Central America Travel Destinations Blog Posts

It’s time to travel to Central America! Here is the collection of The Keys to Travel blog posts highlighting Central America travel destinations, Central America travel guides and itineraries, and Central America travel tips.

The Best Place to Stay on Ambergris Caye

January 3, 2020/in Central America, Hotels

Belize is a great travel destination for couples and families that love the tropical feel but also want adventure and plenty of activities. Ambergris Caye, just a quick flight or boat ride from Belize City, is a perfect “home base” for your Belizian vacation. You get the laid back island feel with access to amazing snorkeling, diving, water activities and quick access to mainland adventures like exploring Mayan ruins.

When I traveled to Belize, I knew Ambergris Caye is where I wanted to stay. There are plenty of options for accommodations all over the island. I wanted to be a little farther away from the main city, but still with easy access. I wanted a nice pool, beach, and a room with a kitchen, so we didn’t have to eat all our meals out. Once I figured out everything I wanted and my budget, it wasn’t hard to find the perfect hotel!

After visiting Belize, I believe one of the best places to stay on Ambergris Caye is Grand Caribe.

Buildings at Grand Caribe in Ambergris Caye, Belize

Location of Grand Caribe on Ambergris Caye

Grand Caribe is located just outside the main town of San Pedro on Ambergis Caye, Belize. The resort is located 2 miles north of San Pedro. It is easily accessible by a paved road by golf cart (15 minutes) or by taxi (10 minutes).

The best place to stay on Ambergris Caye is the Grand Caribe

How to Get to Grand Caribe

There are quite a few options on how to get to Grand Caribe:

By Airplane
You can take a small plane from Belize City to San Pedro. It is about a 15-minute ride and I highly recommend it! The views are beautiful and it’s a very unique experience to sit on a 14-seater airplane! Once you arrive at the San Pedro Airport, Grand Caribe offers complimentary arrival and departure taxi rides to and from Grand Caribe. Just notify them of your arrival and departure times and they will be there to escort you.
Helicopter Transfer
You can take an even more unique experience to get to Grand Caribe and take a helicopter transfer. Grand Caribe partners with Astrum Helicopters to offer this experience. You can add in a tour of Belize Barrier Reef or the famous Great Blue Hole on your way. Work with the resort to arrange this transfer.
Water Taxi
The most affordable way to get to Grand Caribe is by water taxi. There are regular public water taxis from Belize City. This normally takes 1.5 hours and departs every hour. From the Belize City Airport, you will have to catch a taxi to the water taxi terminal.

Aerial view of Belize and the blue water

Rooms at Grand Caribe

Grand Caribe is a luxury vacation home rental in Ambergris Caye, Belize. The rooms are labeled as condos because they include kitchens, which I liked because then you can cook some meals at home instead of going out for every meal. Some condos are owned by families and others you can rent like a regular hotel room.

Pool at Grand Caribe in Ambergris Caye, Belize

Since this was my husband and my 3rd wedding anniversary trip, I wanted a nice room overlooking the ocean. We went with the One Bedroom Oceanfront room. It was very large with 1000 square feet of living space. There was a kitchen, living area, bedroom, bathroom with tub, a large walk-in closet, and a large balcony overlooking the ocean. I absolutely loved this room! We spent most of our time on the balcony. They also decorated our room for our anniversary. A very special treat!

Master bedroom in a condo at Grand Caribe

There are a lot of different size condos on this property, from studios to 4 bedrooms to villas. This is a perfect resort for families of all sizes. One thing I really liked is that even though there are a lot of different room sizes and it is a larger property, it was still quiet and peaceful.

Amenities at Grand Caribe

Dock – There is a dock on-site for easy transfers to excursions and San Pedro.
Restaurants – Grand Caribe has two restaurants on-site, Rain and Aqua. Rain is a rooftop restaurant and bar. It is the perfect setting for a romantic sunset dinner or drink to end the evening. They have great food! Aqua is an Asian influenced restaurant. We didn’t get to try it but they do have sushi nights! There are also plenty of restaurants within golf cart driving distance of Grand Caribe. Make sure to definitely check out Stella’s Sunset Wine Bar and Restaurant for half off bottles of wine during happy hour!
Spa
Grocery Store – One very convenient piece of Grand Caribe is the onsite grocery store. Before your trip, you can have them stock your fridge with all the food you want, or you can walk down and pick up what you want throughout your vacation. The prices are very reasonable, too.
Golf Cart Rentals
Water Sports Rentals
Gym on site. It is small but has all the necessities, like weights, machines, treadmill, elliptical and bikes.
Beach
Freshwater Pools – There are 6 freshwater pools onsite.

