The Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve in the Cayo District of Central Belize, not far from San Ignacio, includes more than 100,000 acres (404,685 hectares) of protected land in the Maya Mountains. It’s home to cougars, tapirs, toucans, jaguars, fantastic rivers and waterfalls, and two notable nature resorts to use as bucolic base camps while you explore.
This honeymoon bungalow at Francis Ford Coppola’s Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize has one of the best private plunge pools we’ve ever seen.
Food, forest, and Francis Ford Coppola
Like to eat authentic Italian food? Fancy the idea of hanging out where director (and resort owner) Francis Ford Coppola comes to relax and get creative? That’s why Blancaneaux Lodge was created, bringing the lap of luxury to the heart of this wilderness.
Inspiration point: Academy Award winning director Francis Ford Coppola is said to do some of his best thinking in this chair overlooking Privassion Creek in front of his villa at Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize.
Built on 70 acres (28 hectares) the resort has a Balinese style spa building, a horseshoe-shaped warm pool (plus a conventional pool), and 20 accommodations including Coppola’s villa which has internet access and a chair on a rocky perch where the Academy Award winning director is said to do his best thinking. Given the view over a dramatic drop in Privassion Creek, it’s not surprising that this is his inspiration point.
Inside one of 20 bungalows and villas at Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize.
Other don’t-miss details? The fan from Apocalypse Now that twirls above the lobby bar and each room has a shellphone–an intercom inside a huge conch shell that functions as your lifeline to the front desk (there are no telephones) at all of the resorts Coppola owns in Belize (he also owns Turtle Inn and La Lancha).
The shellphone–a signature feature of all three of Francis Ford Coppola’s resorts.
The gorgeous horseshoe-shaped warm pool at Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize.
Then there’s the food. Mom’s recipes and produce from the resort’s organic garden team up to create delicious traditional Italian dishes. Even if you haven’t been on the road in Latin America for years where Italian food generally sucks, the food at Blancaneaux will be a delight.
Karen enjoying a pizza pig out at Francis Ford Coppola’s Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize.
For us, the pizzas were a culinary lifesaver. Tip: ask them to put some organic arugula on top. Of course, there’s also a full compliment of Coppola wines. We were actually surprised at how many different varietals and blends Coppola is making these days…
Blancaneaux’s second restaurant is a cozy bare-bones reservations-necessary affair which serves traditional Guatemalan food. Honestly, we were all about the Italian when we were there. For more, read our full profile of Blancaneaux Lodge for iTraveliShop.
You can hike or horseback ride to Big Rock Falls near Blancaneaux Lodge in Belize.
Though the urge to just relax (and eat) was strong, we managed to tear ourselves away from Blancaneaux long enough to hike the trail from the resort to the lovely Big Rock Waterfall on Privassion Creek and go horseback riding to the same spot the following day (even if you don’t ride go check out the 5 star stable at Blancaneaux). We also visited nearby Rio on Pools, a gently sloping section in the river that allows small swimable pools to form.
Rio On Pools in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Rreserve in Belize.
Waterfalls and walking
Like to hike? Fancy the idea of your own private waterfall with a catered gourmet lunch? Hidden Valley Inn & Reserve, also in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, offers 90 miles (145 km) of trails lovingly and meticulously maintained by a dedicated team of people who patrol and repair them.
Butterfly Falls on the private grounds of Hidden Valley Inn in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve in Belize.
There are even hand-hewn walking sticks at the beginning and end point of many of the trails which traverse the inn’s 7,200 acres (2,913 hectares) of private land in the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve taking you through picture perfect jungle, along babbling brooks, and past a dozen different waterfalls on the property.
Karen hiking the Cascade Trail at Hidden Valley Inn in Belize.
The Cascade Trail is the newest and most spectacular trail on the property–you can tell that it was designed by an Austrian watch maker. We spent hours walking many of the resort’s trails (armed with a two way radio, a safety device all hikers get) enjoying the peace and quiet.
King vultures hanging out at the top of their massive namesake waterfall. We apologize for the uncharacteristically poor quality, but the shot had to be taken from a quarter mile away.
As we hiked we looked for some of the hundreds of species of birds which live or migrate through the area and we saw many of them, including the massive and rare king vulture. What we didn’t see were any other hikers. There’s wasn’t another soul on the trails.
Eric cooling off in Secret Pools, one of two waterfalls at Hidden Valley Inn that you can rent for the day.
Want to really ensure privacy? You can rent your own private waterfall for the day. Cubs Den waterfall has a thatched roof shelter next to a gurgling creek with small rapids and a small shallow pool for swimming and wading. Or book our favorite, Secret Pools (pictured above) with a platform on the edge of the natural pool beneath the falls complete with table and chairs and a hammock. There’s even a rope barrier that reads “Do Not Disturb” that goes up across the trail so other hikers don’t stumble into your bliss.
Hidden Valley will even deliver a four course champagne lunch (including their awesome homemade bread) to your chosen waterfall.
A Mexican jumping viper we encountered on a trail at Hidden Valley Inn in Belize.
There are 12 stand-alone cabins at Hidden Valley Inn including two deluxe suites which feature large screened-in porches, hammocks built for two, and bathrooms with claw foot tubs and orchid-studded outdoor showers–in case you haven’t had enough waterfalls. And after all that hiking we also took advantage of yoga classes taught on three platforms in the jungle.
Thousand Foot Falls, near Hidden Valley Inn in Belize, is actually 1,600 feet (487 meters) tall but you can only see the upper section from the viewpoint.
Here’s more about travel in Belize
Nice post. OK, I’ll take the honeymoon bungalow at Blancaneaux Lodge. What great places to hike in Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, too. I wouldn’t want to run into that viper though — looks like you got pretty close to him.
Pretty close indeed, almost stepped on him. The Mexican Pit Viper is very tine, look at its size compared to the leaves, it will fit in your hand.
Amazing pictures. We’re planning a trip there in December and are staying in San Igancio. Now I’m going to look into this place as well.
Besides the snake- this place looks awesome!
Wow! great view, I am on a tropic country too and living in the place they are calling city of waterfalls, but to our dismay it was not taken care of.
Still need to make our way to Belize. We opted for Dominica a handful of years back when the air rates to Belize were pretty pricey. Unfortunately, a month later, they became pretty affordable.
Looks very cool.
Used to spend weekends, with a group of my army chefs,at the lodge when I was serving there about 20 years ago.