{"id":105364,"date":"2025-11-07T14:00:47","date_gmt":"2025-11-07T19:00:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/?p=105364"},"modified":"2025-11-07T20:07:40","modified_gmt":"2025-11-08T01:07:40","slug":"this-side-of-paradise","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/","title":{"rendered":"This Side of Paradise"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"wpb-content-wrapper\">[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<figure style=\"width: 970px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/BlancaneauxLodge-1.jpg\" alt=\"Blancaneaux Lodge\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-caption-text\"><em>Blancaneaux Lodge \u2014 San Ignacio, Belize<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h4>You\u2019ve probably heard of Belize. For years, adventurous travelers (and Francis Ford Coppola) have championed its many virtues, speaking of it with a wide-eyed, almost mystical reverence. We&#8217;re here to confirm: what you&#8217;ve heard is true.<\/h4>\n<p><em><a style=\"text-decoration: underline;\" href=\"#anchor\">Skip down to the hotels<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<p>Located just to the south of Mexico&#8217;s Yucatan Peninsula, Belize is equal parts Caribbean and Central American, offering an astonishingly lush mainland and a vast network of postcard-perfect island beaches. Perhaps no other country on earth is so well positioned \u2014 due, in part, to its relatively modest size \u2014 to satisfy both a thrilling plunge into jungle archaeology and a white-sand layabout among countless cayes and atolls. Whichever side of paradise you prefer, the best part about Belize is that it&#8217;s mostly under the radar for the influencer set, and even the residents aren&#8217;t numerous enough to comprise a crowd. For now, and hopefully for decades to come, Belize belongs almost entirely to nature.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/ThatchCaye-1.jpg\" alt=\"Thatch Caye\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>THE LANDSCAPE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>With 37% of its territory set aside for ecological protection, Belize is a dynamo of rugged beauty and biodiversity. Think howler monkeys, keel-billed toucans, and even a dedicated jaguar sanctuary. The relatively low human population helps, of course, but so does the confluence of the Caribbean and Central American biomes, with niches for every sort of tropical plant and animal between the forested plains to the north and the Maya Mountains to the south.<\/p>\n<p>Make the barrier coral reefs a must-see; part of the world&#8217;s second-longest stretch, they protect the marshy coastline like a gilt frame, and are far and away the most popular collective destination in the country. Of particular note is the Great Blue Hole, a favorite of Jacques Cousteau: it&#8217;s a magnet for divers and snorkelers of all skill levels, all eager to catch a glimpse of its awe-inspiring stalactites, remnants of a time before it was flooded by rising ocean waters.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>THE ATTRACTIONS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Belize is home to the largest system of caves in Central America, with some of the Western Hemisphere&#8217;s most awe-inspiring formations. What&#8217;s more, many of the most majestic structures are cut through by rivers, and are best explored by tube float or canoe. Some caves can even be traversed via zip line. Does it get any better?<\/p>\n<p>Ambergris Caye, the largest island, is by general consensus the place to be for the young and svelte. Not only are its beaches unspoiled and its mangroves seductive \u2014 the primary means of transport is the golf cart, our civilization&#8217;s most amusing vehicle. Past sunset, its resorts hum with nightlife and smitten stargazers.<\/p>\n<p>Most come at least in part for the unrivaled Mayan heritage, a staggering 900 sites&#8217; worth of historical wonderment, including Xunantunich in western Belize. There&#8217;s nothing quite like attaining the zenith of a stairstep ziggurat to gaze in every direction on lush, uninterrupted tropical foliage.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/ThatchCaye-2.jpg\" alt=\"Thatch Caye\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>THE CULTURE<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The official language is English, but you may catch strains of Belize Kriol (Belizean Creole) while strolling around. It&#8217;s the lingua franca in an impressive sea of languages and dialects, just similar enough to its parent English to sound intelligible at first. Listen in and see if you can tell what else is woven into the fabric of this singular patois.<\/p>\n<p id=\"anchor\">\n<p>Come for September Celebrations if you can. This 11-day stretch \u2014 bookend by Battle of St. George&#8217;s Caye Day and Independence Day \u2014 is your best chance for witnessing Belizeans at their most hospitable and extravagant. They only obtained independence in 1981, after all; it&#8217;s a young celebration, and boy does it ever burn brightly.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: left;\"><strong>THE HOTELS<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>If you know us at all, you know we&#8217;d have a hard time getting all that excited about a destination whose hotels are anything less than extraordinary. Fortunately Belize&#8217;s hoteliers, including a certain famous film director, are up to the task of creating lodgings that are worthy of their setting. And while some resorts tend to sanitize their immediate surroundings, the best hotels in Belize seek to deliver you deeper into the natural attractions and activities the country is known for.<\/p>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/san-ignacio-hotels\/gaia-river-lodge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Gaia River Lodge<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Cayo District, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/san-ignacio-hotels\/gaia-river-lodge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/GaiaRiver.jpg\" alt=\"Gaia River Lodge\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Gaia River Lodge immerses you in the Belizean rain forest, and gives you a front-row view of the majestic Five Sisters Waterfalls in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. This immersion comes at some cost, if quick and effortless travel is a priority \u2014 but it\u2019s worth the trouble, as this kind of eco-travel experience would be simply impossible in any less remote a location.