Blancaneaux Lodge & Turtle Inn

Lost World Adventures itineraries can be tailor-made according to your plans and preferences: budget, hotel selections, travel dates, optional excursions, length of trip, etc.

Day 1 : Belize City – Blancaneaux Lodge

You will be met at the Belize International Airport and transferred to Blancaneaux Lodge, a luxury resort hotel located in the northwest corner of the 107,000-acre Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve in western Belize’s Cayo District. The 20-room Blancaneaux Lodge overlooks the gentle rapids and shimmering waterfalls of the Privassion River where the flora of both the jungle and pine forest intertwine in the stunning landscape. Mexican architect, Manolo Mestre worked with Coppola on the expansion of the Lodge into a full-scale resort. The villas he created rise from the jungle on stilts and have soaring hardwood and hand-woven thatch ceilings. Francis and Eleanor Coppola chose the furnishings for each villa themselves from Mexico and Guatemala. The mahogany furniture on the decks and in the restaurant is hand-crafted in San Ignacio – the closest town to Blancaneaux – and the slate bar carved with ancient Mayan symbols was created by a local artisan.

The food at Blancaneaux is as unique as the decor. Guests start their day with freshly squeezed orange juice, bread baked that morning and plates of fresh fruit. The restaurant boasts the only wood-burning pizza oven in the country. The menu features many Coppola family recipes and proudly reflects his Italian heritage. Local chickens are home-smoked behind the restaurant, and virtually all the produce and fruit come from the large garden on the property. In addition to pizzas and pastas, there is a changing array of daily specials. Fresh fish from the coast also appears frequently on the menu. Coppola’s wines from his Napa Valley estate, Niebaum-Coppola, are available on the wine list, as well as various Italian wines.

Set on the banks of Privassion Creek, the Waterfall Spa offers a variety of treatments, wraps, and massages, as well as access to our rejuvenating hot pool overlooking cascading waterfalls. At the request of Francis Ford Coppola, the spa specializes in the art of Thai massage and features a professionally-trained staff that has studied ancient techniques at the Sacred Wat Pho Temple in Bangkok. With a hot pool heated solely by hydroelectricity, spa treatments that use locally sourced organic ingredients, and an open building design utilizing natural light, the Waterfall Spa is eco-luxury at its best.

Optional activities include horseback riding, hiking, Moonlight Jaguar Quest, guided mountain biking, swimming, sunrise birdwatching.

Included during your stay at Blancaneaux Lodge: Three nights in a Riverfront Cabaña; three cooked breakfasts, three lunches (1 on tour, 2 on property), and three dinners.

Also included are the following two excursions:

Canoe adventure to Barton Creek Cave, a remote cave once used by the ancient Maya as a burial site. Adorned with amazing stalactites and stalagmites, the guides will tell stories of civilizations past as they use spotlights to point out Maya pottery shards and remains in the depths below. This journey is enjoyed in a canoe as your guide paddles you through the dramatic cave.

Full-day 4-wheel-drive excursion to the Maya citadel of Caracol and Rio Frio Cave. This is an ideal combination of the Mountain Pine Ridge Reserve and Caracol tours. After a picnic lunch at Caracol, enjoy a stop at the Rio Frio Cave, and finish at the Rio On Pools, where you can indulge in a refreshing swim.

Days 2, 3 : Blancaneaux Lodge

Days at leisure, guided activities and excursions.

Day 4 : Blancaneaux Lodge – Turtle Inn

After breakfast you will transfer overland to Turtle Inn.

Turtle Inn is a 25-room seafront hideaway that combines natural wonders with luxury style. Turtle Inn is sandwiched between the Garifuna settlement of Seine Bight and the Creole fishing village of Placencia at the tip of a narrow 26-mile long sandy peninsula. To the east, the Caribbean Sea is studded by a patchwork of coral cayes and the Belize Barrier Reef UNESCO World Heritage site.

