Chocolate

In search of the path less traveled: Nicaragua

July 16, 2024

It will likely take you the whole day to get to Little Corn Island, a small speck of lush jungle meets hidden beaches, with just footpaths and boats to get around. The island is reachable only by boat from nearby Big Corn Island, itself accessible by ferry or flight from the mainland. Often the more difficult to reach places on this increasingly crowded planet are among the more alluring, and this is no exception.

Arriving to Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Arriving to Little Corn Island

After 3 flights, a short group taxi, and a bumpy 45 minute boat ride run by some of the friendliest people around, all our weariness dissipated as we disembarked on Little Corn and walked a hundred metres or so to our lodging. Dropping off our bags, we ran out to the nearby beach to take a dip in the sea alongside the setting sun. Afterwards, we feasted on local seafood and pasta at the Italian-run Cafe Desideri, located among the cluster of eateries and sundry shops in town. By 10pm, every spot had closed, and most of the island was asleep amidst a calmness that is increasingly hard to find these days. No cars or motorbikes zoomed past in the night. Even a bicycle was a rare occurrence on an island on which everyone walks. And electricity on the island runs only at night.

Ferry to Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Ferry arriving to Little Corn Island

We woke up early and excited for one of the purposes of our trip: scuba diving! Little Corn is surrounded by a shallow reef that is home to an abundance of sea creatures: octopus, turtles, lobster, crabs, shrimp, rays, nurse sharks, and more. We dove with Las Palmeras Dive Center, which is conveniently located and well-run. They typically offer two dives in the morning and a night dive departing just before sunset. The night dives were some of the best I’d experienced anywhere. We were treated to octopus sightings and flashes of bioluminescence when the moonlight disappeared behind some clouds in the sky above us, leaving us in darkness and better able to see the flashes of light all around.

Beach, Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Beach cove along the northern coast of Little Corn Island, Nicaragua

Dirt trails run across the island through tropical forest filled with mango and other seasonal fruit, leading to small beach coves framed by palm trees. Worth a visit are the northern beaches (reachable via a 20 minute walk from town past the local stadium, or via a short boat ride), featuring gentle waves great for swimming, a fish shack, and an upscale restaurant called Erizo (part of the Yemaya Reefs resort, the only one on the island). We savored the rondon, a traditional island seafood stew with root vegetables simmered in a coconut milk broth; a cucumber and kiwi salad with calala dressing; palm hearts and fruit ceviche.

Walking path, Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Walking path on Little Corn Island

Yemaya Reef, Little Corn Island, Nicaragua — Yemaya Reef, Little Corn

A few coves to the east is Derek’s Place, another lodging option with hammocks and a laid back vibe. Tracking back inland to then join a path leading to the windward side of the island, you’ll reach Little Corn Beach and Bungalow and its restaurant, the Turned Turtle, where you can eat delicious local specialties with your feet in the sand while watching the waves roll in (note: open for breakfast and lunch only). On our last evening on the island, we had dinner by the southern edge of town at the casual, family-run Melissa’s, serving perhaps the tastiest food around. Named after their young daughter, Melissa’s features fresh, locally caught fish and lobster as well as chicken, served as a stew with vegetables and rice.

We met a number of foreigners who had come to visit Little Corn, only to find themselves still there years later. The appeal of living on what can perhaps best be described as the edge of civilisation is strong, and it was with some regret that we took the boat back to Big Corn Island to continue our trip. We spent just one night on Big Corn, which was decidedly less charming. It did, however, feature one of the highlights of our trip: Bit Coin Island Bar. It’s a floating wooden bar located off of Arenas Beach (not to be confused with the impostor bar floating nearby, created to piggyback off the success of the original), and you reach it by standing on the beach and waving your arms until they see you and send a speedboat. We didn’t wait for more than a couple of minutes before being whisked away, and in no time at all we found ourselves in the care of Ana, the wonderful bartender who insisted on sharing playlists and dancing with us as the sun dipped below the horizon.