Pool and ocean at Grand Caribe in Ambergris Caye, Belize

Travel Tips for Belize

Make sure to bring bug spray! The mosquitos are vicious in the very early morning and at dusk.
Get a golf cart rental when staying on one of the islands. That is their main mode of transportation.
Bring USD. They widely accept the USD and the exchange rate is very easy. 2:1 (2 Belizian Dollars for 1 USD)

For a full travel guide on visiting Ambergris Caye, Belize, click here.

Walking along the beach at Grand Caribe where to stay on Ambergris Caye

When you are ready to plan and book your vacation to Belize, email me at hello@thekeystotravel.com. I am here to help you travel more and stress less!

The Ultimate Guide to Visiting Ambergris Caye

November 23, 2019/in Central America

A lot goes into my decision on where to travel. There are only so many days in a year and dollars in the bank account, so when Belize popped onto my radar, I did a lot of research to see if it would be worthy of a visit.

Belize is still a relatively hidden gem. I have been hearing about more people visiting or wanting to visit, but it definitely hasn’t become as popular a travel destination like Costa Rica or Mexico.

After visiting this past October, I have realized that Belize should be on everyone’s travel list, especially if you are a couple that enjoys tropical heaven with plenty of adventure opportunities.

Grand Caribe Ambergris Caye Belize Beach with Palm Trees

If you are thinking about traveling to Belize and staying on Ambergris Caye or planning to in the near future, here are all my thoughts and tips in a guide to visiting Ambergris Caye.

Picking a Spot to Visit in Belize

There are many places to pick from when deciding where to stay when visiting Belize. You can go with a beautiful island like Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker to coastal havens like Placencia to a jungle retreat like Belmopan. With so many options, it can be hard to pick one spot. I am a beach girl through and through, so I knew I wanted to be on the coast or stay on an island. I heard a lot of great things about Ambergris Caye, so I decided that is where I would stay when visiting Belize.

Where is Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye is located on the northeast part of Belize. It is actually so close to Mexico that it looks like you could just hop over the little river dividing Ambergris Caye from Xcalak, Mexico!

Airplane ride from Belize City to Ambergris Caye

How to Get to Ambergris Caye

There are two main ways to get to Ambergris Caye from the mainland of Belize. I chose to take the 15-minute plane ride from Belize City to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. It is a beautiful ride flying over the crystal clear blue waters and coral reefs. There are two main airlines that fly to and from the island every hour, Maya Island Air and Tropic Air.

The other option is to take the water taxi. This boat ride takes about 75 minutes.

The taxi option is more affordable than the air option, but I highly recommend taking the air route at least once for the views and the experience of flying in a 14 seater plane!

Flight from Belize City to Ambergris Caye on Tropic Air

Views from the plane on the way to Ambergris Caye from Belize City

What to Pack When Traveling to Belize

I learned about some key packing items not to forget after traveling to Belize. Do not forget to pack these items when visiting Ambergris Caye!

Bug Spray. The bugs do not mess around in Belize. Mosquitos will eat you alive, especially in the jungle. But even if you are staying on an island like Ambergris Caye near the water, dusk and nightfall still brings out the mosquitos. Do NOT forget bug spray!
Sunscreen. Like any tropical destination, do not forget sunscreen!
Light and Airy Clothes. Belize is hot and humid day and night. The less clothes you wear and the lighter weight they are, the better.
Swimsuits. You’re in a tropical paradise with amazing beautiful blue water. Bring all the swimsuits!
Water Shoes or Hiking Shoes. A lot of the mainland excursions include some hiking and wading through streams or cave floating. Having proper shoes will go a long way if you plan on doing some excursions.
Go Pro. If you are a snorkeler or diver, do not forget your underwater camera. Belize has the best snorkeling I have ever done. The reef is the healthiest in the world and the amount of underwater life you see is unreal!

Where to Stay on Ambergris Caye

There are many accommodations to choose from when visiting Ambergris Caye. When I visited, I knew I wanted a small kitchen option to be able to make breakfasts and lunches and not have to eat out all the time. I chose Grand Caribe. This resort has more of a condo feel with full kitchens in their rooms. There is a large variety of room types from studio space to 5-bedrooms. There are six pools, a swim-up bar, plenty of water activities, grocery store on-site, and a dock. It is a great resort for families and couples!

Where to Eat on Ambergris Caye

There are a lot of really good places to eat on Ambergris Caye. If you want delicious food at restaurants where the locals eat, stay off the beachfront areas. Most of the authentic, local cuisine is found in the heart of San Pedro away from the tourist spots.

Here are three of my favorite restaurants on Ambergris Caye.

