Belize, a Caribbean travel destination full of natural wonders that also happens to have some of the coolest adventure resorts on the planet, from top-flight jungle hotels to luxurious river lodges and just about everything in between, whether you’re seeking to dive in to the country’s rich Maya history or experience very different side of the Caribbean.
Chaa Creek Perhaps the most famous of Belize’s adventure lodges, the “wildly civilized” Chaa Creek has a variety of cottages and villas with amenities like plunge pools, private jacuzzis, and butler service, with upscale “jungle cuisine” served at the Mariposa restaurant. Onsite activities and amenities include a spa, infinity pool, butterfly exhibit, natural history center, stables and organic farm, plus tours into a private, 400-acre natural preserve.
GAIA Riverlodge It’s hard to imagine a more glorious location for a resort than sitting atop the Five Sisters Waterfalls in Belize’s Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. This eco-lodge is about an hour by jeep from San Ignacio and has cabanas where guests can loll asleep to waterfall sounds, ride an electric tram down to the river below, indulge in spa treatments, tour an organic garden, take bird walks and jungle hikes, and day-trip to the ruins of Tikal and Caracol.
Chan Chich Lodge Luxury cottages and villas built in the plaza of an ancient Mayan temple offer the comforts needed to sustain hikes into the surrounding 60,000-acre Belize Maya Forest Reserve, the domain of jaguars, pumas, toucans and tapirs.
Black Rock Lodge It’s a bumpy seven miles down a dirt road to reach this eco-resort set on the banks of the Macal River amid the 13,000 acres of the Don Elijio Panti National Park. Once there, however, guests can relax in one of 20 cabins, enjoy fresh, locally sourced meals, go birdwatching or hiking, or join guided tours to caves, Mayan ruins, zip line parks, and more.
When it comes to the art of adventure, Hamanasi is hard to beat. The resort offers an impressive slate of adventures, from waterfall hikes to tropical birding and trips to the nearby Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, the only jaguar preserve on the planet. Hamanasi’s unique setting on the beach offers the best of both worlds: a way to experience Belize’s marvelous undersea world and get to the heart of the jungle, too.
The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant
Treehouse and riverside rooms and suites — some with private plunge pools — conspire with field-to-table dining to create a nest of luxury amid the natural beauty of the Sibun Nature Reserve. Perhaps the only Belize jungle resort with an on-site pizzeria, offers a variety of on and offsite activities including Mayan cooking lessons, caving, kayaking, and nighttime jungle safaris.
Jungle and ocean provide the prime activities at this all-inclusive eco-lodge in the Bocawina Mayflower National Park, with experiences ranging from hikes to a pair of unexcavated Mayan Temple Mounds to glamping on a tiny island that’s part of the Belize Barrier Reef. Accommodations are in traditional thatch-roof cabins, with the Wild Fig restaurant serving three meals daily.
Lakefront Lamanai was once a Mayan city; today, it includes this 17-cabana lodge surrounded by a multitude on on-site activities. Reached via an hour’s drive from the airport followed by an hour-long riverboat ride, the lodge offers morning paddles on the nearby lagoon to spot manatees and other wildlife, jungle hikes, visit to the local village of Indian Church, Mayan ruins and night hikes.
Filmmaker Francis Ford Coppola’s Belize jungle hideaway boasts 20 luxury villas set alongside a jungle waterfall in the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve. River swims and guided mountain bike rides are among a roster of activities and adventures that also include trips to the Caracol and Cahal Pech Mayan ruins, Rio Frio Cave, and chocolate-making class at locally owned Ajaw Chocolate.
Hidden Valley Wilderness Lodge
Ninety miles of private trails offer guests of this Belize jungle lodge endless opportunities for exploration on foot or mountain bike, including outings to hidden waterfalls, birdwatching outings, and special Kids Club adventures. Evening activities include night walks, jungle dinners, and bonfires. Rooms have wood-burning fireplaces, including the most unique one: a three-story high fire tower with a veranda offering 360-degree views of the Pine Ridge forest.
Whether your vibe is five-star luxury treehouses or rustic cabanas, you’ll find plenty to do and see at this riverside lodge. As the name implies, the lineup of tours (included with stays, as are all meals and on-site activities) including exploring local caves on foot and while tubing. Other signature tours feature rappelling into a sinkhole, visiting a botanical garden, full-day jungle hikes, and overnight cave stays and multi-day jungle survival courses.
We’d stay at Copal Tree just to experience its rum distillery (its rum took home a gold medal at last year’s Caribbean Rum Awards), but that’s just the beginning of the “to do” list at this lodge in the Mayan Mountains of Punta Gorda in southern Belize. Sixteen private suites, a three-bedroom villa, and a restaurant whose menu includes ingredients foraged from the local forests can be included in an all-inclusive package; experiences and explorations run from spa treatments and culinary classes to fishing, Caribbean reef snorkeling, and sunset cruises on the Rio Grande.
Treehouse rooms overlook a variety of activities at this luxury lodge on the banks of the Macal River, including kayaking, tubing, and evening bonfires. Offsite adventures like horseback rides to the Mayan ruins at Xunantunich can be followed by drinks at the Treehouse Bar and three-course meals with ingredients sourced from the organic Muy’Ono Farm.