Beach on Big Corn Island, Nicaragua — Big Corn Island

Sunset at Arenas Beach, Big Corn Island, Nicaragua — Sunset, Arenas beach, Big Corn Island

The following day, we made our way to Granada, located on the shores of Lake Cocibolca, one of many towns known for its colourful architecture, checkered history, and vibrant community in which Nicaraguans and foreigners mingle. Nicaragua’s colonial past is predictably on display, and it’s easy to visit the main sights in a day or two. We stayed at the central and charmingly designed Casa del Consulado, featuring a refreshing pool in one of the courtyards. A block away is the central square, where you’ll find street vendors and the main cathedral. The nearby Garden Cafe is a great option for lunch and has delicious fruit juices and cocktails. For dinner, the more upscale NM Culinary features an inventive take on local specialties, or try one of the many options along the pedestrian-only Calle La Calzada. We enjoyed the old world charm of Hotel Dario, with an open air restaurant and cafe overlooking a lush central courtyard.

Central square in Granada, Nicaragua — Granada’s vibrant central square

Horse carriage, Granada, Nicaragua — Horses ready for a ride, Granada

Calle la calzada, Granada, Nicaragua — Calle La Calzada, Granada

Worth visiting are the Church of the Mercy and the Iglesia Xalteva, each featuring a small belltower from which you can see the expanse of the town leading to the surrounding Mombacho and Masaya volcanos. We also enjoyed a cool stroll around Casa Tres Mundos, one of the oldest buildings in Granada, which today hosts contemporary art exhibits. Afterwards, treat yourself to a cold chocolate from the nearby Bate Bate Chocolate cafe, or even a chocolate massage at the Mansion de Chocolate. Nicaragua is a significant producer of cocoa, and it’s a great gift for those back home. It was time for us, too, to head back home, but the country has so much more to offer. I like to leave something for next time in places I’ve enjoyed visiting, and that is certainly the case with Nicaragua.

Church in Granada, Nicaragua — The past meets the present, Granada

Where to eat and drink

Cafe Desideri, Little Corn Island

Tranquilo Cafe, Little Corn Island

Melissa’s, Little Corn Island

Turned Turtle (part of the Little Corn Beach and Bungalow), Little Corn Island

Erizo (part of Yemaya Reefs - upscale), Little Corn Island

Bit Coin Bar, Big Corn Island

The Garden Cafe, Granada

Bate Bate Chocolate, Granada

NM Culinary, Granada

Hotel Dario, Granada

Where to stay

Sunshine Hotel, Little Corn Island

Little Corn Beach and Bungalow, Little Corn Island

Derek’s Place, Little Corn Island

Yemaya Reefs, Little Corn Island

Hotel Casa del Consulado, Granada

St Lucia: crystal waters, cocoa, and craters

January 29, 2022

Few places have it all, but St Lucia is a serious contender. Staggering deep green mountains for hiking and climbing, rainforest trails filled with coffee and cacao trees, coral reefs teeming with life, and volcanic hot springs paired with a rejuvenating mud bath? Yes, yes, yes, and yes. What’s more, the people are some of the kindest I’ve met anywhere, and delicacies like saltfish and green figs, or freshly caught grilled fish paired with the local hot sauce, will leave you wanting for more.

St Lucia mountains rainbow — View of the Pitons flying into St Lucia

Flying into Hewanorra International airport, I was treated to a spectacular view of the green-covered twin peaks of Gros and Petit Piton (large and small, for the non-francophone), and quickly began to settle into island time. We stayed at Sweet Breezes, a simple but spacious rental home a stone’s throw from the more upscale Tet Rouge resort in a less populated area, and at night we marveled for hours at the vast quantity of stars we could see from our roof deck due to little light pollution. A few minutes’ walk took us to a small beach, where at night the waves shone with bioluminescence as they lapped the shoreline. This is a place where time seems to slow, allowing you to reconnect to what’s truly important.

Sunset St Lucia beach — Sunset, St Lucia

St Lucia Jalousie beach — Jalousie beach, St Lucia

The sea here teems with life, and you’ll be treated to schools of bright yellow grunts, squads of hovering squid, and a lone camouflaging octopus or two whether you snorkel or scuba dive. I did a couple of great dives with Chester, who runs Action Adventure Divers out of Soufriere at the base of the Pitons. We sought out invasive lionfish during our dives, which Chester speared and then asked a friend to fry for us next to the dive shop. One of the best snorkeling spots is on the north side of Jalousie beach, which you can reach by boat or by road via the Viceroy’s high-end Sugar Beach resort. We saw moray eels both freeswimming and emerging from hiding spots in the coral, inquisitive Caribbean reef squid traveling in family-size units, and a pair of pillow-sized porcupine fish. All beaches in St Lucia are public, and we enjoyed strolling along the sand, admiring the Pitons towering on either side of us. We followed with local greens, grilled fish, fried chicken, and passionfruit-flavoured drinks at the beachside restaurant, our feet in the sand as the sun set into the sea.