1. Neri’s Tacos

One of the locals recommended Neri’s Tacos to us for breakfast. It is located in San Pedro and is basically a hole in the wall shack. It was the best breakfast we had on the island! And it was cheap. We got a burrito, 5 tacos, two freshly squeezed watermelon juices, and a veggie fry jack all for $10 USD. I highly recommend stopping here at least once during your visit to Ambergris Caye for some delicious authentic Belizean food!

2. Stella’s Sunset Wine Bar & Restaurant

This restaurant is very close to Grand Caribe and was our first dinner stop. We loved it so much we went back a second time. It is located on the western side of the island and has amazing sunsets. They have half-off bottles of wine during happy hour and live music on Fridays. Besides the bugs (remember bug spray! If you don’t, they have some you can use.), this was the perfect evening spot to hang out, drink some good wine, eat great food and relax.

3. The Hungry Grouper

The Hungry Group was another recommendation from a local. It is located in San Pedro. I’m pretty sure the chef is the guy who runs the place and takes your order. Very small place (maybe 5 tables) and a very cozy vibe. The menu is extensive, but we asked for the owner’s recommendation and he whipped us up his best ideas for that day. Very personalized service and delicious food.

What to Do on Ambergris Caye

There are many things to do while on Ambergris Caye, including all the beach and water activities to exploring beautiful local art. Here are some of my favorite things to do on Ambergris Caye:

Relax on the beach or by the pool.

Shop in San Pedro.

Belize Chocolate Company Boutique on Ambergris Caye

Tour Art Galleries.
Visit Secret Beach. (Not so secret anymore… If you want a party vibe and have a few drinks while cooling down in the ocean, check out Secret Beach.)

Scuba the Famous Blue Hole
We snorkeled Blue Hole. It was fun but scuba diving would have been way better. On the way back from Blue Hole, we snorkeled Half Moon Caye, which was amazing! And we stopped for lunch on the island. This portion made the 4 hour round trip boat ride worth it. If you get motion or seasick, I wouldn’t recommend this activity.

Snorkel Hol Chan, Shark Alley, and Mexico Rocks
I snorkeled Mexico Rocks and it was THE best snorkeling I have ever done. While snorkeling, I saw stingrays, eagle rays, starfish, pufferfish, lobsters, sharks, lionfish and so much more! If you could only choose one location to snorkel, I would highly recommend snorkeling Mexico Rocks.
Visit the Mayan Ruins on the Mainland – La m anai Mayan Ruins
I toured the Lamanai Mayan Ruins. There are plenty to choose from but this one included an hour boat ride to the Lamanai Mayan Ruins. I saw manatees, birds, iguana and a lot of wildlife. It was so calm and peaceful. A great start to the Lamanai Mayan Ruins.

Belize is a beautiful and fun country. The locals are so kind and I felt safe the entire time I was there. I was really glad I stayed on Ambergris Caye! Make sure to add Belize and Ambergris Caye to your travel list, you won’t regret it. You better Belize it!

If you need help planning and booking your Belize vacation, email hello@thekeystotravel.com.

A travel guide to Ambergris Caye, Belize

Where to Stay in Costa Rica

January 13, 2019/in Central America, Hotels

When I visited the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica in December (I highly recommend going to Costa Rica in December!), I was able to tour multiple hotels. I was pleasantly surprised with the variety of hotel types in this region. There were all-inclusives, boutiques, and eco-friendly off the beaten path lodging. Costa Rica really has it all for any type of traveler!

Planet Hollywood Beach Resort Costa Rica

Planet Hollywood in Costa Rica just opened at the end of 2018. If you want to be treated like a Star on your vacation, head to Planet Hollywood. When you arrive, you are greeted with a cool towel and a delicious purple drink. It is all about experience here. You walk the red carpet, have your photo taken and everyone claps for you. It’s a great experience when arriving at a resort after a long day of travel.

Planet Hollywood Beach Resort in Costa Rica Red Carpet Entrance.

With a great all-inclusive program, you have many options from food and drink to activities. I luckily got to stay as a Star Class member, which I would recommend. You get additional benefits like a private pool and bar area (quieter and more relaxing than the main pool area), complimentary access to the hydrotherapy pool, upgraded room service, and more. You can’t go wrong staying at Planet Hollywood!

Planet Hollywood Costa Rica private pool for Star Class Members.

Hotel RIU Guanacaste

Hotel RIU is another all-inclusive option in the Guanacaste region. The RIU and the RIU Palace are right next to each other and both are great options for group or family travel. This resort is affordable and has the option of connecting rooms. RIU’s are known for their great locations on pristine beaches and this one did not disappoint. This resort is a large one with 3 pools, activities for kids and adults, all-inclusive 24 hours, large beachfront access, and so much more. If you’re looking for an affordable all-inclusive option, RIU is a good option.

