Belize Ultimate Reef and Rainforest

The Main Lodge in the center of the grounds hosts the Jungle Farm Restaurant (where all meals are served, mainly using produce grown on site and serving local Belizean cuisine), Rum Bar (a relaxing area to unwind with a cocktail and snack in the early evening, or read magazines and play board games during the day), spa, swimming pool, lounge areas and observation decks boasting incredible views of the coast, extensive rain forest and the Maya mountains.
Each of the 16 suites offers complementary wifi and laundry services, and is adorned with en-suite bathrooms, air conditioning and ceiling fans, bathrobes, hairdryer and safety deposit box. Ridge suites additionally have their own private outdoor bath tubs and access to an exclusive infinity pool and wet bar. There is also one three bedroom villa which is ideal for families or small groups.

Copal Tree Lodge’s jungle surroundings make it a great birdwatching destination, and the available birding tours run by local experts provide great opportunities to see the regions impressive variety of birdlife. The grounds include reliable places to see the ornate hawk eagle, and hummingbirds, Trojans and toucans can also be expected. It’s likely you will also hear the Howler Monkeys calling. Hikes through the jungle could bring you close to various mammals, reptiles and amphibians, and tracks of larger mammals such as jaguars and tapirs are often found. Due to the lodge’s location upon the Caribbean coast, there is also an impressive offering of marine life to be seen. Diving and snorkelling tours on the Belize Barrier Reef provide viewings of tropical fish, rays, eels, turtles and much more. Alternatively, the lodge’s agricultural heart means that guests can visit their chickens and rare breeds of pig!

The available activities largely fall into two different categories: wildlife based or centring around the agritourist ethos. For those interested in the former, there are many different birding walks, or general hikes through the lodge’s nature reserve. Additionally, the marine life of the Belize barrier reef can be experienced via a snorkelling or diving excursion. For the latter, there are ‘farm to table’ tours around the on-site farm, and ‘bean to bar’ or ‘bean to cup’ workshops featuring two famous Belizean products: chocolate and coffee. Alongside these on site activities there are many cultural and culinary excursions to local attractions such as visiting the Rio Blanco waterfalls or Mayan villages and ruins, fly fishing excursions and even zip lining. Whilst these activities are individually priced, complimentary on site activities include use of canoes and kayaks, unguided hikes around the reserve and the use of mountain bikes. Copal Tree Lodge is a family-friendly resort and this is reflected in the presence of several activities tailored for children, such as kids farm tours or river fishing excursions. For those looking for a more relaxing pastime, the onsite spa offers a variety of massage and beauty treatments focused around the use of the local fauna and its medicinal properties. All products used are made locally and primarily derived from the rainforest.

You can dine in the elegant surroundings of the onsite restaurant Singanga under the magnificent trusses inside the Great House, on the veranda or al fresco on the deck. The food is delicious, using local organic ingrediants as much as possible, and dishes come well presented.

Paddle boards and kayaks are available for use on the beach along with bikes onsite to use. For relaxation at the resort you could enjoy a drink by the fresh water pool, get a massage at the beach or take a nap in one of the hammocks found throughout the resort.

From Toucans to Parrots to Laughing Falcons, you will have the opportunity to view some of the 600 species of birds in Belize from Hamanasi or on one of the Bird tours.

The pristine Southern Barrier Reef offers several different snorkeling sites for beginners and experienced snorkelers. With visibility usually ranging between 60 ft/18/m to 100ft/30m snorkelers love Belize's shallow reefs, channels and gentle currents where they often have close encounters with eagle rays, tarpon, cleaner fish, stingrays, octopus and even dolphins.

The lodge offers a weekly diary of inland excursions, some strenuous, others easier. For instance, on Monday it’s the rigorous Mayflower Jungle & Waterfall Hike; Tuesday and Thursday you could join the Jungle River Canoeing/Kayaking tour, rated easy to moderate. Zip-lining, cave tubing, horse riding, Mayan ruin visits and a range of other specialty adventures are also offered. Marine-wise, opt for a dive trip to the reef or a boat trip to snorkel some great sites.