St Lucia sunset palm tree — St Lucian sunset

Petit Piton hiking — View of Petit Piton whilst hiking Gros Piton

Feeling up for an adventure, the next day we awoke early to hike up Gros Piton. Upon arriving at the trailhead, we were paired with a local guide and asked to pay a $50 USD entry fee, which goes to the local community (note: you cannot go up without a guide and at least 1.5L of water per person, though I’d recommend bringing 2L or more). Reaching the summit requires roughly 2 hours of mostly uphill hiking, with 3 spots spaced roughly 30 minutes apart to stop, rest, and enjoy the views along the way. We were rewarded with a sense of accomplishment and spectacular views of both Petit Piton (a more difficult summit, involving some climbing) and the southern expanses of St Lucia, with the peak of La Soufriere volcano on St Vincent visible in the distance. The way down felt longer, as it often does, but fortunately a small hut selling delicious homemade ice cream and an assortment of cold drinks awaits.

St Lucia volcano crater — Volcano crater on St Lucia

St Lucia is also one of the few places you can drive into the crater of an active volcano. We were greeted by the strong smell of sulphur and a few friendly local employees, who took us to a lookout point from where we saw an assortment of bubbling hot pools and heard stories about the history and formation of the area. Afterwards, we dipped into the nearby mineral hot springs, slathering ourselves in volcanic mud with revitalising properties that locals and tourists alike swear by. Our skin did feel baby soft for a few hours afterwards, so it’s certainly worth a shot.

Should you be craving a different kind of bath, nearby is the Toraille waterfall, a pretty 50 foot (15 metre) drop into a cold wading pool—stand under it for a nice back massage. Alternatively, nearby is Hotel Chocolat, an eco hotel with a spa featuring exfoliating scrubs and massages with oils made from the cacao beans grown locally on the property. Feeling sufficiently relaxed, we toured the cacao groves, and our patient guide taught us how to make our own chocolate bars from the raw ingredients. Spoiler: it requires patience and a lot of grinding pestle against mortar, and results in some of the best chocolate you’ll ever have.

Project Chocolat St Lucia — Our patient guide at Hotel Chocolat

Anse Mamin beach St Lucia — Anse Mamin beach, St Lucia

Desiring more time in the sea, we headed to the nearby beaches of Anse Chastanet and Anse Mamin. Accessible by boat or car, both feature large expanses of sand lapped by crystal clear waters with dramatic rock-hewn backdrops. The high-end, open air sister resorts of Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet are located here, and we enjoyed the fish ceviche served in a coconut along with delicious burgers on the beach at the relatively quieter Anse Mamin. Whiling away an afternoon alternating between swimming, reading, and sunbathing was enough to forget the outside world, and splurging on a couple of nights at the nearby Caille Blanc villa was definitely the right choice.

A short drive or walk from the beach, Caille Blanc perches dramatically on the hillside, with an infinity pool overlooking perhaps the best view of the Pitons. The view is overshadowed only by the friendly staff, who will ensure your stay is as magical as their island. I spent hours gazing over the expanse of ocean and mountains, and the image of the twin Piton peaks remains etched in my mind like an invitation. It’s a place you’ll want to linger, taken in by its serenity as you reflect on how lucky we are to live in this world.

Caille blanc villa pool St Lucia — View of the Pitons from the infinity pool at Caille Blanc, St Lucia

Where to eat, drink, and stay

Jungle grill, Anse Mamin beach

Sweet Breezes rental home, Choiseul, Soufriere

Hotel Chocolat

Caille Blanc Villa

A few notes on logistics

In current times, you’ll need a negative covid PCR test taken within 72 hours of arrival to St Lucia. I recommend doing this early, as you’ll need to upload it to the tourism portal, after which you’ll wait to receive an email with a QR code that you’ll need in order to enter the country. If you stay at more than one hotel in the country during your stay, some may require an additional test. To return to the U.S., you’ll need a negative test taken within 24 hours. As I found pricing for this to be quite high on the island, I brought a travel-approved test with me from the U.S., which I took under a doctor’s supervision via video call from my laptop.

