Hugging the Caribbean coastline, on what can only be described as a jungle oasis on a beach, is Hamanasi Dive & Adventure Resort. The Hopkins hotel is no stranger to those who seek quality stays. Hamanasi has earned myriad awards across global ranks, and it seems there are no signs of stopping in 2022. As it stands, the dive resort has recently been nominated for the esteemed Travel and Leisure’s World’s Best Awards. While reputable publications have awarded Hamanasi throughout the year, this time T+L’s awards will be chosen by readers. The fact that the Belize resort was even considered one of the best in the world is an honor in itself. But while we’re sure competitors have equally qualifying features, we have a fair idea why Hamanasi is among the running.
Championing Regenerative Travel
One of the most impressive angles of the dive resort’s ethos is its affinity to go beyond just championing sustainability. Hamanasi was one of the founding members of Regenerative Resorts, which means they focus on regenerative travel. Where sustainability urges folks to leave places as they found them, regenerative tourism encourages them to leave behind something better. The resort practices this in its various green programs they conduct both within the community and at the hotel. Their volunteer-based Green Team enforces environmental and sustainability practices, while their community-based initiatives strive to empower their fellow Belizeans. Whether that’s through back-to-school projects, internship programs, or local employment & training.
Wellness inside and out
In this day and age, it’s not unheard of for many eco-based hotels to be focusing on health and wellness. One’s mental health and well-being should be of utmost priority, and what better place to polish them than on a tropical vacation? However, when it comes to overall holistic living, Hamanasi takes it a step further. The adventure resort has an established wellness program available for its dedicated staff. The program was one of the first implemented in Belize’s tourism industry and offers essential educational material to employees on various health matters.
Since its inception in 2016, the program has ballooned to include healthy eating workshops, sporting events, and mindfulness & meditation sessions. This is on top of frequent health screenings available to employees. Jackie Gamboa, assistant Human Resources, shared on their blog that “The wellness program has an impact on the work environment because employees are able to get educated in many different ways. They have been able to get help both physically and mentally. This program is one of the best things that we have done for our employees.”
All about quality
Apart from striving to have quality employees and initiatives, the resort itself is of high caliber. Made with the environment in mind, each room boasts luxe interiors with locally made art pieces and furnishings.
You can have your choice of a deluxe treehouse, with your own jacuzzi to boot, or a beachfront suite to wake up to the lapping Caribbean waves. When staying at Hamanasi, you feel like you have your own slice of rainforest cocooning your room.
This means you get all the sun, sand, and sea you want with covetable shade as a bonus. You can choose to isolate and get away from it all, or emerge from your safe abode and explore the vibrant town of Hopkins.
When you look at all the qualities that make up Hamanasi Dive & Adventure Resort, it’s easy to see why they were nominated for Travel and Leisure’s World’s Best Awards. To learn more about the awards and how to vote, click here.
