Without the glare of a screen, or the starkness of electric lights, you can bask in the night sky’s glow while indulging in a meal at The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant thanks to The Belize Collection’s conservation initiative, ‘Lights Out’. ‘Lights Out’ is a monthly full moon event that seeks to reattune the body to a preindustrial harmonious state while maintaining all the decadence one expects from a world-class resort.

The event is inspired by the World Wildlife Fund’s Earth Hour where the organization encourages people to turn off their lights for an hour on the last Saturday in March as a symbol of commitment to the planet. By turning off electric lights, people the world over demonstrate their desire for a planet that sees all peoples and other fauna and flora thrive as we strive towards a just transition to renewable energies.

Enjoy a meal while bathed in the luminescence of complementary moon and candlelight. Coinciding with the full moon phase, this event provides a wonderful opportunity for overnight guests and local visitors seeking a night of romance and intimacy.

Arrive at the Grove House by 7:15 p.m. to be seated and watch as the restaurant transforms at 7:30 p.m. with the dousing of all electrical lighting. Candles adorn every dining table and line the walls of the Grove Restaurant, giving a magical glow to the night’s meal. Come with your partner, or a small group of your closest friends and family and share in the splendorous night.

Dining without electric lighting not only inspires a more intimate feel to the night’s activities but also demonstrates to diners the great power and privilege humans have in accessing these artificial illuminations. By reveling in the nighttime light of other animals, diners will find themselves regrounded on a planet shared with our various animal kin.

To further enliven the night, Lights Out also now comes with an exclusive dining menu for you to partake of while bathed in nature’s luminescence. Start the meal with a lustrous blood orange & ricotta thyme & olive salad that balances rich and light flavors that’ll prep you for the night to come. From there, choose between an achiote and capers fish fillet served with bok choy and mustered spice potato medallions or a chuleta de puerco with sour orange and caramel sauce.

End your meal with perfection in the form of a mini one barrel rum cake. You’re also able to order from the regular Grove House menu, which will always feature favorites crafted by The Belize Collection’s Chef Rahim and executed by the Grove’s expertly trained staff.

You’ll leave satiated, calm, and thrilled at the prospect of the oneness of all things, of the fact that though your eyes first struggled with the dark, by dessert you could see all that’s important. This a reminder that all our devices and electronic connections cannot substitute for the simple pleasure of good food, loving company, and a brilliant night where all your needs are met.

As The Belize Collection continues its work at enhancing the customer experience while contributing to Belize’s conservation efforts, ‘Lights Out’ serves as just another example that luxury and harmony for all can coexist.

Call today to reserve a table for our next full moon event.

The Belize resort welcomed Their Royal Highnesses with open arms as they stopped in Belize during their Caribbean tour in March 2022. It was the first leg of their journey in honor of Queen Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee. Prince William and Princess Kate had the privilege of staying in the Seafront Suite at The Lodge at Jaguar Reef. Draped in thoughtful decor and ultimate comfort, the suite offered unobstructed views of the stunning Caribbean Sea. With a private plunge pool, vaulted ceilings, and a mere step away from the beach, it’s hard to imagine royalty wanting for more.

The happy couple spent every waking chance they could strolling along Jaguar Reef’s silk-sand beach – and how couldn’t they? Jaguar Reef’s ideal location makes it impossible not to admire purple-hued sunrises breaking over the dreamy horizon – a horizon you can admire from the lodge’s very own over-the-water bar. Big Dock Bar is the perfect hanging-out spot for those wanting to relax and sip a cocktail while admiring the sea views. Which is exactly what the Prince and Princess did during their stay at Jaguar Reef. The Belize resort’s very own mixologist served them rum punch while the duo lounged at Big Dock Bar.