Having a car is essential to getting around the island (unless you’re willing to splurge on repeated outings from your hotel or rental) and gives you the freedom to explore. Many attractions are concentrated along the western side of the island, and the region around Soufriere is great to use as a base. If you’re looking to explore the whole island, keep in mind that driving distances can be significantly longer than they appear on Google Maps due to the frequent curves and potholes you’ll encounter on the roads; driving from the southern part of the island to the north without stopping will likely take about 3-4 hours. I highly recommend the locally-run Sacred Heart car rental - communication was easy, and everything went smoothly.

Road trip: sands, stalagmites and snow in New Mexico

June 07, 2020

New Mexico is the stuff that road trip dreams are made of. Long stretches of lunar-like landscapes with distant peaks that always feel slightly out of reach, the kind of warm heat that you want to sink into and stay in a while. It’s a place for the adventurous, yes, but also the laid-back. Perfect for a solitary long weekend or a weeklong trip with a friend or partner.

White Sands National Park visitor center

I started my trip in Albuquerque, which in pre-covid, fairytale times was serviced by daily nonstop flights on Jetblue from JFK. While the state has started opening up, not all parks are yet open, so be sure to check status before heading out. I drove south from Albuquerque, towards White Sands National Park, passing by the interestingly named town of Truth or Consequences, which is also home to a number of natural hot springs, followed by a classic breakfast of eggs, bacon, and French toast at Sugies Diner in Las Cruces. I arrived at White Sands National Park in the early afternoon and explored as the sky slowly turned from bright blue to deeper purple and pink as the evening crept in and the sun slowly began to set. It’s a place you’ll want to linger, yes, and plan your return.

The sands get their white colour from gypsum crystals - the largest such dunefield on earth. Formed 7,000-10,000 years ago from selenite crystals that over time eroded into gypsum, White Sands National Park is today occasionally subject to closure, as it’s completely surrounded by the White Sands Missile Range. It’s certainly one of the most alien landscapes I’ve ever seen, and it’s easy to park your car at one of many stopping points in the park and quickly get lost in the dunes (be sure to bring plenty of water and know how to make your way back to your car). The deep blue outline of the San Andres range contrasts with the stark white wind patterns etched into the dunes, broken every so often by the thin lines of a determined desert plant. I experienced several dune stages: an initial liberating exploration marked by the sheer pleasure of running fresh tracks and rolling in the sand to feel its warmth; a secondary, more productive phase that entailed resurrecting childhood gymnastics moves; finally, a contemplative phase during which I sat in place, jotting down stray thoughts and having deeper conversations with friends and family in faraway places over the phone.

I would happily have lingered longer, but I’d booked a motel just outside Carlsbad for the night, and a longer drive through the Lincoln National Forest (during which it snowed!) still awaited me. I’d recommend staying in the area if you’ve got more time, but I really enjoyed arriving to Carlsbad Caverns National Park the next morning just before opening, which allowed me to be the first person to enter that day. Combined with a New York City walking speed, this meant I had a good 15-20 minutes alone in the depths of the caverns before any other visitors caught up to interrupt the slow dripping sounds echoing within the cave system. Much of the system is inaccessible to visitors, and the open part unfortunately has ropes and clearly-marked walking paths, which take away from what otherwise might feel closer to nature. It’s still very much worth a visit, especially if you can get there before the crowds.

Stalagmites and stalactites at Carlsbad Caverns National Park

Driving north towards Santa Fe, I passed by Roswell, whose claim to fame is the “UFO” crash in 1947 (the UFO in question was actually a U.S. Air Force weather balloon), and which now houses a UFO museum and research center. As I approached Vaughn, the landscape became increasingly desolate, with an occasional shuttered gas station or motel that appeared to date back to the 1950s. It’s the kind of place where time has stopped, and most people simply pass through, but as I think back on my trip, those memories of the afternoon desert sun shining on a place fallen out of favour linger.