View from Top Floor looking at the ocean at the Riu Guanacaste in Costa Rica.

Andaz Costa Rica Resort at Peninsula Papagayo

Andaz is a lifestyle brand of Hyatt and you definitely feel their slogan “come as a visitor, depart as a local” the second you walk inside. Andaz is not an all-inclusive option, but don’t let that hold you back from visiting. Their unique architecture seems to be one with nature. They have four pools, one being an adults-only pool, and access to three beaches. They also have a private beach house! Being so intertwined with the natural environment, this hotel instantly calms and relaxes you.

View of the ocean and part of the Andaz at Peninsula Papagayo in Costa Rica.

El Mangroove

El Mangroove is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection. It is a modern hotel right on the Gulf of Papagayo. One of my favorite parts of this hotel was the spa area. The spa is incredible with outdoor spa stations, private relaxation pods, and all the services and treatments you could need to unwind and relax on your vacation. The hotel is surrounded by the forest and beautiful mangroves that Guanacaste is well known for.

Secrets Papagayo Costa Rica

If you want all-inclusive luxury, Secrets is the way to go. Their Unlimited Luxury program works to exceed your expectations of all-inclusive, and they do just that. This is an adults-only resort and is perfect for a couples getaway, honeymoon or destination wedding. Who wouldn’t want to relax with their honey with a view like that?

Drift Away Eco Lodge

If you’re looking for a hotel off the beaten path away from tourists, definitely stay at the Drift Away Eco Lodge. This beautiful eco lodge is located south of Tamarindo and very much in with the locals. The beach is right across the road, just a short 3 minute walk. With no tourists around, the beach is basically your own private beach! I cannot recommend this hotel enough if you’re looking to get away, relax and rejuvenate.

Are you interested in going to Costa Rica and need help deciding where to stay or what to do? Send me a message at hello@thekeystotravel.com, and we can start planning your trip!

Best hotels to stay at in the Guanacaste Region of Costa Rica

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The Drift Away Eco Lodge in Costa Rica

January 12, 2019/in Central America, Hotels

If you’re looking for off the beaten path and a remote, beautiful stay in Costa Rica, I would highly recommend the Drift Away Eco Lodge.

Sign at the Drift Away eco-lodge in Cost Rica.

Drift Away Eco Lodge is located just 30 minutes south of Tamarindo in the Guanacaste Province of Costa Rica. The closest and easiest airport to fly into would be Liberia. I would recommend renting a car to get around, but there are many delicious local restaurants nearby and easy to get to and the beach is just steps away.

Drift Away Eco Lodge on a Google Map for direction.

While staying at the Drift Away Eco Lodge, I felt like I was really getting a feel for local Costa Rica and supporting the local community. To them, sustainability means being eco friendly and supporting the community. The staff are all local and so incredibly friendly and helpful. They always put a smile on my face. Drift Away works on local projects to help better the community they are a part of. And many of the products used at the hotel are sourced locally.

Drift Away Eco Lodge local sourced coffee and tea in Costa Rica.

One of my favorite parts about staying here (besides the basically private breach we had all to ourselves!) was the laid back, relaxing vibe. It is really a great place to relax and unwind. My life slowed down, and I was able to just enjoy the now. I enjoyed lounging by the pool, playing pool and ping pong, and eating the daily delicious breakfast.

Pool at the Drift Away Eco Lodge in Costa Rica.

I love that this hotel is built into the landscape. Luckily, I went in December right after rainy season so all the vegetation was so green and luscious. It felt like I was in a rainforest! One thing I noticed is how perfect this location would be for a group getaway, company retreat, or health retreat. There are plenty of spaces for breakout sessions, an area for yoga, and there are plenty of different room layouts to accommodate any group. I could see myself going a yoga retreat here… well any excuse to go back!

Drift Away Eco Lodge seating areas in Costa Rica.

Rooms

The rooms are beautiful and simple. Some rooms do have an open concept bathroom (no door!), so make sure you’re comfortable with whoever you are staying with! The furniture is all sourced and made locally along with the driftwood decorations. The memory foam mattresses are incredibly comfortable. It was hard getting out of bed each day… except the beach was always calling my name!

Hotel room at the Drift Away Eco Lodge in Costa Rica.

Beach

The beach is a 3 minute walk from the hotel. Like I said before, it is like having your own private beach all to yourself! I only saw a few people the couple days I were there, and they were all locals walking their dogs or jumping in the ocean for a quick swim. It was incredibly peaceful and a great way to just reset.

If you are interested in staying at this hotel or have questions about Costa Rica, email me at thekeystotravel@gmail.com.

Happy Travels!

Drift Away Eco Lodge Pool in Costa Rica.