The Lodge at Jaguar Reef made sure their royal guests had not only the best-mixed cocktails but the best cuisine, too. Decadent meals were served straight from the resort’s onsite restaurant, the Paddle House. However, instead of sitting within the boho-chic restaurant, Prince William and Princess Kate opted for enjoying their meals under the stars instead. The local chefs were ecstatic to share authentic Belizean dishes with such esteemed guests. After all, Hopkins is a cultural Mecca teeming with people (and food) from all walks of life. It’s only natural to show a little slice of Belizean paradise through tasty cuisine!

Speaking of culture, Their Royal Highnesses had the opportunity to see Hopkins’ very own Garifuna culture up close and personal. During their stay, the royal couple immersed themselves in a lively dance set to Garifuna drumming. They shimmied and swayed their hips alongside the local schoolchildren who were more than happy to dance with a prince and princess! To see royals come from across the world to admire the beauty of Hopkins and its people with their own eyes is nothing short of extraordinary – and we’re sure the feeling was mutual.

While the Prince and Princess were quite busy during their short Hopkins stay, they knew they would come back to a room where they wind down with sweeping views of the ocean. The Lodge at Jaguar Reef may be used to treating guests like royalty, but this time the phrase took on a whole new meaning. We hope the Prince and Princess of Wales enjoyed their time in Belize as much as we enjoyed having them.

If you’d like to experience the royal treatment yourself at Jaguar Reef, check out our exclusive vacation packages here.

Belize is a remarkable place for birdwatching due to being a wintering site for many migratory species and also due to its range of ecologies from wetlands to tropical rainforests and mountain regions. The Belize Collection’s resorts cover several of these ecologies, putting you in an ideal position to incidentally or intentionally sight some of these feathered wonders.

The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant is the perfect place for you to spot birds drawn to tropical lowland forests, such as the scarce black and white owl. Meanwhile The Lodge at Jaguar Reef provides a great opportunity for you to venture to the Sittee River where you may run into a cattle heron. Further south at Umaya Resort, flying across the coast you might just spot a royal tern in search of its next meal.

With over 600 species observed and 809 ‘hotspots’ on global bird sighting app Ebird, Belize is rife with birds that will astonish and soothe you. Here are six birds you may get a chance to see while visiting one of the three The Belize Collection resorts.

Violet Sabrewing
Most likely sighted at The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant

Though hummingbirds are known for their miniature quality, the violet sabrewing is unusual for its remarkably large size and aggressive demeanor. It prefers to reside in humid evergreen forest in highlands and foothills, meaning that you’re most likely to spot one while walking around the Rainforest Lodge. If you see a burst of violet at the corner of your eye, be sure to break out your binoculars to sight this gorgeous bird before it flits away.

Bare-throated Tiger Heron
Most likely sighted at The Lodge at Jaguar Reef

Belize has over 12 heron varieties, but for many the bare-throated tiger heron is the GOAT, not for its scarcity but for its sheer regality. A large but rather short-legged, primal-looking bird, the bare-throated heron is a denizen of mangroves and freshwater marshes in tropical lowlands. All plumages have naked yellow throat skin that’s not always easy to see and greenish legs. You can find them minding their own business indifferent to your observation. Regardless, a choice sighting should you get to bask in their glory. Bow to heron, queen of marshes.

Sungrebe
Most likely sighted at Umaya

Not all birds are fans of the forests and its bustling activity. Some, like the Sungrebe, prefer to pass their time out of the sun amid shady streams, mangroves, quiet ponds, and lake edges. The Sungrebe can be found swimming with a quirky slightly head-jerking motion. The striped head and neck and stout pointed bill are distinctive. You’ll perhaps spot one of these while lounging near the lagoon at Umaya Resort sipping on a sorrel cocktail. An easy one to tick off the checklist if you’re willing to wile the day away, and why not when you’re on vacation?

Collared Aracari
Most likely sighted at The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant

The Collared Aracai is an attractive small toucan of tropical lowland forest and edge. They usually move in small groups through the canopy of fruiting trees. With yellow bodies with red and black markings and a serrated pattern on their bill, they are sure to make an impression. These toucans have been sighted from the private balconies of the Mountain View Suites at the Rainforest Lodge, scouting the fruit trees and catching up with each other. Break out a cup of coffee and join them in the morning hours.

