Canoeing a lazy tropical river before returning back to a tranquil Belize jungle lodge for exquisite pampering has now been thoroughly tested. It works!
Last week we began our series of prescriptions formulated to help beat those Stuck-at-Home Blues.
And the response shows that just remembering that there’s a vibrant natural world out there – that wildlife still fills Belize’s forests and rivers with sound and colour – is making many readers feel better already.
There’s comfort in knowing that birds frolic and sing, monkeys gambol about in trees, kinkajous cavort at night and beautiful big cats continue to hunt.
To become immersed in nature, to reconnect with our roots and experience the elegant balance of the natural world, is a balm for the mind, body and soul.
And then there are creature comforts such as delectable dining, beautifully appointed lodgings, friendly, attentive service, and simple pleasures like soaking up warm sun and breathing fresh air while lounging poolside or on a private veranda.
So – for this next instalment of Mother Nature’s Weekly Rx for The Blues, we offer:
Canoeing
We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again – one of our all-time favourite Belize activities is canoeing.
Some 40 years ago, when Chaa Creek was a small working farm, canoeing was the main form of transportation for farmers and everyone living along the Macal River.
Every Saturday morning a fleet of dugout canoes known as dories would ply their way towards San Ignacio Town for Market Day loaded with produce. And as the sun set, they’d wind their way back with flour, sugar, rice, beans and other necessities – continuing a tradition many hundreds of years old when local Maya would paddle to Xunantunich, Chahal Pech, and other trade and ceremonial centres.
The fact that, after all these years, we all still enjoy a paddle along the river says a lot about the joys of canoeing.
What’s not to love?
The riverine environment attracts an astounding number of birds and other wildlife coming to drink, bathe, fish, feast and generally cool off. As you silently paddle along, you’re privileged to become part of a vibrant natural world few people get to experience.
There are also little beaches for swimming and picnicking, and the traditional village of Cristo Rey, nestled above the banks between Chaa Creek and San Ignacio Town, where paddlers are welcomed with refreshments, snacks, meals, and a taste of rural village life.
The aquatic adventure ends as you drift under the historic, imported-from-Africa Hawkesworth Bridge, and tie up at the little landing (in keeping with the tradition that gentlemen and ladies do not paddle upstream, Chaa Creek delivers you and your canoe back to the Lodge).
And then the San Ignacio Adventure begins. Replete with interesting shops, art galleries, clubs and restaurants (including the decidedly delectable Guava Limb Café), you’ll want to enjoy this western town before being transported – in time for a swim, cocktails and dinner – back to the casual luxury of Chaa Creek.
And that’s Part Two of Chaa Creek’s Weekly Rx For The Blues.
Feeling better?
We thought so.
Get in touch with your favourite travel agent, or contact Chaa Creek directly to speak with an Adventure Vacation Planner who will be happy to provide more details about Belize’sTourism Gold Standard Certification and work with you to fill a personalised Mother Nature’s Natural Prescription for health and happiness.