Get the Best of Both Worlds in Belize
It’s the classic honeymoon conundrum — veg on the beach or go exploring — but when in Belize, why not do both?
By: Abbie Kozolchyk
Where to Stay
For blissful days swimming, snorkeling and just relaxing in the sun, honeymooners can take a quick private fight to the 25-room Turtle Inn, a thatch-roofed seaside spread with beautiful Balinese décor and spa near the fishing village of Placencia. Room rates start at $279 a night.
Photo courtesy of Coppola Resorts
What to Do
Scuba dive or snorkel on the Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest in the world and what Charles Darwin called “the most remarkable reef in the West Indies.” The waters around Amergris Caye and Caulker Caye are especially popular, but wherever you are, you’ll see hundreds of species of fish and sea life in a rainbow of colors, from fuchsia fish to acid-yellow eels — and some of the prettiest purple corals on earth. The astounding Great Blue Hole near Lighthouse Reef is one of the top 10 dive sites in the world: a 400-foot- deep circle of marine life, from baby butterfy fish to giant groupers and sharks.
Photo courtesy of Belize Tourism Board
About Belize
One of Central America’s smallest but most diverse nations, this 8,800-square-mile country is home to impressive Mayan ruins, crystal-clear lagoons, jungle-covered peaks and sugary white beaches. This is a place where both romance and adventure are around every corner.
Photo courtesy of Belize Tourism Board
What to Do
The ancient Mayans built sprawling civic and religious centers throughout the Yucatan and Central America. You could spend your entire honeymoon history-hopping, but be sure to put Caracol, the largest Mayan city in Belize and once home to nearly 200,000 people, on your list. Among the square-mile site’s plazas and step pyramids, you’ll find the 140-foot Sky Palace pyramid, still the country’s tallest structure.
Photo courtesy of Belize Tourism Board
Where to Stay
Experience all that Belize has to offer, from the jungle to the coast, at two Francis Ford Coppola resorts. At first, the director used Blancaneaux Lodge in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve solely for family getaways. Soon, he opened up his rainforest retreat to guests, who stay in the 20 cabanas that line the banks of Privasson Creek, nestled in a lush jungle and surrounded by Mayan sites.
Photo courtesy of Coppola Resorts
