We're so excited to show you the recently enhanced guest dock at our resort! Last month we shared that the New Swimming Dock is Nearly Complete.

Our hard-working team has now finished the upgrades and the guest dock features spots to lay in the sun, tile roof for shade, and a hexagonal swimming platform. It's an ideal place to relax and take in the incredible views or go for a dip in the warm Caribbean. Grab some free snorkel gear and get to know the rays and fish that hang out in the calm shallow waters (about 4-6 feet deep).

Here's a 1-minute video where you can take a walk with us, from under the almond tree and across the beach and out onto the dock:

It was a calm and sunny morning about 6:15AM when this video was taken. Listen carefully and you can hear some of our resident birds greeting the sun-filled day. 

Just in time for a busy winter season in Belize, the new dock on the reef-side of our island is nearly complete. Guests of St. George's will soon have even more space for lounging in the sun and shade over the sea, and several platforms for easy swimming and snorkeling in the warm waters right off the dock. 

(Picture above is a guest jumping off of our old dock, unfortunately lost to the storm last year. The replacement is bigger and better!)

Here are a few images of the new dock in process:

Located between the swimming pool and the Oceanfront Cabanas, The Villa features three private suites adjoining a large living room and veranda with expansive views of the Caribbean. Until now this space was used by the owner, and for occasional overflow and groups needing more than our 12 thatch cabanas.

But we can no longer keep this beautiful space and impressive view to ourselves…so we’re excited to announce the newly remodeled oceanfront villa and suites at St. George’s Caye Resort!

RENT A PRIVATE SUITE – OR THE ENTIRE VILLA

Starting this winter, each of the three air-conditioned suites – the Coral Suite, Dolphin Suite, and Captain’s Suite – is available to rent as a private room, or you can rent the entire Villa. With gorgeous Belizean hardwood floors, bright tropical accents, and sweeping ocean views from the living room and veranda, The Villa is the perfect space for a group of friends, two or three couples, or family to enjoy our island paradise together.

Just like the private cabanas, your private villa suite comes with coffee & fresh juice delivered each morning, your first rum punch on the house every day, unlimited use of kayaks, SUPs, sailboats, windsurf gear, and saline swimming pool, and all other resort amenities.
 

We love looking at gorgeous wedding and honeymoon photos. Don't you?

Here we've rounded up our team's favorite photos of destination weddings and honeymoons at St. George's Caye Resort in Belize, our little island paradise. If you're looking for inspiration for a dream tropical wedding or honeymoon, you've come to the right place!

The jaw-dropping photo at the top of this post was taken at a wedding earlier this year by Conch Creative, a local Belize photography company that does amazing work. The clouds created a dramatic backdrop that looks like a movie set. Wow! 

3 of Our Favorite Honeymoon Photos:

Between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays in the US there tends to be a lull in travel which means you can often snag an affordable flight to Belize. And who doesn't want a break from the hustle and bustle of holiday season?!

Treat yourself to a relaxing beach vacation AND get some of your holiday shopping done. Sounds pretty ideal, doesn't it?

Easy Holiday Shopping in our Gift Shop

We have wifi here at St. George's Caye Resort if you must do some online shopping - but might we recommend some handmade crafts from Belize? Our gift shop is full of wonderful items supporting local artists and craftsmen from around the country. Bring home hammocks, baskets, woodcarvings, jewelry, Marie Sharp’s hot sauce, and more for your friends and family. We also offer day trips to Belize City and San Pedro so you can hit art galleries, tourist shops, and even beach vendors selling beautiful handmade crafts. 

Special Offer for Stays Nov 25-Dec 22

Cap'n Ron is offering a special deal for stays between November 25th and December 22nd of this year: get $200 in Holiday Gifts on us! Book any 5 night or longer stay and you receive a $200 credit in our gift shop. And even better, if you reserve your stay by October 15th, we'll also upgrade your room at no charge! Pay for a Tropical Garden Cabana, stay in one of our popular Sunset Over-the-Water Cabanas. View Offer Details.

First things first, a huge congratulations to our amazing team who makes this all possible. Without our staff, our resort would just be another resort. But with them - St. George's Caye is magic! And we love it when others agree.

Our little island resort in Belize was just recognized by the travel website TripExpert with a 2017 Experts' Choice Award and distinction as one of the Best of Belize. As their press release states, "Travelers can be confident that it is an outstanding choice for lodging in Belize."

We couldn't agree more!

When people visit our island resort in Belize, some folks just want to lay on the beach or by the pool all day. And that is fine with us! On our island, "doing nothing" is an activity. 