I reached Santa Fe in the early evening, checking in to the Drury Plaza Hotel, for which I’d found an amazing rate online. It was a bit too chilly to use the rooftop pool, but I happily settled by the roaring fireplace in the lounge with a complimentary gin & tonic and light bites from the hotel’s free daily happy hour. Afterwards, I strolled through town, stumbling upon some live music, and picking up snacks and wine at La Casa Sena wine shop. I also enjoyed sampling some of Gruet’s delicious sparkling wines at their Santa Fe tasting room, and for dessert, Kakawa Chocolate house is unbeatable. Their hot chocolate elixir is some of the best I’ve ever had, and it’s impossible to leave without sampling some of their handmade chocolates.

The following day, I set out early for the 2 hour drive to Taos for a day of skiing. The conditions at the mountain can be hit or miss depending on the snowfall, but the terrain is still exciting. After a few runs, I grew tired of the quaint, slow lift chairs that are in need of an upgrade - time truly does feel like it runs more slowly.

En route back to Santa Fe, I passed through a number of picturesque towns, including Arroyo Seco, which features a few small gift shops. Should you have more time, further west lies Carson National Forest, home to more stunning landscapes, including the area around Abiquiu, from where Georgia O’Keeffe drew inspiration. As mine was a shorter trip, I had to settle for checking out some of her art at the small but excellently curated Georgia O’Keeffe museum in downtown Santa Fe. The more I travel, the more I like to give myself a reason to go back to a place I really enjoyed to which I might not otherwise pay another visit. So, New Mexico, I’ll be back!

Where to eat & drink

Sugies Diner, Las Cruces

Gruet’s tasting room, Santa Fe

Kakawa Chocolate house, Santa Fe

La Casa Sena, Santa Fe

Where to stay

Drury Plaza Hotel, Santa Fe

Paintings at the Georgia O’Keeffe museum in Santa Fe

In the land of stones, spices and spirits

November 17, 2019

In a recent op-ed in the New York Times, Martin Scorsese writes that cinema is “about revelation—aesthetic, emotional and spiritual revelation,” and the best films are the ones that take risks to engage, excite and thrill the audience. I was reminded of his words over lunch last week at Pitiona restaurant in Oaxaca, Mexico, where I ate perhaps my favourite meal of the year. The menu features a wide range of dishes, and I wanted to try every single one. Chef José Manuel Baños combines local ingredients such as tasajo (a cut of beef), grasshopper and amaranth with a flair for unusual, unique combinations that delight the palate. Over a spectacular meal of passionfruit ceviche, guacamole with crickets and tasajo, chickpea mushroom soup, arroz milpa with duck chicharron, and snapper with leek foam, I reflected that Scorsese’s words can be aptly used to describe the culinary arts as well. What more could you want? A spectacular view overlooking the baroque, green-hued Santo Domingo church. Yes, there is that, too.

Passionfruit ceviche masterpiece at Pitiona restaurant

We ate another memorable meal at Alfonsina (cash only, reservations required), on the outskirts of Oaxaca city, located by a courtyard the owner-chef shares with his neighbours. Five courses (including a dessert course) are served at a communal table. Among the dishes we were treated to were a flavourful corvina ceviche in a sesame-based sauce, and, later, the same fish cooked in a spicy mole sauce. We walked off lunch around the Zócalo, Oaxaca’s main square, over which the Cathedral prominently soars, and checked out local arts and crafts in the nearby markets. The Zócalo is also a great spot for people watching while sipping on a local hot chocolate at Mayordomo (get the one with no added sugar with milk as a base), which you can also bring home with you.

When not eating, Oaxaca’s vibrant culture and history will easily fill up several days, if not weeks. Don’t miss the aforementioned Santo Domingo church, and the Textile Museum was well worth a stop. Skippable is the small botanical garden, which forces you on a painfully slow, two-hour tour to view the resident plants. We particularly enjoyed contrasting the neighbouring Zapotec sites of Mitla and Monte Albán. The former is small, easily seen in the span of an hour, and features intricate stonework that does not use any mortar. It is impressive how well-preserved many of the structures are. Monte Albán, on the other hand, is a sprawling site, less focused on the details of the stonework and more so on the layout and community that once thrived there. Wandering among the temples, some dating as far back as 2,500 years ago, you sense how small our presence is in the wider span of history. What will human civilisation be like 2,500 years hence? We pondered this and other questions over drinks at Selva, a newly opened mezcal-focused cocktail bar, back in the city. The vibe is jungle chic, the staff are incredibly friendly, and the drinks were so flavourful that one quickly turned into three.

