All-Inclusive Belize Resorts: The Ultimate Vacation Experience

Belize is a popular destination for tourists seeking a combination of nature tourism and all-inclusive luxury resorts. The country offers beachfront resorts and treehouses in the forest canopy, most of which are available on all-inclusive packages.

All-inclusive packages in Belize typically include hotel rooms, meals, on-site activities, a few excursions, and transportation within the country. However, international flights, alcoholic drinks, and unlimited excursions are usually not included.

- Coco Plum Island Resort

- Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort

- Turneffe Island Resort

- Belizean Dreams Resort

- Manta Island Resort

- Matachica Resort & Spa

- Shaka Caye Island Resort

- Dream Valley Belize

- Alaia Belize

- Chabil Mar Villas

- The Lodge at Chaa Creek

- Las Terrazas Resort

- Chabil Mar Villas

- Sirenian Bay Resort & Villas

Belize all-inclusive packages and add-ons

Belize is a great destination for all-inclusive vacations, with a range of resorts offering worry-free experiences that include accommodations, meals, activities, and transfers. Here are some of the top all-inclusive packages and add-ons available in Belize:

Coco Plum Island Resort

Coco Plum Island Resort is an award-winning adults-only resort located off the coast of Dangriga, offering a perfect Southern Belize island getaway for couples. The all-inclusive packages include oceanfront accommodations, complimentary water sports activities, group snorkeling tours, all meals, local alcoholic beverages, and transfers from the Belize International Airport. They also offer add-ons such as the Honeymoon & Romance package, which includes romantic perks for newlyweds.

Turneffe Island Resort

Turneffe Island Resort is a luxury resort located on a private island southeast of Belize City. The all-inclusive experience covers meals, access to the pool, gym, kayaks, paddle boards, and catamarans. They offer fishing, diving, and snorkeling packages for an additional cost. The resort provides round-trip transfers from the international airport via boat or helicopter.

Belizean Dreams Resort

Belizean Dreams Resort is an intimate beachfront resort located in Hopkins, a friendly fishing village in southern Belize. They offer all-inclusive packages that include accommodations, dining, airport transfers, select tours and activities, and access to pools, kayaks, bicycles, and snorkel gear. Extra excursions and add-ons are also available to cater to guests' interests.

Manta Island Resort

Manta Island Resort is located on Glover's Atoll, offering 11 oceanfront cabanas and three two-bedroom villas. The all-inclusive package covers meals, beverages, airport and boat transfers, water sports gear, and guided snorkeling tours. They are a sibling property of Belizean Dreams Resort, Coco Plum Island Resort, and Laru Beya Resort, all offering all-inclusive packages.

Matachica Resort & Spa

Matachica Resort & Spa is located north of San Pedro Town and is one of the best all-inclusive resorts in Belize. They offer a variety of all-inclusive packages that include accommodations, domestic transportation, and complimentary activities like spa treatments, kayaking, snorkeling, and biking. Additional excursions such as scuba diving, fishing, cave tubing, and zip-lining can be arranged for a fee.

Chabil Mar Villas

Chabil Mar Villas in Placencia offers customizable seven-night all-inclusive packages themed around adventure, fishing, diving, sailing, birding, and wellness. The packages include transportation within Belize, themed activities, most meals, and access to kayaks, bicycles, paddle boards, and two seaside infinity pools.

Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort

Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort is a boutique resort located between the Caribbean Sea and the Maya Mountains. They offer all-inclusive packages that include accommodations, meals, domestic transfers, and guided tours. The resort features treehouse rooms, beachfront rooms, and suites decorated with folk art and hardwood furniture.

These are just a few examples of the all-inclusive packages and add-ons available in Belize. Each resort offers unique features and experiences to cater to different interests and preferences.

Belize's ancient ruins and beaches

Belize is a country rich in ancient ruins and beautiful beaches.

Ancient Ruins

The land that is now Belize was once the heartland of the ancient Maya Empire. The country is dotted with Maya archaeological sites, including:

• Caracol, the largest Maya archaeological site in Belize and the centre of one of the largest Maya kingdoms.
• Cerros, one of the earliest Maya sites, located on Corozal Bay in northern Belize.
• Lamanai, the longest continually occupied site in Mesoamerica, with the remains of a Roman Catholic church established by Spanish conquistadores still standing.
• Xunantunich, the first Maya site to be opened to visitors in 1950, was once home to 200,000 people and is said to be haunted by the ghost of a woman, known as the 'Stone Woman'.
• El Pilar, a 100-acre site with 12 pyramids and 25 plazas.
• Cahal Pech, settled around 1000 BC and abandoned by 800 AD, features seven plazas and over 30 structures, including temples, residential buildings, ball courts, an altar, and a sweat house.