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fsan-ignacio-hotels%2Fgaia-river-lodge&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/san-ignacio-hotels\/kaana-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Ka&#8217;ana Resort<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">San Ignacio, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/san-ignacio-hotels\/kaana-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/Kaana.jpg\" alt=\"Ka'ana Resort\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The one and only landlocked hotel on this list, San Ignacio makes its home in the Mayan country of western Belize, near the Guatemalan border. You&#8217;ll trade surf and sand for archaeological expeditions and rainforest canopy tours \u2014 and at the end of the day you&#8217;ll have a small-scale, environmentally friendly luxury hotel experience awaiting your return.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fsan-ignacio-hotels%2Fkaana-resort&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/coco-plum-range-hotels\/thatch-caye-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Thatch Caye<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Dangriga, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/coco-plum-range-hotels\/thatch-caye-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20240629-Stilts\/ThatchCaye.jpg\" alt=\"Thatch Caye\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Set on a farm a 25-minute boat trip from the mainland, Thatch Caye occupies the merest speck of an island, with\u00a0five overwater cabanas, four larger casitas with rooftop patios, and a single Family Villa, essentially a triple unit on stilts above the sea. What it may lack in five-star gloss it makes up for in full-immersion eco-tourism \u2014 you can&#8217;t get much closer to nature than this.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fcoco-plum-range-hotels%2Fthatch-caye-resort&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/san-ignacio-hotels\/blancaneaux-lodge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Blancaneaux Lodge<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">San Ignacio, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/san-ignacio-hotels\/blancaneaux-lodge\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/BlancaneauxLodge.jpg\" alt=\"Blancaneaux Lodge\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Film director Francis Ford Coppola knows a thing or two about staging an epic adventure in the jungle. Suffice it to say that things at Blancaneaux Lodge go quite a bit smoother than they did in <em>Apocalypse Now<\/em>. This is no dilettante&#8217;s experiment, but a highly accomplished, unpretentiously luxurious eco-lodge \u2014 and the wood-fired Italian cuisine and Coppola wines don&#8217;t hurt a bit.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fsan-ignacio-hotels%2Fblancaneaux-lodge&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/placencia-hotels\/turtle-inn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Turtle Inn<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Placencia, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/placencia-hotels\/turtle-inn\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/TurtleInn.jpg\" alt=\"Turtle Inn\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>The sequel to Blancaneaux Lodge, Turtle Inn dives deeper into Coppola&#8217;s taste for Asian design, featuring Balinese-style cottages and villas and Japanese-style baths. But there&#8217;s no mistaking the setting, which is pure Belizean beachfront chill \u2014 especially if you opt for a higher level of seclusion at Coral Caye, the hotels&#8217; own private island, home to a single isolated cottage.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fplacencia-hotels%2Fturtle-inn&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/ambergris-caye-hotels\/matachica-resort-spa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Matachica Resort<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Ambergris Caye, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/ambergris-caye-hotels\/matachica-resort-spa\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/Matachica.jpg\" alt=\"Matachica Resort &amp; Spa\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Sometimes a hotel&#8217;s address says a lot. Matachica&#8217;s, officially, is &#8220;5 Miles North of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize.&#8221; Set along a secluded white sand beach and reachable only by motorboat, the place looks more like some bohemian castaway commune than a typical resort, with its small collection of colorful thatch-roofed casitas scattered amidst the palm trees.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fambergris-caye-hotels%2Fmatachica-resort-spa&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/ambergris-caye-hotels\/victoria-house\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Victoria House<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">San Pedro, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/ambergris-caye-hotels\/victoria-house\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/VictoriaHouse.jpg\" alt=\"Victoria House\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>On the fringe of San Pedro, at the south end of Ambergris Caye, Victoria House&#8217;s 42 plantation-style rooms spread out over ten acres of white sand beaches and tropical gardens. From here you&#8217;ve got unparalleled access to the Belizean Barrier Reef, including such attractions as the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the sensibly (if frighteningly) named Shark Ray Alley.