Black-and-white Hawk-eagle
Most likely sighted at any time

As a kid you’re told to avoid looking at the sun, but it may be worth ignoring that advice for a chance to see the black-and-white hawk-eagle. An eagle that is rarely ever seen perched, it makes its home in lowland tropical forest. Look for its distinctive black mask, orange-yellow base of bill, and short black crest. It can sometimes be mistaken for an immature Gray-headed Kite, but its considerably larger size should indicate to you that you’re in the presence of something more majestic.

Keel-billed Motmot
Most likely sighted at The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant

One of three Motmot varieties sighted in Belize, the Keel-billed Motmot is smaller than its cousin the Lesson Motmot. These birds are forest-dwellers that like to sit around motionless on trees, so you’ll have to play a bit of ‘Where’s Waldo?’ to see one as you’re making your way up the hill on the Outlook trail. Like many introverts, they don’t get out much and can be hard to find. If you’re lucky enough to spot one, you’ll have bragging rights among the birders for years.

First located exclusively at The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant, Don Tonito’s (launched in 2019) was such a success that managing director Ian Lizarraga and the Collection’s executive chef Rahim Melendez decided that the restaurant was due for an expansion. In 2022, they set out to do just that. They’ve successfully developed two new locations at The Lodge at Jaguar Reef and Umaya Resort.

Now every resort under The Belize Collection banner has something familiar for visitors to complement the elevated Belizean cuisines at our signature restaurants, the Grove House, the Paddle House, and Restaurante Laguna.

Of course, expanding a restaurant into a franchise is more than making the same kitchens in a new area. It also requires training personnel in the delicate art of pizza-making. Chef Rahim took it upon himself to recruit from across The Belize Collection’s kitchens for this venture. Several of Don Tonito’s new cooks had humble origins working as dishwashers at The Belize Collection before being hand selected by Chef Rahim for weeks-long training.

Chef Rahim says he recruited in this manner because he believes that if you’re willing to ‘plant a seed, you can yield great results with care.’ In his own words, a basic pizza is not hard to make, but doing them with a high degree of excellence requires a high degree of attention throughout the process of creating the dough with its fermentation and ensuring the ovens maintain the right temperature.

That attention to detail was one of the kinks Chef Rahim and his team had to work out at the new beachfront Don Tonito’s locations. For instance, the rainforest-inhabiting original cooks its pizzas at 700 degrees Fahrenheit. However, due to the sea breeze facing the new locations, Rahim has had to increase the temperatures to 750 degrees to achieve the same quality visitors have come to expect. Although pizzas originated across the ocean, using wood-burning stoves has been a long-held tradition of Belizean cooks. The locally sourced wood infuses the pizza with the terroir of the Jewel itself.

The pizzas are made of the same high-quality ingredients at all three locations. The flour used is a protein-rich variety custom-made for The Belize Collection by ADM flour mill in Belize City. This blend allows the pizzas achieve the crispiness, elasticity, and earthiness unmatched by other pizza proprietors that often use off-the-shelf flour varieties. The yeast is a variety that holds up to higher temperatures than what’s typically used in residential cooking, withstanding the high heat of Don Tonito’s ovens. Lastly, the cheese used is a variety with a lower fat content compared to local counterparts, minimizing the greasiness of the pizza and allowing for balance between the pizza’s various flavors.

With ovens fueled with locally sourced wild craboo trees, Don Tonito’s pizza pies possess a flavor unlike any other available in the country. Chef Rahim is proud of what The Belize Collection has been able to accomplish. For Ian Lizarraga, Don Tonitos’s reaffirms The Belize Collection’s commitment to what has made it such a success: providing Belizean authenticity. Grab a slice on your next trip.