Beaches

Belize also boasts stunning beaches, including:

• The Cays, an untamed beach oasis with plenty of peace, quiet, and natural beauty.
• Ambergris and the other Cays, which offer exceptional beauty and access to the Western Hemisphere's largest barrier reef, with the famous 'Great Blue Hole'. This reef is the second-largest reef system in the world and a scuba haven for divers.
• Hol Chan Marine Reserve, a popular destination for snorkelers and divers located off the southern tip of Ambergris Caye, where you can discover an underwater world filled with fish, coral, manta rays, and reef sharks.
• The beaches of San Pedro, where you can enjoy water sports, explore ancient ruins, and indulge in delicious cuisine at restaurants such as Ahi, known for its Key Lime Pie.

The Belize Barrier Reef and the Great Blue Hole

The Belize Barrier Reef is the second-largest reef system in the world. From the air, the Belize reefs appear as unbroken chains of white surf running along the Caribbean side of the Yucatan Peninsula. One of the highlights of the reef is the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef.

The Great Blue Hole is a giant marine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It is located near the centre of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 70km from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular, over 300 metres across, and 125 metres deep. It is the largest natural formation of its kind in the world.

The Great Blue Hole was made famous by Jacques Cousteau, who declared it one of the top five scuba diving sites in the world. It is a world-class destination for recreational scuba divers, who are attracted by the opportunity to dive in crystal-clear waters and see myriad species of marine life, including tropical fish and spectacular coral formations. The Blue Hole is also home to nurse sharks, giant groupers, and several types of reef sharks, such as the Caribbean reef shark and the Blacktip shark.

Dive excursions to the Great Blue Hole are full-day trips, usually consisting of one dive in the Blue Hole and two additional dives in nearby reefs. The Blue Hole is for advanced divers, involving a descent to a depth of 135 feet. However, thousands of divers with varying levels of experience have successfully undertaken this dive.

Belize's Mayan roots

Belize has deep Mayan roots, with the Mayan civilisation establishing itself in the country around 1500 BC. It is estimated that a million Mayas lived within its modern borders, and the Maya civilisation in Belize dates back to as early as 1500 BC, reaching its peak between 300 and 900 AD.

Belize is often referred to as the "Heart of the Maya" and has the highest concentration of Maya sites among all Central American countries. The Maya people contributed greatly to society and modern-day Belize, from their impressive buildings, to the creation of the modern calendar, and the development of a written language.

The Maya people were also skilled artisans, producing decorative pottery, murals, figurines, whistles, and carvings in jade, obsidian, slate, human, and animal bone. They also cleared routes through jungles and swamps to foster extensive trade networks.

The Maya Empire declined with the arrival of the Spanish in the 16th century, and the Spanish Conquest in 1524 led to continuous religious suppression. However, the Maya spirit and culture endured, and it remains a vibrant and thriving culture in Belize today.

Belize is now the only English-speaking country in the Maya world, and the passion for preserving Maya culture is deeply rooted in its people. Visitors can explore ancient Maya sites, such as Caracol, Xunantunich, Altun Ha, La Milpa, and Lamanai, as well as experience modern Maya culture in villages like Santa Teresa.

Getting to and around Belize

By Air

Belize's major international airport is Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE), which is about 30 minutes from Belize City. Domestic airlines Maya Island Air and Tropic Air operate flights from Belize City Municipal Airport and Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport to popular destinations such as San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Dangriga, Placencia, and Punta Gorda. Fares start at around BZ$70-90.

By Land

Belize has three major highways: the Northern, Western, and Southern. The majority of the country is well-served by public transport, with buses being the cheapest and most efficient way to travel. The longest trip in the country, from Belize City to Punta Gorda, costs only BZ$25. Express buses serve the main towns, while slower local services connect villages off the main highways. Taxis are also available and are easy to flag down in Belize City and Ambergris Caye's main city, San Pedro. Fares typically range from BZ$10-15.

By Sea

Water taxis are the best way to access Belize's numerous cayes. The San Pedro Belize Express operates daily shuttle services between Belize City, Caye Caulker, and Ambergris Caye, with one-way tickets costing between $21 and $31. Boats and water taxis are also necessary to visit barrier reef attractions and other coastal hotspots.

Frequently asked questions