My mother-in-law was in search of a resort vacation to celebrate her birthday and came across the luxury eco-lodge, Copal Tree Lodge in Belize. It’s a sustainable, all-inclusive resort in the middle of the rainforest. They have 16 suites and 1 villa, just to give you an idea of size and possible availability of the resort. Our girls trip consisted of six women and since we have all been to oceanfront vacations, we were so excited for the rainforest experience. We flew to Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport where we were greeted by a Copal Tree employee who lead us to the waiting area to board the Tropic Air Cessna Caravan taking us to Punta Gorda. Upon landing, a resort van met us at the airstrip to take us to the lodge (these transfers are set up through the resort reservation).

As we entered the property, we passed through the Copal Tree farm before reaching the resort lobby. Surrounded by jungle views, we were greeted with a refreshing cocktail as concierge went over our reservation, the resort map and our excursions. Located next to the check-in desk was the Rum Bar, the floor above was the Garden Table (the resort restaurant) and next to the lobby is a very small Gift Shop. Certain days there would be a local person selling hand crafted goods at the entrance.

We were booked for the Jungle Suites and my room in particular required walking up about 3 flights of stairs. I first entered the screened in balcony before entering the sliding glass door to my room. Despite any heat or humidity felt outside (depending on the day), the suite stayed refreshingly cool and comfortable. I had plenty of space to store my clothes, a safe for my jewelry and a king size bed (along with a sofa bed). On the desk was large glass bottle filled with water (perfect for filling the complimentary water bottle they gave me at check-in) and a coffee maker. The bathroom had a stone walk-in shower that had a floor to ceiling view of the forest, two sinks and a private toilet area. While walking up the stairs definitely gets my out-of-shape-a** breathing heavily, the view from our balcony was incredible. Laying in the hammock surrounded by trees, listening to birds (and Howler monkeys which scared me at first because I didn’t know what it was) was a simple pleasure I wish had more time to enjoy during our stay.

Copal Tree offers a farm-to-table package that allows us to dine at the Garden Table for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Meals, along with regular and alcoholic beverages, were mostly sourced from their very farm and distillery. This alone was a memorable highlight of our trip as everything was not only fresh but absolutely phenomenal from the high quality dishes to the rum and garnish in our cocktails. On days we didn’t have to run off for an excursion, we relaxed at the lodge swimming pool. There is a very cool infinity pool with a stunning view that is for the Canopy Suite guests only but as you will see in my photos, I snuck up there to see the view. They provided bikes and kayaks for when you wanted to go off on your own to explore the property but since we got in after they’d just gotten a lot of rain (and it was super hot other days) we didn’t have a chance to do a lot of wandering. They also offered reservations for the resort spa or a visit to the fitness and yoga center (I don’t believe in working out when on vacation… or when home).

During our 5 day stay, we reserved on-site activities like the distillery tour, mixology class, chocolate-making class along with excursions like the Zipline & ATV tour and Sunset Cruise. One of the many things Copal Tree Lodge is known for is agritourism so exploring their farm and distillery with their highly knowledgeable guides was an experience I wouldn’t have traded. They would typically pick us up on the safari style jeep from the lobby and only be minutes away from their factories. The tours would be fully involved as they would not only show us the produce growing on their farm but also pick them fresh and cut them for us to taste, explain the process of their growth and allow us to enjoy the final product. It wasn’t just the history and explanation of production that made these tours enjoyable, it was the passion of each guide that made me appreciate the mission of Copal Tree entirely.

Whenever we go on a resort vacation, I’ve learned that taking excursions off the property helps to get me more acquainted with the area itself. We drove north about an hour and a half to get to our ziplining check-in which goes by quickly as our driver gives us a little history on the town while we enjoy the distant mountain views. After the exhilarating glide through the jungle, we stopped for lunch at a local restaurant before going on the ATV tour. On our last night, we boarded a covered boat that smoothly cruised out into the sea as we waited for the sunset. We sipped our cocktails as we chatted about the many fun (and funny) events of our trip.

My takeaway from the trip- It was a unique experience to visit a resort located in the jungle. It was so relaxing to listen to the nature all around you. During our stay, we came across couples on their honeymoon along with people on a group fishing trip so it can definitely be as intimate or as eventful as you want it to be. (Copal Tree Lodge is also known for river fishing, fly fishing, bird watching and snorkeling.) The food is the highest quality I’ve ever received on a resort that I would probably credit to being a farm-to-table restaurant, prepared by great chefs that doesn’t have to cater to thousands of guests. Seeing their efforts to minimalize waste was something I personally appreciated. There were no paper towels/napkins or water bottles seen on the property. As far as the staff goes, the personable service is unmatched. I’ve never stayed at a resort where everyone was so knowledgeable about the area and the history of the lodge. This has been one of my favorite trips but the only thing I will say is… bring bug spray.