1. Maya Chocolate Tour

After checking in and taking a quick look at your accommodations, start your stay with the Maya Chocolate Tour. This tour will take you through the entire chocolate production process according to traditional Maya techniques. Learn the work involved in growing cacao, harvesting it, and transforming it into delectable chocolate treats. Instead of buying chocolate at the store like every other Valentine’s Day, you and your partner will learn how to make chocolate of your very own that you’ll be able to take with you for a midnight treat.

2. Swim & Savor Ceviche at Big Dock Bar

Once you’ve gorged on some choice chocolate treats, head to the Big Dock Bar where you can leap from the dock straight into the Caribbean Sea. Enjoy the sensation of the warm sea as you course through laps around the dock, or simply thread while enjoying the sound of the waves lapping against the shore. Take a break on the dock where you can lay out and sunbathe while the Big Dock’s ceviche expert prepares for you a zesty and fresh ceviche made from seasonal seafood.

3. Set Sail on the Hobie Cat

There’s nothing quite so romantic as taking to sea by a sailboat except for maybe venturing out on the lodge’s Hobie Cat. A sailing boat small in size that delivers in both intimacy and adventure, you’ll set to the seas on the coast of Hopkins with our famous Captain Larry. If you’ve got sailing experience, he’ll be glad to hand over the ropes to you so you and your partner can appreciate all it takes to travel with nothing but grit and the wind at your sails.

4. Private Dinner on the Beach

You’ve done a lot together already, but it’d be a shame to call it a day before enjoying a private dinner on the beach courtesy of the Paddle House. Booked earlier in the day, this quintessential romantic encounter includes a private table, candles and flowers with your meal. Choose from a collection of wines, champagnes or mocktails. Pair with a special Valentine’s Day dinner menu curated by Chef Rahim, available exclusively on the day of love, and have yourselves an exquisite dining experience neither of you will ever forget.

5. Wind Down in your Private Plunge Pool

As the lodge quietly turns in for the night and the lights begin to go out, retreat to your room for some rest and relaxation. The Deluxe Suite at Jaguar Reef comes equipped with a plunge pool perfect for cuddling and rinsing off the salt air. Take your time and enjoy your company before you launch into your next big day together.

Discard the Old Habits, and Encounter the New You at The Belize Collection

2022 was another challenging year for many, so who can blame you if you didn’t keep up with the workouts or reading a book a week? Still, for those lucky enough to see a new year, January brings an opportunity for change, abandoning those habits that took us away from who we want to be and rediscovering those that better align with, well, you.

Let 2023 be the year that you reattune with what’s best for yourself, and make the resorts at The Belize Collection help you by providing the perfect setting and conditions to get started.

            What makes The Belize Collection an ideal set of locales to reencounter yourself is that all of the Collection’s resorts offer seamless ways to integrate better habits into your life. For example, say you’re looking to hit 10,000 steps a day in the new year. Well, at The Rainforest Lodge at Sleeping Giant, you’ll be covered with many trails easily accessible, holding an abundance of tropical jungle sights to stop and gawk at along the way. So go at it at whatever pace you like, and re-enliven those parts of yourself that have lain dormant in the tumult of the past few years.

If cycling is more your speed, get a complimentary bike near the check-in desk and circle the property as much as you like as you find that peak moment of zen where you and the bicycle hit maximum flow.

Do you plan to practice yoga for core strength and mindfulness next year? Get your practice started in the best location by grabbing a yoga mat at our on-site yoga deck overlooking the creek. Move through poses while surrounded by a grounding space undisturbed by bustling culture. When you feel you’ve done enough, treat yourself to a cooldown swim in the crystalline creek.
You can also use your time at the Lodge to put the phone down more often. Wi-fi is intentionally limited solely to the rooms, lounge, and dining area to give you opportunities for an electronic fast.