One of the most stunning sites in the area is made by nature rather than humans: Hierve el Agua, a set of calcified waterfalls and small, vibrantly coloured pools in various hues of green, yellow and blue. The formations are deposits of calcium carbonate and other minerals that remain from previous waterfalls, a similar process to the creation of stalactites in caves. We arrived when the site opened and were lucky enough to have it largely to ourselves for about 45 minutes, during which we staged a photoshoot of Instagram-worthy calibre. Best of all, you can take a dip in the pools, refreshing when outdoor temperatures climb quickly with the exposed sun. Should you want to stay in the area (it’s about a 2 hour drive back to Oaxaca), I highly recommend our Airbnb in Mitla (walking distance to the ruins). It’s run by a young family and features a large pool and patio, a cactus garden, a vinyl record player (and records), striking sunsets, and spectacular stargazing, at roughly $60 USD/night. Our only regret was not staying longer.

For those that have more time, I’d recommend renting a car to travel further afield. We enjoyed the curvy mountain road between Oaxaca and Puerto Ángel, which climbs and climbs through the mountains, giving you stunning views over the surrounding range. We also passed through the town of San José del Pacifico, known among tourists for its temazcal rituals (basically a mud sweat lodge) featuring locally picked magic mushrooms (the season runs from June to September). Once you hit the coast, you’ll be rewarded with long stretches of beach featuring nudists (at Playa Zipolite) or surfers (at Mazunte or Puerto Escondido). I’d recommend lingering (one-way car rentals are offered by Puerto-Escondido based U-car) to sink into the slower pace of life here. We had a fantastic dinner at the Italian-run Bacco, featuring homemade pastas and fresh, locally-sourced toppings for pizzas, fish and meats. At night, should you visit around the time of a full moon, which we luckily did, you’ll see bioluminescence in the ocean as you watch the waves crash on the beach. It’s the perfect end—or beginning—to a spiritual and cultural journey through this most fascinating of Mexican states.

One of hundreds of striking courtyards in Oaxaca

Where to eat & drink

Pitiona, Oaxaca

Alfonsina, Oaxaca outskirts

Mayordomo, Oaxaca

Selva, Oaxaca

Bacco, Playa Zipolite

Where to stay

Airbnb in Mitla

Belize (and a bit of Guatemala)

September 12, 2018

I’d been planning a trip to Belize for years, so it was with great excitement that a close friend of mine and I found relatively inexpensive tickets over Thanksgiving 2017. Unfortunately, there are no direct flights from NYC, so we flew via Toronto on the way there with WestJet and Miami with American on the return, with about 10 days on the ground. This was my first time flying WestJet and I was impressed with the ahead-of-time departure and incredibly nice disposition of the airline staff, both at the gate and on the plane.

I subscribe to Scott’s Cheap Flights (just the regular, unpaid, subscription, though I imagine the paid one also provides lots of value) as well as The Points Guy (especially good for credit card signup points and other alerts). For this trip, I didn’t use either, opting to set price drop alerts in Google Flights. Once the price dropped to about $600, we purchased our tickets (a reasonable price for that time of year when booking less than a month in advance).

This map may be useful to anyone planning a trip to Belize - there’s nice detail on it.

We arrived in Belize City in the early afternoon and made our way to the domestic check-in for a charter flight we booked with Tropic Air that would take us around the Great Blue Hole and then to San Pedro. One thing to note: there is a duty free store before you exit International Arrivals. Staff told me prices were in Belizean Dollars (exchange rate of 2 BZD=1 USD), so we bought some wine here. However, I later saw on my credit card statement that I’d been charged in USD at the displayed prices - so everything was twice as expensive as it should have been. Avoid.

