According to leading digital travel platform Booking.com, travel for the year 2023 will be creatively reimagined. And, alongside that reimagining will be a much greater emphasis on sustainable and responsible travel. This comes as no surprise, considering that after years of uncertainty, anxiety, and stress, many people are looking towards 2023 with hope, with guarded optimism, and with a desire to find balance amidst chaos.
As more and more city dwellers, burnt out from the often overwhelming demands of everyday life, find themselves searching for a momentary respite, many will turn to greener spaces that allow them the peace and tranquility that they crave. Their travels may find them here in Belize, looking for memorable eco-adventures and relaxing, close encounters with Mother Nature. All this, while hoping to minimize any negative impacts they may have on the natural environment. Which makes sense, considering that enjoying nature and all that it offers means preserving it, too.
With that in mind, here are some of Belize’s top eco-friendly resorts that are fully committed to sustainable and responsible tourism.
Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort
Photo courtesy Hamanasi Resort.
Dedicated not just to preservation but to improving their environment and community, Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort is the first beach resort in Belize to have been Green Globe Certified. Located in Hopkins village, sitting between the rolling Maya Mountains and the blue Caribbean sea, this environmentally focused luxury resort offers stylish treehouses and oceanfront rooms while giving guests the chance to give back to the community via the Pack for a Purpose Initiative.
Hamanasi believes in responsible, natural and cultural based eco-tourism. We understand the importance of preserving our environment and indigenous communities.
Blancaneaux Lodge
A intimate hideaway in the the Maya heartland. Photo via Blancaneaux Lodge
A mountain hideaway that will have you falling in love with nature, Blancaneaux Lodge was once Francis Ford Coppola’s family hideaway in the 80s. Today though, it is a stunning resort where luxury meets sustainability. It’s nestled in the heart of the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve. Here, visitors often feel like they’ve been whisked away to an almost fantastical paradise. Not just that, but Blancaneaux Lodge, like all the Coppola Family Hideaways, is a champion of sustainable tourism. Powered by a hydroelectric source (the nearby Privassion Creek), and constructed using sustainable, often locally sourced materials, Blancaneaux lets travelers rest easy knowing that their stay is beyond green.
Francis and Eleanor Coppola see their role as that of a conservator, preserving the pristine natural environment. They strongly support Belize’s commitment to ecotourism and continue to explore new technologies and practices that benefit the environment.
Ka’ana Resort
Image courtesy Ka’ana Resort
Located in the heart of the Cayo district, Ka’ana Resort has been helping to “keep Belize green” for years now. Set on 17-acres of unspoiled nature, this eco-luxury resort has committed to continued sustainability practices through a number of methods. That includes implementing the use of reusable containers rather than single-use plastics, a comprehensive composting system, and more. They are also currently in the process of becoming Green Globe Certified.
From the restaurant to the room amenities, to recycling, using biodegradable products, and producing high-quality drinking water without using plastic bottles, Ka’ana’s efforts benefit our guests, employees, and the local community.
Black Rock Lodge
Lonely Planet’s pick for Best Self-Sustainable Resort is located far off the beaten path, surrounded by thousands of acres of lush greenery in the Don Elijio Panti National Park. In addition to traditional conservation techniques, Black Rock Lodge goes a step further by aiming to reduce their carbon footprint. Their methods include having advanced systems of electricity generation, wastewater treatment, waste reduction, resource generation, and recycling.
Our efforts arise from a deep passion for conserving our stunning natural surroundings. We want our lodge to not simply exist in harmony with the land, but to nourish and regenerate it.
Featured Image courtesy Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort.