If getting reattuned in a beach setting is more to your liking, you’ve got plenty of options with the Lodge at Jaguar Reef and Almond Beach Resort in Hopkins and the Umaya Resort in Placencia. Swim out into the soothing Caribbean Sea, where you can take a few laps in front of the Lodge before heading to the Big Dock bar to absorb some precious vitamin D in the bar’s sunning area. You can bring along that book you never got around to last year, and while away the hours alternating between swimming and brilliant literature.
Sometimes developing new habits involves taking more time to appreciate your present moment. Umaya offers the perfect conditions for that with a lagoonside deck that provides an exceptional opportunity to simply take in the setting sun as it courses across the water and behind the nearby Maya Mountains. Meditate or practice yoga there if you’d like to make your mindfulness practice a little more active. Or don’t. This year is going to be all about trusting yourself, building confidence in your instincts, and saying yes to more and no whenever you feel like it.

That goes for the food as well. While The Belize Collection offers many indulgences crafted by the Collection’s renowned Chef Rahim, all our resorts offer you the means to start on a more balanced path. Enjoy a steak one night and a luscious fruit bowl the following day as a promise to your older self. Swap out the fried potatoes for an arugula salad with one of our entrees. Make that switch from sodas to natural fruit juices you’ve been meaning to do for months. Day by day, as you make these adjustments, you’ll feel better able to recommit to how you want to live in mind, body, and soul.
You deserve to live as the best version of yourself. A visit to The Belize Collection’s resorts will catalyze the changes you want to make for 2023 and beyond.
We’re evolving to the next step in our journey.

 Join us.

For The Archaeologically Curious

Ceremonial Cave at Sleeping Giant

The Ceremonial Cave, located right on the grounds of Sleeping Giant, provides an opportunity for visitors to see a site significant to the Maya of the past and present. After a jungle hike, you’ll be thrust into a cave featuring pottery, tools as well as skeletal remains. With impressive cave formations formed over thousands of years, you’ll be enlivened by the space that was once a site of significant spiritual practices. A great primer for those interested in learning about ancient Maya practices, the Ceremonial cave is a perfect half-day excursion for those staying at the Rainforest Lodge.

For the Chill Adventurer

St. Herman’s Cave Tubing Adventure

On some vacation days, you wanna just chill and not move as much as possible, but you feel like you oughta explore and do something adventurous. Not many tours meet those criteria. Fortunately, the cave tubing adventure at St. Herman’s Cave fits the bill. Located in the Blue Hole National Park nearby the Rainforest Lodge the tour involves a short, moderate hike before you’re handed a tube and enter the soothing cave waters. From there, you’ll course through the cave at a gentle pace, taking in its many sights. You’ll be able to cross off one more thing off the bucket list while relaxing.

For the Bushmen and Merfolk

Jaguar Preserve Waterfall Hike

First things first. Despite the name, you’re unlikely to see a jaguar on this tour, but take solace in the fact that they might see you. No worries though. Jaguars keep to themselves when they encounter a greater predator. On this leisurely hike covering the world’s only jaguar (Panthera onca) preserve, you’ll come across markers of the big cats’ presence as well as a wide assortment of other animals indigenous to Belize including howler monkeys, tapirs and peccaries. Once at the waterfall, take a dip, and cool down knowing you’re in one of the best places for Belize’s wildlife.

For the Fish Lovers

South Water Reef Snorkeling

Launching from Jaguar Reef’s dock, the South Water Reef Snorkeling tour starts with a 30-minute boat ride to the South Water Caye marine reserve. Once there, you’ll start your first of two 45-minute snorkel stops. You’ll swim through the world’s longest unbroken barrier reef system and get to observe all the life teeming within. Don’t forget to breathe as the sights will take your breath away.

For those Into Vintage Cities

Xunantunich Maya Site

Xunantunich is one of the major Maya sites in Belize featuring El Castillo, the second-highest structure in Belize (yes, including all contemporary buildings). With 6 major plazas and 25 temples to see, you’ll be able to roam around for hours imagining what it was like when the area was a thriving place of Maya commercial and ceremonial activity. Climb the accessible temples and appreciate a view of one of the world’s greatest civilizations.