We booked our charter flight with Tropic Air for 1755 BZD total (including taxes). Note that we also tried contacting Maya Air, another local airline, for a quote, but despite several emails, they never got back to us. Once on the domestic side, everything went smoothly, and we were told to check in with Tropic Air at our departure gate. The agent working there said he’d come find us in the terminal once our small Cessna airplane was ready. The terminal features a bar, a few small places for a quick bite, and some souvenir shops - best to purchase food before arriving at the airport if you plan to spend any amount of time there. Unfortunately no lounges/Priority Pass here (hopefully you’ve all got your Chase Sapphire Reserve card, which offers free Priority Pass access as one of its many benefits).

Our airplane was ready for us at the requested time, and after some brief introductions with our friendly pilot, we were off! It was about a 30 minute flight out to the Great Blue Hole, and it was worth every penny we’d spent on the charter flight. Our pilot circled around the hole multiple times, from high above and closer to the ground, and he also swooped by a nearby shipwreck that juts out of the water. We had plenty of photo opportunities and highly recommend the experience. From there, it was another 20 minutes or so to reach San Pedro, where we were met by someone from our guest house, Casa del Rai. Located just north of town and within walking distance, it was a nice place to stay for our four nights on the island, and it has a rooftop pool to boot.

One of the main reasons we had decided on Belize was for the scuba diving, and Belize did not disappoint. My travel companion got PADI Open Water certified with the Belize Pro Dive Center (you can read my Tripadvisor review here), which went very well. Their representative Emeliano was very responsive over email, which we really appreciated. I was previously PADI Rescue Diver certified, and while my friend was doing her certification dives, the dive shop helped connect me to a boat going out on the full-day Blue Hole diving trip (featuring 3 dives and a visit to Half Moon Caye to hang at the beach as well as see the red footed boobies). The people on the boat were very friendly and I quickly made friends, which made the day much more enjoyable. If you are Advanced Open Water certified and have done at least 25 dives, this is a day not to be missed. Note: you should not be considering doing this dive if you are newly Open Water certified. Get some more experience, get comfortable at different depths, learn to descend quickly, and then sign up.

For my friend’s final certification dives, we requested to go to Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley so that I could join her for the afternoon. The diving conditions at Hol Chan were excellent - a large quantity of fish, and the reefs were in very good shape. We also really enjoyed swimming with the nurse sharks and sting rays in Shark Ray Alley (though I do oppose the practice of constantly feeding them - this should really be stopped).

Our golf cart and the flooded road north

The food on San Pedro surpassed our expectations. Of particular note was El Fogon, to which we went twice because of how great their fish coconut curry was. Also be sure to try the chilmole soup. Elvi’s Kitchen was also pretty good. We loved the Belize Chocolate company - not only do they serve delicious, rich chocolate drinks made with Belizean dark chocolate, they also have great chocolate kitchen and bath products. Not to be missed is the chocolate mint body scrub. The Palapa bar & grill is a nice spot over the water for a drink. Further afield, for which you’ll need to rent a golf cart, the Rojo lounge is a great spot to chill and have drinks right on the water. Just past it is the wonderful and upscale Matachica Resort. We just stopped for lunch, but we really didn’t want to leave. When we rent, the road north became impassable about a 20 min drive after Matachica - it was completely flooded, and we didn’t want to risk getting the golf cart stuck (every rental place will let you know that soon after you leave town, the roads become unpaved, and if you get stuck or run out of gas, a rescue will be quite costly). Note: do not rent from Road Runner rentals. We prepaid and confirmed our one-day booking the night before, but the cart never showed up. We ended up needing to rent elsewhere last-minute and had to submit a claim with my credit card company to get our money back, as they completely stopped responding to us (read my Tripadvisor review here).

On the way back into town, we enjoyed a nice sunset from Rain Rooftop Terrace.

After spending 4 nights on San Pedro, we took a ferry to Caye Caulker (roughly 30 minutes) for another 2 nights. We walked over to Seaside Cabanas (5 min from the ferry) to check in, only to be told our room was not yet ready (though it was after check-in time). We were also told that because the previous guest had had their hotel key stolen, there was just one key that we needed to make sure not to lose. Needless to say, especially as two female travelers, this did not make us feel safe. The ambiance in the hotel was a bit off-putting, and I would not stay there again.

