Off the coast of Belize, you will find the Turneffe Atoll; one of three atolls of Belize’s Barrier Reef that is in turn a part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef i.e. the largest coral reef system in the World as Australia’s is now ranked second due to coral bleaching. Fun Fact – An atoll is a ring shaped reef or chain of islands made from coral which sits atop an extinct volcano or seamount.
Once inhabited by indigenous Mayans, Turneffe Atoll was an outpost for fishing to which the Europeans then used as shipping routes from the 17th Century. By 1962, Mr. Barhothy built the first offshore fishing known today as Turneffe Island Resort. The resort is found on the southern elbow of the Turneffe Atoll on the island of Little Caye Bokel and is known as the heart of the Caribbean’s infamous diving and fishing. The vast mangroves provide homes to more than 500 species of fish, sea turtles, lobsters, sting rays, dolphins etc.
Turneffe island resort is heaven on earth with its warm, friendly and personalised luxury service on its own 14-acre private island. After an hour and a half boat ride from Belize City, you are welcomed at the dock by the resort’s entire group of staff. Then given a guided tour of the island to which you will walk pass the restaurant, pool and bar and then red tin roofs of the resort’s villas, each equipped with an outdoor shower and a stunning view of the Caribbean Sea with its white sandy shores and crystal clear waters.
I had stayed in the spacious ocean front private villa and adored its tropical appeal from its teak and mahogany interiors to its relaxing outdoor shower. My favourite part was the resort’s impeccable service especially the delicious Hot Chocolate that is made ready in a basket of goodies on our porch every morning. All meals are served in the main restaurant where you sit with either friends or new guests (soon to become great friends) in a family style setting. The dishes are local and fresh and of course the lobster was my top choice. The butterscotch pancakes are also a must!
The adventure day out to the Blue Hole (happens every Tuesday) is an event that you cannot miss. It is a full day of activities where your day starts at 7:30m, coming back around 5pm. You start off with an early boat drive of 1.5 hours to the Blue Hole; however it can be a bit rough so I recommend taking sea sickness pills if you get sick easily. At the Blue Hole, you can either spend an hour snorkeling or diving around and within the Hole. The tour then heads next to Half Moon Caye; an isle that is out of this world in beauty. The colour of the water along the way to Half Moon Caye is magical with multiple shades of blues that you can’t imagine seeing all in one place.
At Half Moon Caye, you have another option to do diving or snorkeling and this was my favourite snorkel session as the amount of underwater creatures is incredible. The team then sets up a scrumptious healthy lunch for you at this isle. You can also check out the bird sanctuary to see the red footed booby birds. The tour has the option to do a third snorkeling or diving activity but be sure to pack sunblock and reapply after each session to prevent yourself from getting as sunburnt as I did! Such an amazing day – my favourite day on the trip.
There is an array of fun activities to participate at Turneffe Resort such as paddle boarding, kayaking, sailing etc. that are always available for whenever you need them. The spa is also absolutely lovely and we even booked the swedish massage; feeling quite relaxed and ready for cocktail hour after our relaxing session.
Turneffe is full of character embodying true island life with its bright architectural style and romantic and relaxing ambiance. Majority of the island’s visitors are those keen on either diving or fishing hence the resort offers special deals; either 3, 4 or 7 night packages, as the island runs transit back to Belize City only on Wednesdays and Saturdays.
The staff are very professional, courteous and ensure every possible need is attended to. The resort is a peaceful getaway where you will be well taken care of by Des, Kim and Aly whom manage the resort and special mention to Buddy whom made the snorkeling trips a true adventure.
Turneffe Island resort – Belize’s pearl where you come as strangers and leave as friends!
This is an amazing blog post Gabby! You brought me right back to Turneffe. I also love how beautiful all of your photos turned out.