Belize

By: Jennifer Milano, March 2016

It wasn't love at first sight.  I've experienced love at first sight before.  From the moment you first lay eyes on the place you've arrived (or the person you've met), you are completely taken.  You're all in.  Then there's that other kind of love - the one that starts with skepticism and hesitation, then slowly grows to be just as great and complete as the immediate love.  For me, Hatchet Caye in Belize was the slow growing kind of love, if you call 24 hours slow growing.

We flew to Belize City via Atlanta, and then immediately connected to a Maya Air flight to Placencia.  After just 30 minutes in the air, we landed on the Placencia airstrip in our twelve-seater plane.  A Hatchet Caye van met and drove my husband, my twelve-year-old daughter, nine-year-old son, and me two minutes to a dock where a boat sat waiting for us.  We climbed aboard and enjoyed a one-hour ride twenty miles across the Caribbean Sea past island after island, until we reached our island for the next three days, Hatchet Caye (pronounced "key").  Our family was welcomed warmly but casually, as we were given a tour of the seven-acre island dotted with palm trees and cabanas, and surrounded by coral reef.  Our cabana was very nice, but not luxurious.  Yes, the ocean was steps outside our door, but there was no beach to speak of and urchins lined the sea floor.  The view was pretty, but didn't take my breath away.  The island's pool was tiny, and I hadn't yet tried the island's only restaurant.  There were kayaks and paddle boards to use, but it was so hot I couldn't imagine exerting myself in any way that didn't involve being submerged in water.  I was a little worried that we would get bored.  We had barely unpacked before I announced we should all go snorkeling right away.

We changed into our suits and headed to the pier that the resort built especially for snorkelers.  We walked down the dock, watching pelicans dive into the water in search of their next calories.  The end of the pier was simple, with two hammocks and a sort-of wicker, cushion-less couch.  It was such a lovely spot, I wondered why the resort hadn't placed loungers there, perhaps with regular drink service?  We stepped down the ladder from the dock into the warm sea, and were thrilled to see that lots of fish were swimming around, nibbling the coral right there beneath us.  We could stay in ten minutes or two hours, and the convenience of our location, especially for my kids, was fantastic.  "I could stay out there all day!" my son announced as we told him it was time to shower for dinner. "I thought it was kind of creepy," my daughter admitted, always worried some predatory creature is lurking nearby.

We arrived at the resort's open air restaurant at 6:30 pm, and sat down to the friendliest service and tastiest food I could imagine.  Chris, the resort's young chef, is extremely talented, and that first night's dinner of locally-caught fish, fresh shrimp-topped quinoa-vegetable salad and homemade rum raisin ice-cream was just the start of our culinary experience at Hatchet Caye.  Every one of our eight meals on the island was outstanding. I'm still dreaming of the lion fish tacos and key lime pie, and missing the friendly waiters from whom we learned so much about Belize.  After dinner, we walked out to the end of the pier, where the resort had installed colored lights that apparently attract Eagle Rays.  We waited in the dark, watching the patches of light in the sea, and sure enough, within a few minutes a pair of rays swam through, their leopard-like pattern visible through the clear water.  As we drifted off to sleep that first night, I remarked on how quiet it was - 100% silent.

The next morning, we were told that our snorkeling excursion to "Turtle Town", included with our stay, would be leaving at 2:30 pm with our guide Yanek, and the other four (that's right only four) guests staying on the island.  My kids were a little disappointed that there were not other children staying at the resort - people they could recruit to help them find and attempt to crack open coconuts, take turns swinging each other in hammocks and play a massive game of manhunt.  But surprisingly, they told us at the end of the stay that they liked being the only kids because they got so much attention from the staff and other guests.  Being such a small island, they had freedom to run around on their own, get smoothies from the bar, and chat with staff members who had to be polite and listen to their endless stories and thoughts about life.  The other guests, whom we got to know during our stay, indulged them with questions about their island activities and life interests.  In a nut shell, they got a lot of attention from a lot of very nice people.  They liked that.  The waiters even offered to find good coconuts for the kids, chill them, and serve them at dinner (delicious!).

