-largest barrier reef!
Travelers like yourself are looking for adventure and nature-inspired getaways as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, I get it and you should look no further than beautiful Belize.
Belize welcomes mindful vacationers with a gorgeous coastline that it shares with Cancún and Tulum to the north – even as it manages to stay blissfully free of crowds….no testing required for entry and a wide world of.enchanted on a little piece of Real Estate awaits.
Beachfront in Belize
Coastal Retreat
Placencia means “pleasant point” in Spanish, and this charming coastal village at the tip of a 16 mile long peninsula – flanked by a lagoon woven with mangrove forests on one side and azure Caribbean waters lapping at the other FAR outshines its given name. When Frances Ford Coppola set his sights on the area in 2001, Placencia was teeming with fish and not much else, since then it’s become a vibrant holiday destination for the most discerning. At his plush Turtle Inn, seaside living translates to salty breezes slinking through the shutters of 25 Balinese-inspired cottages and an open-air spa specializing in Thai massages. PLEASE, YES, PLEASE.
Not to be out done, Nestled in the 107,000-acre Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve, 90 minutes east of the temples, Blancaneaux Lodge’s 20 wood-and-thatch villas on the banks of Privassion Creek share the dense tropical rain forest with a legion of birds, butterflies, howler monkeys, and iguanas. Coppola famously fell in love with this verdant swath in the Belizean mountains nearly four decades ago, which led to the opening of the first of three Family Coppola Hideaways resorts he owns in the country.
And while Blancaneaux certainly channels the wild, a rustic communion with nature it isn’t: Think private plunge pools, “shell phones” (a conch shell intercom system), and an Italian tree house-style restaurant complete with a wood-fired brick oven. Mama Mia.
Seaside Escapes
Some have speculated that Madonna’s ballad “La Isla Bonita” was inspired by the popular Ambergris Caye island. While that may or may not be true, any of Belize’s idyllic isles could serve as muse to an enamored songwriter. The Royal Belize private island resort can be my MUSE anytime, hosting 15 of your nearest and dearest across five opulent suites spanning three villas. It is a water sports paradaise given that the resort abuts the Belize Barrier Reef, the world’s second largest.
Dive Deep
At Cayo Espanto, another private-island hideaway, guests can arrive via helicopter, getting a bird’s-eye view of the reef en route – as well as the Great Blue Hole, the biggest marine sinkhole in the world.
The four-acre island’s seven villas are situated for utmost privacy, out of sight from other vacationers and your home away from home.
Jungle Adventure
While neighboring Mexico is home to well-known temples, the Mayan Empire’s reach extended deep into the Yucatán Peninsula; today, you’ll find vestiges of their power scattered across the jungles of Belize’s interior. Perhaps the finest example lies 70 miles west of the capital (Belmopan), where more than two dozen palaces, plazas, and temples cluster on a ridge overlooking the Mopan River. When you set out to explore the Xunantunich archaeological site, you have the sensation of having the ruins just for yourself,” While the climb to the top of El Castillo might be taxing for some, you’ll be rewarded with views over the emerald expanse that extend across the border with Guatemala.
Are you in love yet? If you would like to know more about the enchanting nation Belize and the adventures that await, please contact me at How Far Adventures.
How Far Adventures is an independent affiliate of Gifted Travel Network, a Virtuoso Member.
Photos and Inspiration Courtesy of Belize Tourism Board, Memorable Belize and Virtuoso.
