Chaa Creek Resort: Belize’s Playground

Early this year Michelle Jersen, the founder, host and writer for PassportRomance.com traveled to Belize to immerse herself in the Chaa Creek experience. In this blog post, she talks about her time at Chaa Creek Resort.

After two days of hiking, climbing and swimming, I was ready for a bit of a change of pace, so we headed to the eco jungle resort, Chaa Creek.   At this 365 acre resort, you’ll have everything at your fingertips to customize your own jungle adventure.   I had met someone from Chaa Creek a few years ago at a travel trade show and had been staring at their promotional disc for years, waiting for the day I’d get to Belize so I could stay there.

After checking in to our private thatched cottage, we met with the concierge to organize the activities for the following day.  Many are included in your stay, but a few such as horseback riding and canoeing carry a small surcharge.  With so many to choose from, he was very helpful in putting together an itinerary that would maximize our time.  We started our day with the 6:30 bird watching tour followed by breakfast, then the Medicinal Mayan trail, in which our guide pointed out all sorts of trees and plants and explained what remedies they have been used to cure.

Lunch was next, followed by a three hour horseback ride to the property’s organic farm, and then a guided sunset canoe trip and the creatures of the night tour, which we didn’t end up getting to since we didn’t want to miss dinner.  The next day, we went to the butterfly farm and natural history center and I enjoyed some fabulous spa treatments, which after my week and a half of diving, hiking, climbing Mayan ruins, and swimming through caves, was well deserved and needed!

While at Chaa Creek, you don’t really need to go anywhere else, unless you choose to do some of the tours like ATM and Tikal.  You can also base yourself there and have them arrange all of your outside tours or do it yourself.  There is no reason to go anywhere else to eat, because the food is amazing and changes daily.  You can opt to pay for your meal ala carte or sign up for a package in which breakfast is just $12, lunch, $15 and dinner, $36.  We did a combination of both since the breakfasts were so filling and we weren’t always hungry for a full lunch or four course dinner. However, for $36, you’ll definitely get your money’s worth, as their dinner comes with a homemade soup and salad, entrée and delicious traditional dessert.  Even the soup took time to be served, which makes me believe everything is made from scratch.  Using organic ingredients from their farm, they are able to prepare healthy, and delicious meals with a heavy slant towards traditional Mayan dishes.  For breakfast, I always included their delicious homemade yogurt and an egg white omelet, which came stuffed with the local vegetable, chaya, rich in nutrients and comparable to spinach.   Lunch and dinner always included some great homemade soups such as a ginger carrot, creamy fish soup or a Mayan soup with a kick.

A trip to Chaa Creek would not be complete without a trip to their spa.  While you have to earn your treatment by climbing 100 steps to get there, the reward is well worth it!  (plus you’re going down steps after your pampering so no extra energy is needed!)  The views from the spa are amazing and you can choose to take your treatment inside or outside in one of their two locations.  On the porch, you can enjoy a couple’s massage, which makes for a very romantic setting.  After your treatments, you can relax in one of their lounge chairs overlooking the jungle with a hot cup of tea or water.   The spa is not big and fancy, but one that has a gorgeous view and offers affordable and amazing services and treatments.  I decided to get the “anti-free radicals mask,” which is a lift off hard mask that changes temperature during the treatment.  The gradual change of temperature from hot to cold causes two things to happen: vasodialation and penetration of all active ingredients and vitamins acting as  anti-free radicals by protecting cells’ membranes and vasoconstriction for a tight and vibrant look of the skin.  It was extremely invigorating and unlike any type of facial I have had before.

On the following day after the horseback ride, I opted to get what they call a “coma massage” which did exactly that!  I was in and out of sleep, trying so hard to stay awake to enjoy the phenomenal massage.  As soon as the therapist started, I knew I was in great hands.  My quads were so sore from climbing Tikal and muscles I didn’t know I had, from the horseback riding!  This ninety minute massage used all types of techniques and ended with total relaxation (as if I wasn’t already!) as she massaged my scalp, face and neck.

The infinity pool in the middle of the resort provides an incredible view of the jungle and is large enough to swim laps.  I really did want to go for a swim, but after my massage, all I could do was lay on a lounge chair next to the pool!

If you’re looking for more than a hotel, but your own private jungle, Chaa Creek should be your destination.

About Michelle and Passport Romance