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Reccomendations on Honeymoon Stay in Belize
We are currently trying to decide where to honeymoon this next March-April and are very interested in Belize. Our interests are diving, the jungle, the mountain pine ridge reserve's caves, and of course relaxing! We need some advice as to how to plan our trip. We would like to rent a car...and are not opposed to staying at different places. I have found a lot of good reviews on the Table Rock Jungle Lodge too...anyone had good/bad experiences? We do want to keep somewhat of a reasonable budget but would splurge a but for some of the nights as it is our one & only honeymoon! I would love to have someone reccomend the best way to travel Belize and get to see the best it has to offer in 10 days...Look forward to hearing replies!
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I'd split your trip between inland and one of the beach areas. I haven't spent much time inland, but I do like the area around San Ignacio. I've never been to the Mountain Pine Ridge area.
Most of my Belize time is spent on Ambergris. Certainly the busiest place in Belize, however, that can be a good thing. Lots of choices for lodging/food/bars/diving. If you're looking for a bit of a splurge, look at Victoria House. Lovely property, just a couple miles from town, so easy access. There are also numerous properties north of the 'cut', but less acessible to town. Some people find that a plus. Also, look into Placencia and/or Hopkins. Placencia is a peninsula, the village is at the southern tip. It's a cool little town. Down side is that the reef is 19 miles off shore, vs. less than a mile from Ambergris. There are also more secluded cayes for diving-Tobacco Caye for the budget traveler, South Water Caye is more upscale. Also the atolls, where I have never been. Although these forums give good advice, I'd get a guide book and do some reading. |
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How much time will you have? How adventurous are you?
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We thought Chaa Creek over by San Ignacio was outstanding, and there were honeymooners there--they seemed very pleased. They have a treehouse that seems to be very popular. But the regular cottages where we stayed were superb. One of the best spas in the country according to some of the books out--we thought the spa was very nice. Close to Tikal and Atun Tunichil (ATM) cave system--a really cool thing to do. It was amazing.
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Check out Hidden Valley Ranch it is in the Western Pine Ridge. We were trying to get there this year but had no time. It looks really cool. Private waterfalls secluded walks and trails and lots of wildlife. It is a bit on the pricey side but for a few days it would probably be worth it. 5 sisters is in the same area and is very nice. I personally would stay away from Hopkins as we were bitten to death by Sand flys however there is one high end resort in the area that we did not check out and maybe should have south of Hopkins. Ambergris Caye is nice but $$$$ while Caye Caulker is better on the budget plenty of restuarants. My only suggestion is ask about noise wherever you stay, so many places are located next to a bar which plays music loud until the early hours. It seems that they try to out do each other to let you know they are there. Newer cement block buildings with good windows and air conditioning really helps. Belize city holds no appeal to me and I would at all costs give it a pass. There is lots to do so do some research and have fun.
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All the lodges mentioned above are quite good and you might want to take a look at Hidden Valley Inn with private waterfalls in the Mtn Pine Ridge. Renting a car is fine in that area and you drive drive to Caracol or other sites in Belize, any of the caves you'll want to explore. You might want to also take a look at Black Rock lodge and duplooys in Cayo, both good value for the $. Docile 45 ft whale sharks congregate off the Placencia coast around the full moon in both March and April, so you might want to give this area a second thought for the opprotunity to be in the water close to these magnificent creatures.
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I just returned from a trip to Belize, and I stayed at Table Rock for four nights. It's absolutely gorgeous there, and I think it would make a very romantic and memorable honeymoon spot. There are only three rooms, so it's quiet and private with lots of personal service. The decor is lovely and sets the tone for a tropical retreat. Everything was hand picked and designed by the owners. The landscaping is also beautiful - there was a fruit-filled starfruit tree outside our room, and I could watch hummingbirds from the shower window every day! Though it's not too expensive compared to some of the other lodges in the area, it has the feel of a high-end lodge. The price was a bargain for staying at such a beautiful, unique place.
We ate three fabulous dinners there, and thought the chef was great. The dining room is a thatch roof patio and we ate by candlelight every night. We were also happy with the excursions they set up. They booked our private ATM tour (which I highly recommend) with a guide who helped archaeologists originally map the cave. It was a wonderful experience. Keep in mind that the lodges in the Mountain Pine Ridge area have a very different atmosphere than others. I definitely wanted a jungle experience on my trip, so I really wanted stay in the broad-leaf forest. The Pine Ridge area isn't really tropical - I felt like I was driving into North Carolina with its tall pine trees and arid environment. Many people find it quite beautiful, but I really wanted to stay in tropical forest. Just something to consider... Table Rock will not disappoint - I wouldn't consider staying anywhere else if I returned. |
Bookmarking. :)
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The best honeymoon spot in Belize is Thatch Caye Resort in southern Belize. I had my honeymoon there last year and it was spectacular. They are in the Trip Advisor top ten best romantic getaway spots in the Caribbean and they really know how to make a very special honeymoon. Top praise.
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I would totally agree with Thatch Caye - VERY romantic. And Caves Branch - there were some honeymooners there when we were, and they were having a ball - the two are different, and complement each other well.
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I also meant to say that the Pine Ridge, while interesting, is not beautiful now. The pine forests were devastated, mostly, by the Southern Pine Bark beetle a few years back, then a fire came through. They are coming back nicely, but most of the growth is less than 10 feet tall. So, I enjoyed it as a study on rejuvenation, and it will be beautiful in a couple of decades, hopefully. Caracol was really interesting, though, and worth a trip. We went with Pacz Tours in San Ignacio.
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