The Belize Rainforest Retreat at Chaa Creek
Another chapter in the continuing story of The Lodge at Chaa Creek unfolds with a much loved area of Belize’s premier ecolodge having new life breathed into it.
As part of our Earth Day 2024 celebrations, we’re excited to announce that the former Macal River Camp is about to emerge from its chrysalis and spread fresh wings later this year as the Belize Rainforest Retreat at Chaa Creek.
Those who lamented the temporary shuttering of the Camp in 2020 will celebrate the return of its many affordable attributes when it re-emerges refreshed as the Belize Rainforest Retreat in 2024.
An attribute that was a major attraction for many people was being so completely immersed in a pristine jungle setting. And not only with none of the inconveniences of camping, but by being welcomed to use the amenities of one of Belize’s best eco-lodges just a fifteen minute picturesque stroll or canoe paddle away.
However, and especially at first, many guests see no reason to leave the quiet rustic simplicity of the Rainforest Retreat.
There’s something about being part of a little island of humanity in the midst of an unspoiled rainforest, alive with the songs and bright colours of tropical birds during the day, and the sounds of the jungle at night; a gentle serenade punctuated by the unmistakable roars of howler monkeys, the lonesome hoot of a night owl or the occasional cry of a big cat seeking a mate.
After a day canoeing the lovely Macal River, horseback riding or hiking the miles of signposted trails running through the 400-acre private nature, or learning more about the jungle during a nature walk with a licenced naturalist guide, returning to the quiet glow of the kerosene lamps lighting your little jungle home and the cosy central palapa feels like a homecoming.
After a shower and change in spotless facilities, you’re ready to stroll over to the palapa and enjoy one of the delicious home cooked meals the Juarez family have become famous for.
Later, sitting in the palapa or around the crackling campfire talking with old and new friends, perhaps listening to Docio, the Juarez family patriarch, share his local lore and history, or relaxing in a hammock on your private porch, you’re enjoying a perfect ending to another perfect day.
And tomorrow awaits…
Chaa Creek’s Rainforest Retreat’s location makes it the perfect base for exploring Belize’s many ancient Maya sites. Just as Chaa Creek’s central location made it such an important trading and agricultural hub during the ancient Maya civilisation, that same proximity makes it easy today to explore neighbouring Xunantunich, nearby Cahal Pech and Caracol, with access to major metropolises like Caracol (whose Canaan remains the tallest building in Belize today) and Tikal in Guatemala, as well as Belize’s fascinating Maya ceremonial caves, with artefact-rich Actun Tunichil Muknal (aka ATM) as the crown jewel.
Then there’s another aspect to the Belize Rainforest Retreat’s location that offers another type of perfect day – close proximity to its parent resort, The Lodge at Chaa Creek.
The lovely walk above the Macal River would be an example of “it’s the journey, not the destination,” except for the Lodge being such a satisfying destination.
Guests at the Belize Rainforest Retreat at Chaa Creek are welcome to free wifi connectivity, use of the pool, optional professional treatments at Hilltop Spa, and dining at the Mariposa Restaurant, where our onsite Maya Organic Farm allows our chefs to redefine regional and classic international cuisine with a true farm-to-table approach.
All while reducing food miles.
As for all Chaa Creek guests, guided tours of the Natural History Centre, Butterfly Farm, Maya Medicinal Plant Trail, and early morning birding walks with a naturalist guide are all included gratis with Belize Rainforest Retreat accommodation.
Earth Day 2024
There are several good reasons for announcing the opening of the revitalised Belize Rainforest Retreat later this year on Earth Day, April 22, 2024.
- The announcement that visitors have a rare opportunity to get close to nature with none of the air, noise and light pollution of everyday life on April 22 dovetails with our theme that “Every Day is Earth Day” at the Belize Rainforest Retreat At Chaa Creek.
- An April 22nd announcement makes Chaa Creek part of the largest civic event on Earth, joining billions of people from 192 countries around the world actively taking part in Earth Day activities.
- The global theme of Earth Day 2024 is “The Planet vs Plastics.” Here in Belize, single use plastic and styrofoam have been banned since March 2022. Even though the realities of the covid pandemic have slowed this effort, little Belize is protecting the world’s second largest barrier reef, and firmly on the frontlines in the global fight against plastic pollution in our planet’s oceans.
- Similarly, The Lodge at Chaa Creek has been quietly doing its part, with a long list of Green initiatives that includes giving guests souvenir aluminium water bottles they can refill at stations using state-of-the-art filtration systems to discourage the sale of plastic bottles. The BRR will employ similar strategies in ensuring that “Every Day Is Earth Day” at Chaa Creek.
Ever since 1981, when they opened it as Belize’s first true eco-lodge, Chaa Creek’s owners stressed that education was an essential component of responsible, regenerative travel – as reflected in their private 400-acre Nature Reserve, Natural History Centre, and the Maya Organic Farm that reduces food miles while encouraging visitors to learn about organic farming and gardening.
Revitalising the Belize Rainforest Retreat allows our guests to experience the beauty of nature first hand, and to appreciate the need to protect the Earth’s fragile balance of flora, fauna, and people.
You’ll be hearing more about the Belize Rainforest Retreat at Chaa Creek this year, and we invite you to come visit and experience nature in her unspoiled beauty, while enjoying the comforts of sustainably-built environments.
We hope you’ll join us in making every day an Earth Day!