We spent the next morning on Hatchet Caye eating expertly-prepared Huevos Rancheros, sipping fresh watermelon juice, watching our kids play, swimming in the pool, lazing around in the hammocks - and during this process of doing not much of anything, I settled in.  I got it.  My Type A, on-the-go, driven personality began to unwind, to slow down, to relax.  "This is good," I told my husband as we lounged in two chairs on a small stretch of sand shaded by a palm tree, staring out at endless sea.  "I can do nothing."  And over the next two days, I got pretty good at doing nothing.  My choices were to read in a hammock overlooking the sea or read in a chair overlooking the sea.  Even for an indecisive person such as I, the choice was seldom difficult.

But as much as you can do nothing on Hatchet Caye, you can also do plenty.  You can arrange a fishing excursion (we didn't, but Yanek helped my son fish off the beach).  You can go scuba diving (we didn't, but our new friends Carole & Erik said the diving was spectacular).  You can go snorkeling (we did, and swam with a huge, gorgeous Loggerhead Sea Turtle that was so amazing even my daughter ended up loving snorkeling AND snorkeling with nurse sharks)!  You can visit a deserted island for a couple of hours and swim and explore (we did, and loved our time swimming off the beach, watching local fishermen paddle in to clean their daily catch of conch, and talking to our new friends Tom & Danjia).  You can kayak or paddle board (we didn't), or sail one of the island's catamarans (we did, at sunset, and it was beautiful).  

So even though it wasn't love at first sight, I grew to love Hatchet Caye.  We were all sad to leave the island even though our vacation wasn't ending as we were moving to a hotel on the mainland (see below for more about staying in Placencia and other destinations in Belize).  And now that we are home, I miss the fish tacos and fresh watermelon-lime juice.  I miss the smiling staff and friendly guests.  And as I crawl out from beneath ten loads of laundry, I miss doing nothing.

When to go to Belize and other practicalities:

The dry season in Belize runs from December to April, although it can rain any time of year and rainfall varies by location.  If you want to snorkel with whale sharks, travel in April, May or June during a full moon.  English is the official language of Belize.  There is no need for Americans to change currency in Belize, as U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere at a rate of U.S.$1 to BZE$2, although ATMs in Belize will give you only Belize dollars.  There are conflicting reports about whether the water is safe to drink in Belize.  Most people are fine, but a handful get sick.  We played it safe and drank bottled water and avoided ice, but we didn't take it so far that we shunned fresh fruits and vegetables like I do in places with more sketchy water.  On Hatchet Caye, however, all water is safe as it is purified.  And as before any trip, check www.cdc.gov and www.state.gov for health, safety and travel information.

How to get to and around Belize:

All international flights arrive into Belize City, and most travelers leave straight away for an island, the coast or the rainforest.  Maya Air and Tropic Air offer several flights daily to Placencia, the gateway to Hatchet Caye, as well as to other destinations.  For New Year's Eve 1999, my husband and I visited Ambergris Caye, Belize's largest island, and finished our scuba certification.  On the same trip, we stayed with a group of friends in the rainforest at Blancaneaux, Francis Ford Coppola's jungle lodge and day-tripped to Tikal in Guatemala.  Internal flights are convenient and easy, and your hotel will arrange ground transport for you between airports and hotels.

Where to visit in Belize, where to stay, where to eat and what to do:

Hatchet Caye:  

If you like the idea of staying on a remote island twenty miles offshore, in comfort and convenience to the reef, check out http://www.hatchetcaye.com/.  The aerial photo alone on the resort's home page was what prompted my kids to immediately shout "let's go there!" when I was showing them travel options for March break.  While I wouldn't call the accommodations luxurious, they are really nice and extremely comfortable (good beds, great air-conditioning, purified water coming out of the taps). Most of the cabanas house two units, but the neighboring, connecting unit was empty so I don't know if there would be noise if both units are occupied.  Each cabana has its own hammock and two lounge chairs, as well as a deck with an additional two chairs.  The staff is absolutely wonderful and the food is truly delicious.  

