Turneffe Resort | A Private Island

Highlights:

Experiences include Fly Fishing, Snorkeling, Scuba Diving, & Relaxing
Private island located just 30 miles by boat off the coast of Belize
Outdoor pool right by the bar
8 deluxe rooms, 4 superior rooms, 10 private villas (my favorite as these are just steps away from the beach!)
All-inclusive family style dining
Spa on site with 12 massage treatments to choose from

Overview:

Castaway to a private island deep in the heart of the Caribbean! We experienced an amazing 4 night stay at Turneffe Island Resort and I am thrilled to be sharing the details of our trip and inspire you to follow our adventures around the globe! This is a world class diving and fishing resort with a luxury boutique touch! They have a saying here on the Island, “Come as strangers, leave as friends”, and that’s exactly how we felt. There are a total of 24 rooms (which means it’s never too crowded), daily happy hour around the island bar (where you can meet and mingle with other guests), and tons of fun experiences to choose from! The staff here quickly get to know you by name and go above and beyond to take care of you at this blissful home away from home!

Location & Getting There:

Set amongst the beauty of the Turneffe Atoll, this is where the fun begins! But first, let’s talk about how to get to this secluded island getaway! From the moment you step foot into the beautiful country of Belize, you are fully taken care of for a stress free journey to your island oasis. Our journey started when we landed at Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) where we were greeted by smiling staff who took us in a short shuttle ride to the boat dock so we could make our scheduled boat transfer which is included in any room package you choose! The boat ride to the island is a very scenic 1.5 hour journey through the turquoise waters and you are treated to a cold towel and a refreshing cocktail! You definitely get the VIP treatment from the very beginning.

Quick Note: The scheduled boat transfer from Belize City is every Wednesday and Saturday at 3:00 p.m. So be sure your flight lands within that window and give yourself enough time to make it to the dock. If you would rather come and go at your own schedule, you can also book a helicopter transfer for a grand arrival to the island!

The Hotel Room:

We had the pleasure of staying in one of the luxurious private villas and I couldn’t recommend it enough! Here are some of the features that really stood out to me:

Watching the palm trees sway in the outdoor shower
Open double doors with plenty of windows to enjoy views of the ocean and feel the island breeze
Screened porch so you can sit outside at night without any bugs getting in your way
Hammock to stargaze at night, we saw the Milky Way!
Steps away from the beach and close to the main island bar and restaurant
Canopy style beds make for a romantic atmosphere
Air conditioning so you an escape the island heat
Luxury touches such as mahogany interiors
Basket of goodies left at our porch steps every morning with warm tea/coffee

You can also choose from any of the Deluxe or Superior Guestrooms which are a bit more budget friendly or book the Honeymoon and Presidential Villas for those super special occasions!

Amenities:

We loved spending our evenings around the island bar with Fidel as our friendly bartender who made us so many unique Belize themed drinks, I tried the “The Blue Hole” which was delicious! We also met other guests during the evening happy hour (special appetizers to look forward to) and we quickly made some lasting friendships from around the world!

There is also a pool right by the bar to lounge away your relaxing afternoons! I especially loved going to the bed style swing at the end of the dock under a little hut and just listening to the ocean waves, true paradise!

Did I mention there is a private beach access from pretty much anywhere on the island? Given the small size of the island and limited guests, we always felt like we were in our own world fully secluded away!

Dining:

Oh gosh, where do I begin! The family style dinners make this resort truly unique! I can’t think of any other resorts where they ring a bell to call you for lunch! How cool is that?!? All the dining here is in one main restaurant and it is all inclusive with any room/adventure package you choose from! We experienced the best Belizean flavors in all 3 of our daily meals accompanied by our new friends! We would share stories of our day’s experiences, and some of them were even on the snorkeling trips with us! I admired how they catered to my dietary restrictions and I was simply blown away by the bold flavors in the freshly prepared dishes (and you can ask for more)! Here is one of my absolute favorite desserts that we had, their famous Coconut Cream Pie!

This is the view from the deck of the island restaurant!

Experiences:

There are so many fun activities offered daily that you will never be short of things to do! There are daily scuba diving, snorkeling, and fishing excursions to choose from and they have morning and afternoon timings for increased flexibility! The guides did an amazing job taking us to some of the best reefs where we saw colorful fishes, sting rays, and even a large lobster! Their most popular weekly tour is to the Great Blue Hole (world’s largest underwater sinkhole), this is a full day affair with many diving and snorkeling stops, including a delicious lunch served on an uninhabited island with some very famous birds! This trip only happens on Tuesdays, so if it’s on your bucket list to dive among stalactites in the Great Blue Hole, be sure to plan your trip accordingly!

We loved ending our last evening with a beautiful sunset cruise around the island, it was the perfect touch to an already amazing vacation. There was even a day where we just stayed back on the island and just spent the day relaxing and riding kayaks, my idea of a perfect afternoon!

Summary:

Overall, this was definitely a trip we will always remember and I already can’t wait to go back! Next time, I will definitely try my hand at fly fishing (they will even cook the fish if you catch a big one)! I am already dreaming of mornings filled with bright orange sunrises and feeling the calm ocean breeze with sand in my toes! Your only worry here will be if you put enough sunscreen on 🙂