Where exploration meets ethics, Hamanasi Resort on the southern beaches of Belize is walking the regenerative travel walk and leading the way, too. Hamanasi is no stranger—besides being only one of the two members in Central America, Hamanasi is also a founding member of Regenerative Resorts, an environmentally focused collection of luxury hotels and resorts across the globe. And at first glance, Hamanasi is doing everything right when it comes to carbon neutrality and conserving its natural surroundings: operating as plastic-free in both room and guest services, composting its food scraps into food for the onsite organic garden, etc. The limit with traveling sustainably is that it aims to maintain the current status quo, while regenerative travel asks, “Why not birth something better in its place?” Here are 4 ways how Hamanasi Resort is walking the regenerative, eco-travel walk and leading the way in Belize.
1. Preserving the natural habitat in Hamanasi.
Hamanasi in 2021. Photo by Emily Kaszton
Probably the only beachfront resort in Belize that’s able to offer treehouses too, Hamanasi deeply understands its role in nature. Built within a littoral forest, one of the property’s prime accomplishments has been the fierce conservation of this threatened forest type—often a casualty of coastal development. Instead, Hamanasi went one step further by buying and reforesting a four-acre lot adjacent to its coastal forest. One tree at a time, Hamanasi gardeners and one local farmer transplant native trees and bushes from the resort’s eleven-acre nature preserve. Today, it’s grown into the verdant greenery surrounding the new Deluxe Treehouses. Handcarved wooden planks came later with its Adopt A Tree program, getting guests to join the fun by adopting a flowering or non-flowering species for a small fee, with any leftover proceeds going to the Hamanasi Education Fund.
2. Acting as stewards of sustainability.
All Hamanasi structures are sustainably designed, from the ample use of windows to maximize natural light, to the ceiling fans and screened windows that provide an alternative to air conditioning. It’s available in the room, but you almost never truly need it with the constant sea breeze just steps from the Caribbean Sea. Earth-friendly and handmade local soaps line your tiled bathrooms, as do individually portioned, shampoos, conditioners, and cleaning supplies, which are purchased in bulk to reduce their carbon footprint from transport. No need for printing a welcome card either: fell almond tree leaves are personalized with your name, as are the reusable water bottles in each room.
Fun fact: Hamanasi gains its name from the Garifuna word for ‘almond tree,’ the native tongue of the Garinagu found in the nearby Hopkins Village.
3. Promoting guest education.
The dive crew at Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort. Image via property.
At Hamanasi, all tours are guided by Belize Tourism Board-certified guides. Individually, they take the time to inform guests about all flora and fauna that they will encounter on their tours, on land, and underwater. Guests also learn how to minimize their impact during tours, such as following maintained trails, not touching coral or other animals, and not taking anything that they may see during their excursion. Forgot your reef-safe sunscreen at home? No sweat. Hamanasi’s gift shop is fully stocked, though there’s a communal basket on entry at the Great House. If you rather not take it home, they’ll gladly accept it and add it to the shared stash. Hamanasi also accepts other items donated—think bras and feminine care products—for community groups catering to at-risk women and teens.
4. Providing employment and capacity building to the local community
Garifuna drummers at Hamanasi Resort
Over 97% of Hamanasi’s employees are Belizean and from the surrounding communities, with a 41:59 women-to-men ratio. Moreover, the regenerative travel resort aims to groom its managers and supervisors from within Hamanasi; they’ll promote among the ranks and offer full-time opportunities to those that join the team through internships or short-term work. Not to mention, guests are encouraged to head into the village (on complimentary Hamanasi bikes!) to explore a local cafe, drumming center, restaurant, or tour operator. Once a week, Hamanasi invites drummers from the Lebeha Drumming Center and dancers from the local high school for an in-house session of traditional Garifuna dancing and singing!
Header image via Kevin Quischan Photography .