The resort's excursion to "Turtle Town" is a must-do - just a five-minute boat ride away and you'll be snorkeling with turtles, rays and nurse sharks.  Another five-minute boat ride takes you to the picture-perfect Silk Cayes, and snorkeling around one of the islands reveals many varieties of fish and coral in the clear, warm, shallow water.  Our guide, Yanek, was amazing with my kids, staying close to them the whole time and pointing out items of interest.  We brought an underwater camera with us, which I recommend.  If you fancy some time on a beach, ask the staff to take you to a nearby island.  We spent half a day on Pompion Caye, with its perfect white sand beach, clear aquamarine water and an abundance of conch shells.  It was like our own little Gilligan's Island.  If you don't know how to sail, ask Yanek to take you out on one of the Hobie Cats, and if you do, take one out yourself just before sunset when the winds pick up and the air starts to cool.

If you have a large group, consider renting out Hatchet Caye = it accommodates about 26 people and is a great place for a group vacation.  I wouldn't stay more than three or four nights, unless you are a diver or avid snorkeler (or really want to do nothing for many days).  The downsides of Hatchet Caye are there is no beach (except for a couple of small patches of sand where the kids can play) and the pool is small (which didn't bother us). What did I wish for that the staff could provide?  Full outdoor, private showers at the cabanas would have been really nice (there is a small foot wash shower at the entrance to each), and I would have liked some lounge chairs at the end of the snorkeling pier.  If you are interested in seeing how the resort provides power and clean water, ask for a behind-the-scenes tour to view the solar energy and desalination systems.

Placencia:  

Placencia is a real Belizean town, although dominated by tourism.  It is not an upscale resort town, but rather has a backpackers-hippie type atmosphere.  When I saw "Wendy's" on the town map, I assumed and feared it was the American fast food chain, but was relieved to find it was "Wendy's Creole Cooking."  Belize is a developing nation, and residents of Placencia live simply and work mostly in tourism. 

Most visitors to the reef stay in Placencia and take day trips to the reef, but beware that it is an hour and fifteen minute boat ride each way (sea conditions vary based on weather).  If you want to spend time on the reef, I recommend staying at Hatchet Caye or one of the other islands on the reef for direct access. 

Where to stay in Placencia:

After our three days on Hatchet Caye doing all of our reef activities, we stayed in Placencia at Chabil Mar Resort, recommended by my friends Kristen and Scott who spent a week there last year with their children and friends.

Here is what we loved about Chabil Mar Resort and Placencia:  we had a two-bedroom, two-bathroom air-conditioned, luxurious villa for $440 per night, which had a full kitchen, living room, veranda and washer/dryer (no need to pay to upgrade to "oceanfront", as the distinction is minimal).  We could dial "240" on our phone and order food delivered to our veranda, a table by one of the two swimming pools, a lounge chair on the beach, or one of the tables at the end of the resort's lovely pier.  The wait staff was super nice.  There are plenty of beach chairs and shade, as well as lounge chairs on the swimming pier.  The concierge arranged for us to visit Placencia's local primary school, where we donated school supplies and my kids played for an hour and a half with the students during their recess (more on this below under "What to do").  The concierge will also arrange other excursions for you, and arrange a golf cart rental.  We loved tooling around Placencia and its peninsula in our golf cart.  The resort is the closest full-service resort to town, although we found it a little far to walk in the heat of the day.  Chabil Mar has complimentary bicycles, and runs a complimentary van shuttle from 4-10 pm each evening with the nicest driver (Locho).  Sheldon, the Beach Captain, is extremely friendly and helpful.  There are paddle boards and kayaks guests can use free of charge.  We loved that Placencia is a real, developing town - we saw how locals live, my son played with two local boys that he met at the school for three days, people are friendly and there are some good restaurants.  We watched the Friday night town soccer match and got a feel for the local culture.