Directly behind Turtle Inn to the west lie the calm waters of the Placencia Lagoon and spectacular views of the Maya Mountains and Victoria Peak. South of the Placencia Peninsula is the Monkey River formed from the Swasey and Bladen rivers that flow from the jungle clad peaks of the Maya Mountains across the coastal savanna out into the extensive mangrove flats and barrier islands that hug the coastline.

Accommodations are in individual thatched cottages, decorated with handcrafted Balinese furnishings and naturally cooled by the ever-present sea breezes. Just steps beyond your private deck, the white-sand beach dissolves into the clear Caribbean ocean. In addition, two swimming pools offer a choice of freshwater and saltwater bathing.

With its friendly, attentive staff, two restaurants, a rejuvenating spa and idyllic seafront setting, Turtle Inn is a perfect refuge for those seeking a stress-relieving getaway. But our unique location also provides a wealth of exciting activities. The coral reef just offshore offers some of the best diving and scuba in the world, and our dive shop can accommodate the needs of both beginners and experienced divers. Inland hikes to hidden lagoons, canoe trips up the Monkey River and the short bicycle ride into our local, typically Belizean town will also enrich our guests’ experience of this magical country.

The best beach swimming in Belize is located in Placencia. The sandy beach and calm, clear waters create perfect conditions for swimming and snorkeling as well as a host of other water-related adventures. Visit the Dive Shop for more information on renting sailing boats, snorkel gear, kayaks and beach bicycles.

Turtle Inn also has two infinity swimming pools to help you enjoy the day. The oval-shaped infinity pool is located between the Mare Restaurant and the Laughing Fish Bar while the triangular infinity pool with its striking ceramic turtle tiling and tranquil surroundings is located to the north of the property close to the Gauguin Grill.

Included with your stay are a full-day snorkeling trip and a full-day Monkey River Wildlife Adventure.

Clear, calm waters combined with an abundance of fascinating coral and fish make Placencia a premier spot for snorkeling in Belize. Spend a full or half day exploring exotic coral species and keep an eye out for the dazzling stoplight parrotfish, queen angelfish, squirrelfish, and the great barracuda. Depending on what time of year you visit, you may also be able to catch a glimpse of the majestic whale shark.

Explore Monkey River by boat, observing howler monkeys, tropical birds, iguanas, crocodiles, and many other species of wildlife. Our experienced guide will take you through mangrove estuaries at the edge of the lagoon, home of the manatee, and you’ll hike trails through the rainforest to view families of howler monkeys. On the return downriver, you will stop in the village of Monkey River for a traditional Creole lunch.

Optional activities offered at Turtle Inn:

Sunset Cruise – the sunset over the distant Maya Mountains is nothing short of spectacular and there is no better place to see it from than the calm waters of the Placencia Lagoon. The cruise generally lasts from 60 to 90 minutes and includes hors d’oeuvres and Coppola wines. Stay on the lookout for dolphins and manatees that are often visible from the deck of the boat!

Fishing – troll, spin-cast or drop-fish in some of the most populated waters in the Caribbean. Barracuda, king mackerel, snapper, grouper, tuna and snook are among the many species that thrive here. Tour includes all necessary fishing gear. Please note this is not ‘blue water’ fishing for pelagic species. Placencia is a haven for every level of fly fisherman. The productive sand and coral flats off Placencia combine to offer the chance of salt-water fly fishing’s grand slam: permit, bonefish, tarpon and snook. Our waters provide some of the best fishing in the Caribbean and we offer experienced and professional local guides. Select fly fishing gear is available to loan from our tackle shop.

Bicycling – complimentary beach and mountain bicycles available to guests who would like to pedal around the beautiful surroundings.

Days 5 – 7 : Turtle Inn

Days at leisure.

Day 8 : Placencia – Belize City

Today you will transfer to the airport in Placencia for your short flight to the Belize City Int’l Airport.  Connect with your international departure.