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fambergris-caye-hotels%2Fvictoria-house&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/punta-gorda-hotels\/copal-tree-lodge-a-muy-ono-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Copal Tree Lodge<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Punta Gorda, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/punta-gorda-hotels\/copal-tree-lodge-a-muy-ono-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/CopalTree.jpg\" alt=\"Copal Tree Lodge\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Set on a 3,000-acre sustainable farm, surrounded by a 15,000-acre rainforest preserve, and comprised of twelve privately sited, low-impact, high-pleasure suites, Copal Tree Lodge is, quite simply, one of the leading eco-hotels on the planet. Copal Tree is also a regular entry on the bucket list of travel-savvy gourmands, wildlife enthusiasts, birders and fly-fishermen (and -women, presumably).<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fpunta-gorda-hotels%2Fcopal-tree-lodge-a-muy-ono-resort&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/ambergris-caye-hotels\/las-terrazas-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Las Terrazas<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Ambergris Caye, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/ambergris-caye-hotels\/las-terrazas-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/LasTerrazas.jpg\" alt=\"Las Terrazas\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Ambergris Caye isn&#8217;t the easiest place on the planet to reach \u2014 once you get to Belize you&#8217;ve still got a commuter flight and a speedboat ride ahead of you \u2014 but it&#8217;s worth every mile.\u00a0Situated right on the white sandy beach, Las Terrazas is a resort in the proper sense of the word \u2014 there&#8217;s a huge infinity pool, a fine-dining restaurant, a spa and wellness center, the works. All of this at boutique scale: just 37 rooms.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fambergris-caye-hotels%2Flas-terrazas-resort&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n<h2 style=\"text-align: center;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/placencia-hotels\/itzana-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Itz&#8217;ana Resort<\/a><\/h2>\n<h5 style=\"text-align: center;\">Placencia, Belize<\/h5>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.tablethotels.com\/en\/placencia-hotels\/itzana-resort\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.prod.r53.tablethotels.com\/media\/ecs\/global\/magazine\/story-images\/20251108-Belize\/Itzana.jpg\" alt=\"Itz'ana Resort\" width=\"970\" height=\"auto\" border=\"0\" data-gae=\"Magazine, Clicked, Image\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>Placencia is almost comically blessed with travel-friendly attributes: with a perfect white sand beach on one side, and a mangrove-dotted bay and lagoon on the other, it\u2019s ideally positioned for seaside lounging with a side of dolphin-watching and rainforest exploration. It\u2019s got all kinds of hotels, from the merest shacks to impressive luxury boutique hotels like Itz\u2019ana Resort &#038; Residences.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\">[\/vc_column_text][vc_btn title=&#8221;View Hotel&#8221; shape=&#8221;round&#8221; color=&#8221;black&#8221; size=&#8221;lg&#8221; align=&#8221;center&#8221; link=&#8221;url:https%3A%2F%2Fwww.tablethotels.com%2Fen%2Fplacencia-hotels%2Fitzana-resort&#8221;][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]\n<div style=\"height:1px;border-top:3px double #ccc;margin-top:30px;margin-bottom:60px;display:block;clear:both\"><\/div>\n[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve probably heard of Belize. For years, adventurous travelers (and Francis Ford Coppola) have championed its many virtues, speaking of it with a wide-eyed, almost mystical reverence. We&#8217;re here to confirm: what you&#8217;ve heard is true.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":21,"featured_media":105404,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3690],"tags":[3277,3296,3855,3691],"thb-sponsors":[],"class_list":["post-105364","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-destination-hotels","tag-belize","tag-caribbean","tag-central-america","tag-destination-hotels"],"acf":{"new_subtitle":"All You Need to Know About Belize","property_id":[{"id":"8855"},{"id":"5185"},{"id":"3361"},{"id":"1161"},{"id":"1181"},{"id":"7188"},{"id":"6449"},{"id":"6668"},{"id":"6999"},{"id":"11991"}]},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>All You Need to Know About Belize \u2014 by Tablet Hotels<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"All You Need to Know About Belize \u2014 by Tablet Hotels\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"You\u2019ve probably heard of Belize. For years, adventurous travelers (and Francis Ford Coppola) have championed its many virtues, speaking of it with a wide-eyed, almost mystical reverence. We&#039;re here to confirm: what you&#039;ve heard is true.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Tablet Hotels | The Magazine\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-11-07T19:00:47+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-11-08T01:07:40+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1100\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"1100\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Tablet Hotels\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@tablethotels\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Tablet Hotels\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"10 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Tablet Hotels\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/c14fa87f5de903a39c3bf93f1d2eeb11\"},\"headline\":\"This Side of Paradise\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-07T19:00:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-08T01:07:40+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/\"},\"wordCount\":1798,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Belize\",\"Caribbean\",\"Central America\",\"Destination Hotels\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Destination Hotels\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/\",\"name\":\"All You Need to Know About Belize \u2014 by Tablet Hotels\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-11-07T19:00:47+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-11-08T01:07:40+00:00\",\"breadcrumb\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#breadcrumb\"},\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"ReadAction\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#primaryimage\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg\",\"width\":1100,\"height\":1100},{\"@type\":\"BreadcrumbList\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#breadcrumb\",\"itemListElement\":[{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":1,\"name\":\"Home\",\"item\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/\"},{\"@type\":\"ListItem\",\"position\":2,\"name\":\"This Side of Paradise\"}]},{\"@type\":\"WebSite\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#website\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/\",\"name\":\"Tablet Hotels | The Magazine\",\"description\":\"Bold opinions. Breathtaking photography. Unbelievable hotels.