We did a day trip dive with Belize Diving Services to Turneffe Atoll. While the dive shop was professional, the trip was relatively expensive, and the reef was simply in poor condition. The visibility was also bad due to some windy weather in the previous days. We had a better time hanging out at Koko King for a sunset, watersports, swings and drinks. They regularly do free pick-ups and drop-offs from the west side of Caye Caulker. Another enjoyable and free activity was the sunset yoga with RandOM yoga (they also do morning yoga for those so inclined). We also checking out the animal shelter on the island, which is an ad-hoc operation, but can be fun to swing by if you’re missing your furry companion back home.

Foodwise, one afternoon we walked by La Cubana and noticed a whole roasting pig - it was fresh and delicious, and the skin was crackling. As Caye Caulker is very much an expat island, there was no shortage of restaurants doing Thanksgiving specials. We enjoyed meeting the very friendly and kind owner of Wish Willy whilst spending our Thanksgiving there feasting on turkey and homemade cake.

As far as the never-ending Ambergris Caye vs Caye Caulker debate goes, we were glad to have seen both and felt that our split of 4 nights on Ambergris and 2 nights on Caye Caulker was a good one for us. Ambergris Caye is bigger, and there’s more to do from there. We also thought the diving closer to Ambergris was better. Caye Caulker is cute, but ultimately very small and felt a bit sleepy.

For the inland leg of our trip, we took the water taxi from Caye Caulker to Belize City (45-60 min) and arranged for a driver to meet us via Mayan Heart Shuttle from the water taxi terminal in Belize City. We stopped for a quick photo opp at the Belize sign near the terminal, then made our way to cave tube at the Nohoch Che’en Caves (roughly $30 USD per person), stopping for a quick food stall lunch in Belmopan, and ending the day in Tikal in Guatemala ($125/person, including transfer on the Guatemalan side to Tikal with their sister company). In Tikal we stayed at the Jungle Lodge ($54/night total for a room with 2 beds and shared bathroom). We booked a sunrise tour through the lodge, which was one of the highlights of the trip, and one of the most memorable sunrises I have ever seen. Our guide had grown up in the area but also spent time in the U.S. and was not only incredibly knowledgeable, but also funny and entertaining. Your guide will lead you to Templo IV, which you climb in silence (guides along the way will shush you if you try to disturb the peace) and wait at the top as the sunrise creeps into view. You’ll hear the cries of howler monkeys from around the site, and the colours changing behind the other distant temples (Tikal is a very large site) are unforgettable.

Later that afternoon, we arranged for Mayan Heart Shuttle to transport us back to San Ignacio ($45/person), where we checked into our splurge hotel for the trip: the San Ignacio Resort Hotel (roughly $200/night). San Ignacio is a sleepy town, but it’s the jumping off point for visiting the ATM caves. You’ll need to book a tour to do this (and it’s a must-do); we booked ours with Pacz tours, who picked us up at our hotel in the morning, dropping us off again around 5pm ($95 USD/person). The ATM cave tour is quite an experience - prepare to be completely soaked (you will be swimming multiple times in full clothing). The only dry spot you’ll have is underneath your helmet, at the top of your head. I wore water shoes, which I would highly recommend. You will also squeeze through a couple of small places, and the tour will move slowly, since there are a number of other tour groups in there at any time. Note that due to tourists dropping cell phones and stepping atop precious Mayan artifacts, there are now many rules around what you can bring into the cave. For one, no water is allowed inside the cave, and you must bring socks in order to be able to walk around the deep part of the cave, even if you aren’t wearing them the rest of the time. Despite all the rules, the cave was one of the highlights of our trip.

To relax post-cave, for our final night, we booked 90-minute chocolate massages through our hotel, which were worth every penny. The next morning, we were picked up by Ronald Ron’s Belize shuttle (run by an expat Dutchman, $45/person, cash only) and dropped off at the Belize airport (after a quick and worthwhile detour at Belize Rum Cakes to pick up some of their namesake product). Overall, we really enjoyed our time in Belize, and I would go back in a heartbeat. We didn’t get to explore the diving and area around Glover’s Atoll, which I hope to do next. Belize is definitely a country worth going back to! (As is Guatemala!)

What to bring