For Those Heart-Pounding Action

Angel Falls Extreme Zipline

Get a birds-eye view of the Maya Mountain forest canopies with this zipline tour. Over three hours, you’ll zoom through the Maya Mountains like a hawk on the hunt. Look ahead, look down, look wherever you like as you’re guided through a sphere that few humans get to experience.

For the Chocoholics

Maya Chocolate Tour

You. Yes, you. You claim to be a lover of chocolate yet you’ve never seen the cacao pods fresh from the tree, or ground the dried pods to a rich paste. This is your chance to correct that lapse in your commitment to chocolate. You’ll learn all about the process required to get the fruit of the gods from the farm to a bar and also learn the significance of cacao to the Maya. By the end of the tour, you’ll get to appreciate the work that goes into making your very own chocolate bar and delight in samples made by this family-run chocolate tour company.

For Those Seeking the Sacred

ATM Cave

Actun Tunichil Muknal, often called the ATM Cave, is a site that requires perhaps the greatest amount of physical and spiritual endurance of all those in this list. Start with a hike through the Tapir Mountain Nature Reserve before arriving at the mouth of the cave. From there, you’ll swim, yes, swim, into the cave. Once in, you, the guide, and the rest of your group will venture through the cave observing a wide swath of Maya artifacts before concluding with a viewing of the Crystal Maiden whose skeleton has been well-preserved for over 1000 years. Beyond the artifacts, those that visit sometimes speak of the profound impact the journey to the cave has on them. Be ready to have your soul probed and reemerge into the sunlight with new insights.

For the Drum-Curious

Ultimate Garifuna Cultural Immersion

The Ultimate Garifuna Cultural Immersion sends you right into the heart of Garifuna culture. You’ll get an opportunity to experience Garifuna music as has been practiced in Belize since they arrived from St. Vincent. After an introduction, you’ll be led through a tutorial of the primero and segunda drums, leaving the rhythms of the Garifuna embedded in your palms to take home. No souvenir beats that.

For the Acro and Nyctophiliacs

Black Hole Drop Tour

With the Black Hole Drop Tour, you are putting your fate into one of the planet’s voids. Taking place at Actun Loch Tunich, ‘the Mother of All Caves,’ the tour involves a gentle hike up the foothills of the Maya Mountains. Once at the drop site, you’ll be tethered by your guide and repel down. As you descend into the blackness beneath you, you’ll experience an incredible rush of sensations while your mind makes sense of what you’re perceiving. Once through the rainforest canopy and in the cavern, you’ll be treated to a picnic lunch before climbing back out.
A tour for those ready for great highs and lows, this will be one you won’t forget.

For Those That Can Never Get Enough Waterfalls

Some tours will take you to one waterfall, maybe two if you’re lucky. This one allows you to experience the joy of 7 waterfalls within the Caves Branch area. Over half a day, you’ll hike through the jungle and a cave then scramble up the waterfalls to a series of refreshing pools. Catch your breath while enjoying a candlelit meal then start the return home via either a plunge into the waterfalls below or belaying to the ground. This is the ultimate photo opp that’ll give you the chance to capture images unavailable anywhere else in Belize.

For Those That Prefer Kayaks to Rivertubes

Cave Kayaking Adventure at Five Blues National Park

Venture through a three-cave system on this kayaking tour that’ll put you up close to a range of geological formations and lush jungle scenes. With a mild current, the tour provides you an opportunity to slowly take in the sights as you press on through the caves. You’ll get a great workout along with an unmatched lesson in Belize’s cave ecosystems all in one go.

While these are only our top twelve tours, we’ve got plenty to do from horseback riding to Maya cooking classes. The adventures never cease. Start choosing your tours for your next trip here.