Here is what we didn't love about Chabil Mar:  while our villa was luxurious and well-appointed, the units are individually owned and apparently vary in quality.  The resort itself is pretty, but it is not stunning.  The pools are very nice, but not jaw-dropping gorgeous.  There are really only a couple of lounge chairs near the pool.  The beach is nice, but not spectacular.  There is lots of sea grass so the water by shore is sort of brown, and we saw trash floating around.  We did swim off the resort's pier, but after being on Hatchet Caye and the reef, we were not impressed by Placencia's water.  I broke my toe with a couple of days left on the trip (no fault of the resort), but was saddened to hear the concierge concerned only with whether we would take our excursion the next day to Monkey River as planned.  During three conversations, he never once asked about my toe or if I needed medical care, nor did the front desk which my daughter had alerted that I had injured myself.  Only Luis, our kind waiter (and national soccer star!), inquired after my injury and whether I needed a doctor.  So I found that while the concierge was helpful in planning excursions, he wasn't so concerned with guests' comfort and care, and countless staff who saw me hobbling around over the next two days turned the other way. However, after seeing other resorts in Placencia, I likely would choose Chabil Mar if I returned to the area.  Turtle Inn, one of Francis Ford Coppola's resorts, is much more beautiful, but also much more expensive and it lacks air-conditioning.

What to do in Placencia:  

• Visit St. John's School:  Pack school supplies with you to donate (or buy some at Placencia's office supply store), and arrange a visit to the school.  The principal welcomed us, and delivered us to a class that had play time for the next hour and a half.  Our kids were immediately welcomed by the children, and met new friends, some of whom they saw and played with over the remaining days of our vacation. My husband and I got to chat with the teacher and learn about the education system in Belize.  Our time at the school and with these kids was a highlight of our trip.
• Rent a golf cart:  Expensive at $65/day, a golf cart rental is a great idea if you are hanging around town or your resort.  We used it to shoot into town for lunch or gelato (yes, you read it right - Placencia's Tutti Frutti has fantastic gelato!).  We drove up the peninsula for lunch, and into town for dinner.  It was convenient and fun.  If you are taking excursions to the reef or rainforest each day, you are better off saving your dollars for those costly activities and using the free resort shuttle in the evenings for dinner in town.
• Attend Friday night soccer:  If you are in town on a Friday night, check out the games at the local field on the main street.  This is a great way to soak up local culture.
• Take an Excursion:  If you are not staying on a reef island like Hatchet Caye, you'll want to arrange an excursion to the reef to snorkel or dive.  If you're after a jungle experience, consider the Monkey River excursion to find the Howler Monkeys, only a 45-minute boat ride away.  Ask for "Rambo" as a guide.  There are lots of other excursions to waterfalls, chocolate plantations, Mayan ruins and the jungle (including zip lining and cave tubing), but be aware that most are at least a two-hour drive each way and for a family of four, and cost more than a night at Chabil Mar.  If you want a rainforest experience, you may want to consider staying at Belcampo or Blancaneux Lodge (see below), or one of Belize's many other jungle-based resorts, so that your kids aren't stuck in the car for half a day on each excursion.
• Buy chocolate:  visit one of Placencia's many grocery stores and stock up on Belizean organic chocolate bars.  You can also arrange a (pricey) excursion to a chocolate plantation where you and your children can make your own chocolate.  If you are looking to bring something home that lasts longer than five minutes, find Tyrone's woodworking shop that is along the sidewalk that runs parallel to the road on the beach side of the town.  Tyrone carves beautiful bowls out of local hardwoods for a fair price, and is not a pushy salesperson.

Where to eat in Placencia:

