BELIZE - WHERE TO STAY
Although Belize is relatively small in size (about the same land mass as New Hampshire) there are hundreds of accommodations offering everything from rustic jungle huts to beach-side exclusive resorts and just about everything in between.
Eco-tourists will find that Belize offers many options for staying "green" as well. A popular activity among many travelers is camping….and Belize offers many options for campers. Some camping areas are merely set-aside pockets of green space alongside existing hotels and lodges, other camping areas offer facilities and more amenities.
The eco-tourism industry in Belize is not only popular, it has the government's help as well. Through the Belize Eco-Tourism Association (BETA), Belize's tourism industry encourages eco-tourism resorts and industries. Many resorts and attractions work in cooperation with BETA to help promote responsible tourism in Belize.
There are many websites to choose from when searching for accommodations in Belize. Try www.belizeit.com, www.travelbelize.com, and www.belize.com.
Here are some accommodations with an eco-friendly aspect:
Chan Chich Lodge
Chan Chich Lodge is in Northwestern Belize. Located within a 250,000 acre private reserve, it is bordered to the north by another 262,000 acres of protected lands managed by Programme for Belize. You can retrace the footsteps of the Maya on your own, or local guides with extensive knowledge of the flora, fauna and Mayan history are available to guide you through this tropical paradise.
Casa Del Caballo Blanco
Here you'll be greeted by the sights and sounds of the Mopan River Valley - a panoramic view that encompasses Guatemala to the west, parrots flying overhead, and the rising sun. Knoll-top cabanas are naturally cooled by the prevailing afternoon breezes, and each night the lights of small villages along the Mopan River can be seen twinkling in the far-off jungle.
Turneffe Flats
Turneffe Flats has long been recognized as a premier saltwater fly fishing, scuba diving and marine ecotourism destination. Located on Belize's Turneffe Atoll, the largest and most biologically diverse atoll in the Caribbean. Air-conditioned beachfront cabins offer an incredible tropical seascape with a white sand beach, tranquil bonefish flats, lush mangroves and the surf breaking over the reef for miles in either direction. Watch a spectacular sunrise from the veranda and when night falls, the stars look close enough to touch.
Turneffe Island Lodge
Come enjoy a unique private island diving and fishing lodge in Belize. Located 30 miles offshore, the lodge is hidden deep in the southern tip of The Turneffe Atoll - one of the Earth's great ocean eco-systems. Fully developed and renovated over the past five years, Turneffe Lodge has been enjoyed by many divers dating back to the 1960s.
The cabanas come with private indoor bathrooms and showers - and a private outdoor shower. Electricity is standard U.S. power, water is solar heated, and all septic is refined. The lodge also offers a range of environmental and conservation resources for guests to learn about the oceans and how to help protect them.
The Lodge at Chaa Creek
The Lodge at Chaa Creek was voted "Best Eco Lodge" 2003 & 2004 by Caribbean Travel & Life. Canoe on pristine rivers, hike, bike, and horseback-ride through jungle trails, explore Mayan caves and temples, enjoy exhilarating spa treatments and charming accommodations in a 345-acre nature reserve.
Mama Noots Backabush Resort
A private resort in the heart of the Mayflower Bocawina National Park, located in the Stann Creek District. The resort provides all of your creature comforts using solar, wind, & micro-hydro for electricity 24/7. Numerous waterfalls for bathing. Hiking trails for all ages and a bird watchers' paradise. Mayan ruin sites are a five-minute walk from your front door. Look carefully, you might even catch a glimpse of a jaguar!
Coco Plum Resort
Coco Plum Cay is a 15-acre private island located near the barrier reef in Southern Belize. Here guests can enjoy a very private setting in one of five deluxe beachfront cabanas and a beautiful thatched-roof restaurant and bar. All facilities have panoramic views of the crystal clear turquoise waters and lovely white sand beaches which surround the island. The waters are shallow enough to enable guests to walk from one island to the other.
Other Resort Accommodations
Blackbird Caye Resort
There is something at Blackbird Caye Resort for everyone. You can be as busy as you like, diving, snorkeling, kayaking or slowing down and reading a book among the 166 acres that encompass the resort. Enjoy the tranquility of this tropical paradise.
Hamanasi Dive & Adventure Resort
Vacation and relax in a spacious treehouse, beachfront room or honeymoon suite with handcrafted hardwood furnishings, air conditioning and private porches. Hamanasi offers scuba diving and snorkeling on Belize's Great Barrier Reef and Belize's three atolls. Planned excursions climbing Mayan pyramids, hiking through rainforests in search of hidden caves, to spotting elusive birds and wildlife can be arranged.
Isla Marisol Resort
Isla Marisol Resort offers beach combing, diving, and fishing vacations on a private island. Plan a professionally guided tour featuring scuba diving, nitrox diving, snorkeling, fishing, beach combing, and seafood feasts, all set in the exotic environment of the tropics. The view of the dawn and the sunset from the pier is spectacular.
Radisson Fort George Hotel & Marina
The Fort George Hotel, set on the beautiful coast of Belize in Central America, is an award-winning resort hotel that is convenient to the cultural and commercial attractions of Belize City. When it's time to relax, guests at the Fort George Hotel in Belize can enjoy two swimming pools, a fitness center and a full-service marina. The hotel ataff can arrange Belize sightseeing tours, including diving trips.
Ramon's Village
Ramon's Village Resort, located on the stunning island of Ambergris Caye, offers travelers the opportunity to experience the glorious oceanic and jungle adventures found in the quaint Central American country of Belize. Ramon's offers 61 authentic thatched-roof cabanas, an 80-foot lagoon-style pool, full service dive center, beachside restaurant, crystal white sand beach, 400-foot pier and the Purple Parrot nightspot.
SunBreeze Beach Hotel
The Sunbreeze Beach Hotel is an idyllic Caribbean getaway on sun-swept Ambergris Caye just a few minutes' stroll from the quaint resort town of San Pedro, and adjacent to the barrier reef, which has made Belize a favorite diving destination for divers from around the world.Using the SunBreeze Beach Hotel as your base, you can coordinate your diving, snorkeling, fishing trips, or an archaeological adventure on the mainland.
Ambergris Caye
Banyan Bay Villas
Deluxe family-oriented resort, two-bedroom suites, w/ full kitchen, air conditioning, Jacuzzi tub, cable TV, pool, on-the-water dining, full dive shop and dive tours, snorkeling tours, fishing guides, jungle trips, Mayan ruin tours, Hobbie Cat sailing school, windsurfing school and rentals.
Cayo District
Crystal Paradise Resort
Crystal Paradise is nestled amidst the rainforest and alongside the beautiful Macal River, surrounded by beautiful palms and exotic trees, creating an exotic atmosphere. The resort was built using the ancient art of palm-thatched roofs that blend with the natural beauty of Belize.
Placencia
The Inn at Robert's Grove
The Inn at Robert's Grove, Belize's only five-star beachfront resort, is a comfortable, elegant outpost from which to experience all the wonders of Belize -- the reef, rainforest and Maya ruins. Nestled on 15 lush acres between the Caribbean and Placencia Lagoon, the inn has 52 oceanfront air-conditioned rooms and suites, with king beds, cable TV and private terraces
Stann Creek District
Jaguar Reef Lodge
The adventure tours bring guests face-to-face with the natural wonders of the reefs, rivers, jungles, and ancient ruins of this exotic land under the guidance of professional guides.
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