\",\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#organization\"},\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"SearchAction\",\"target\":{\"@type\":\"EntryPoint\",\"urlTemplate\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}\"},\"query-input\":{\"@type\":\"PropertyValueSpecification\",\"valueRequired\":true,\"valueName\":\"search_term_string\"}}],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"Organization\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#organization\",\"name\":\"Tablet Hotels\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/\",\"logo\":{\"@type\":\"ImageObject\",\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tablet-Agenda-en.png\",\"contentUrl\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tablet-Agenda-en.png\",\"width\":404,\"height\":87,\"caption\":\"Tablet Hotels\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/\"},\"sameAs\":[\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tablethotels\",\"https:\/\/x.com\/tablethotels\",\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tablethotels\",\"https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/tablethotels\"]},{\"@type\":\"Person\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/c14fa87f5de903a39c3bf93f1d2eeb11\",\"name\":\"Tablet Hotels\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/author\/tablet\/\"}]}<\/script>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"All You Need to Know About Belize \u2014 by Tablet Hotels","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"All You Need to Know About Belize \u2014 by Tablet Hotels","og_description":"You\u2019ve probably heard of Belize. For years, adventurous travelers (and Francis Ford Coppola) have championed its many virtues, speaking of it with a wide-eyed, almost mystical reverence. We're here to confirm: what you've heard is true.","og_url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/","og_site_name":"Tablet Hotels | The Magazine","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tablethotels","article_published_time":"2025-11-07T19:00:47+00:00","article_modified_time":"2025-11-08T01:07:40+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1100,"height":1100,"url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Tablet Hotels","twitter_card":"summary_large_image","twitter_creator":"@tablethotels","twitter_site":"@tablethotels","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Tablet Hotels","Est. reading time":"10 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/"},"author":{"name":"Tablet Hotels","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/c14fa87f5de903a39c3bf93f1d2eeb11"},"headline":"This Side of Paradise","datePublished":"2025-11-07T19:00:47+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-08T01:07:40+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/"},"wordCount":1798,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg","keywords":["Belize","Caribbean","Central America","Destination Hotels"],"articleSection":["Destination Hotels"],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/","url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/","name":"All You Need to Know About Belize \u2014 by Tablet Hotels","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg","datePublished":"2025-11-07T19:00:47+00:00","dateModified":"2025-11-08T01:07:40+00:00","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg","width":1100,"height":1100},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/2025\/11\/this-side-of-paradise\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"This Side of Paradise"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#website","url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/","name":"Tablet Hotels | The Magazine","description":"Bold opinions. Breathtaking photography. Unbelievable hotels.","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#organization","name":"Tablet Hotels","url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tablet-Agenda-en.png","contentUrl":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/10\/Tablet-Agenda-en.png","width":404,"height":87,"caption":"Tablet Hotels"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/tablethotels","https:\/\/x.com\/tablethotels","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/tablethotels","https:\/\/www.pinterest.com\/tablethotels"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/#\/schema\/person\/c14fa87f5de903a39c3bf93f1d2eeb11","name":"Tablet Hotels","url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/author\/tablet\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg","custom_fields":null,"fimg_url":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/Featured.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105364","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/21"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=105364"}],"version-history":[{"count":11,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105364\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":105454,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/105364\/revisions\/105454"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/105404"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=105364"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=105364"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=105364"},{"taxonomy":"thb-sponsors","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/magazine.tablethotels.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/thb-sponsors?post=105364"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}