• Omar's Creole Grub:  For inexpensive, local food eat dinner at Omar's (Sheldon, Chabil Mar's friendly Beach Captain, is the waiter).  Diners choose a fish or meat accompanied by one of a variety of curry sauces, and we thought the food was really good.  Like at all restaurants except for one we found in Placencia, the dining room is open air.
• De Tatch:  If you want to eat good local food on the beach, head to where the locals (and travelers) eat, De Tatch.  While we thought our breakfast here was just okay, our lunch was fabulous.  Get the fish burritos!  The kids can run around on the sand while waiting for their from-scratch cooked food.
• Mim's:  Mim runs out of food at noon, so head there by 11:30 am to order her food for lunch (mostly take out).  Mainly meat, rice and beans, we thought the food was good.
• Rumfish y Vino:   The only "upscale" restaurant we came across in downtown Placencia, Rumfish y Vino is run by two California expats.  The food was very good, but pricey.  Ask to sit on the veranda.
• Tutti Frutti:  It seems out of place, but somehow Tutti Frutti turns out good gelato - much better than most U.S. establishments who claim that what they are selling qualifies as gelato.  We liked the lime and coconut flavors best.
• Our favorite - Maya Beach Bistro:  If you have a golf cart, head up the peninsula to the Maya Beach Hotel and eat lunch at the bistro.  The beachside setting is lovely, the baked goods are homemade, and the dishes are inventive and delicious.  Maya Beach Bistro was our top meal of the trip (Hatchet Caye excluded).  I would not have wanted to travel by golf cart here for dinner as driving back in the dark would have been a challenge.
• Just okay - Mary's:  We got inexpensive take-out from Mary's, and thought it was somewhere between okay and good, but not great. 
• Avoid - Mojo's:  We did not like Mojo's - it is in a hot, cramped, indoor dining room with odd service and below-average food.
• Chabil Mar:  We thought the breakfasts were good at the hotel, and the lunch was okay, but nothing special.

Ambergris Caye:

Belize's largest island is located in the north of the country just south of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula, and is a great place from which to access the second longest reef in the world that runs off of Belize's whole coast.  I have read that in the past sixteen years since I was on Ambergris Caye, the island has developed quite a bit, with new resorts and villas for expat retirees being built continuously.  I recall the island's only town, San Pedro, having the feel of Placencia, and finding the island to be laid-back as we explored Ambergris Caye by golf cart and boat.  We stayed at what was the island's top resort in 1999 (pre-TripAdvisor days) Ramon's Village.  Our room was in a thatched hut, and despite the bat droppings we found on our pillows each evening, we loved it.  The pool was beautiful, and our diving excursions left right from Ramon's dock.  We could walk down the beach to a local joint for lunch, or sit at the resort's outdoor bar.  Ramon's Village is currently ranked 19 of 56 hotels on Ambergris Caye, so do your homework before choosing a resort.  If you are looking for a spectacular beach, Ambergris Caye may not deliver as it battles the same sea grass problem that this area of the Caribbean has been facing in recent years.  However, if you want to dive, snorkel or fish, Ambergris Caye may be a good choice for you.

Belize's rainforest:

Many travelers to Belize combine a few days at the beach/reef with a few days in the jungle, and this works well for the traveler seeking variety as Belize is small and organized for tourism.  In early 2000, my husband and I transited from Ambergris Caye to Blancaneaux Lodge, Francis Ford Coppola's luxurious jungle resort in the Cayo District.  The two-bedroom villa that we called home for five days was gorgeous.  We lounged in the hammock in the open-air living room listening to the rushing river below.  The resort's food was very good, and the chef even produces brick oven pizzas using fresh organic produce grown on site.  Resort activities and excursions were fun and convenient.  We were able to visit Tikal in Guatemala for a day from the resort, as well as hike and swim nearby.  Coppola fans will appreciate various touches, such as the ceiling fan in the resort's bar being an actual prop from Apocalypse Now.  I do think we spent too long at Blancaneaux - three days is enough.  Note that there is no air-conditioning at the resort, which I don't recall being a problem in January.  However, I do remember that clothing always felt damp from the humidity and never seemed to dry completely. 

I have also read good things about Mystic River Resort in the Cayo District, and there are countless other jungle lodges in the rain forest you can read about on TripAdvisor.  If you want a luxurious jungle experience further south, check out Belcampo near Punta Gorda (http://www.belcampobz.com/).  Our friends Kristen and Scott loved their stay at Belcampo a few years ago, and it is noteworthy that many of the excursions that require a two-hour plus drive from Placencia are located near Belcampo.  If we hadn't spent last year's spring break in the Costa Rican rainforest (click here for more information on Costa Rica), we would have tacked on a few days at Belcampo to our Hatchet Caye/Placencia vacation.  Belcampo also has special activities organized just for kids.