For the more active and adventuresome guests, St. George's offers amazing off-island tours and activities to explore other parts of Belize. These tours are guided and private for our guests only (small groups of 2-10 usually), giving you a personalized experience as you uncover the wonders of this beautiful and friendly country. When driving is required, you'll be in a small passenger van rather than a large bus and you'll always be able to hear your guide and ask questions.

Best Tours in Belize

Some of the most popular tours we offer include:

• Lamanai Maya temple and ruins with jungle boat ride and wildlife viewing
• San Pedro Slam - go snorkeling or diving at Hol Chan Marine Reserve and visit the restaurants, shops, and beach bars on "La Isla Bonita"
• Cave Tubing & Zip-line - float down a jungle river and through caves, equipped with a headlamp; then whiz through the jungle canopy on a zip-line 

To provide our guests with a premier experience, we proudly have a licensed professional tour guide on staff, Cornel Staine. Knowledgeable, personable, and a great story teller, Cornel leads most of our small tours (for resort guests only!). When Cornel is not available, he schedules our guests' tours with a few select guides whom we know and trust. Cornel also meets most of our guests when they arrive at the airport and is a wealth of information as he drives you to the marina for your short boat ride to the resort. You can learn more about Cornel here.

If you're like me, when you travel, you want to get in as much FUN time as you can. The actual travel part -- the planes, trains, and automobiles -- can be fun but it's not FUN fun. Especially when you're heading to a secluded island paradise and you want to get on the beach as soon as possible! 

When planning how to get the most beach time on your Belize vacation, you need to take into account the location of the island and the transfer times required after you arrive in Belize.

• How many hours will it take you to get there and back?

• Do you need to take a plane and then a boat?

• How much will it cost?

• Does the resort offer transportation?

Our secluded island paradise is pretty much perfect for relaxing and adventuring -- located only 7 miles off the coast of Belize and less than a mile from the reef, St. George's Caye offers great access to both ocean and jungle adventures. There are only 12 thatch cabanas and a limited number of guests at one time (and no TVs or cars!), so you can truly get away from it all. And our staff is one of the finest in the country, providing top-notch friendly service without being intrusive. 

But we're always looking for ways to improve the guest experience and make your time in Belize even better. We listen to guest feedback at the resort, via TripAdvisor reviews, and through post-stay guest surveys -- and we’ve made a few fun updates so that you have an even more incredible time at our island resort in Belize. 

Better Beach Area, New Bar Menu & More

This past fall our team rehabbed our beach to prevent further erosion and make it even better for our guests. We've added a ramp and stairs to make it easier to launch the Hobie Cat sailboats, and the sand is dotted with pink chairs and colorful hammocks for reading, napping, and sunbathing. The four Oceanfront Cabanas face this beautiful stretch of beach and offer front-row seats for the sunrise each morning. 

HAPPY HOUR JUST GOT HAPPIER -- AND MORE AFFORDABLE!

We enjoy providing a piece of paradise where guests and friends can unplug, unwind, and restore themselves. Whether you choose to lay in a hammock all day, or stay active with SCUBA diving, snorkeling, kayaking, and hiking the jungle, everyone ends up in our Sand Bar lounge for refreshments.

Located in the lodge with amazing views of the Caribbean, the Sand Bar Lounge at St. George's Caye features complimentary Wi-Fi internet, fun games, and friendly bartenders. This is where much of the socializing and meeting new friends happens – a very happy place! (We like to call it all-day happy hour.)

WE'RE LISTENING...

Over the past few months some guests have mentioned that our drink prices in the lounge seem high. We're always listening to guest feedback and are committed to providing a great experience and very good value, so we dug into the pricing, our costs, and what options we had. We don't want guests worrying about the price of drinks in the bar -- we want you enjoying your time in Belize!

A few weeks ago Cap’n Ron got personally involved with our resort manager and the incredible service staff to review beverage inventory and pricing in the bar -- and they uncovered a variety of ways to increase the value and in many cases reduce the drink prices.

NEW BAR MENU 

We just unveiled the new drink menu and are pleased to report that we now offer a majority of drinks in the $4 to $10 price range, with a 30% reduction on our average drink price! We have maintained very good brands, but reduced our costs through selective inventory reduction.

Two more direct flights to Belize City (BZE) from North America have been announced, making it even easier to get to our beautiful Central American country!

The world-class snorkeling and diving on the barrier reef, the Mayan ruins and jungle adventures, and the really friendly native people have all made Belize a popular travel destination over the past few years. Belizeans love showing off their country and the natural beauty, history, culture, food, and adventures.

But for a long time one of the barriers for people getting to Belize was the high cost of airfare. We are thrilled that is less and less of an issue as more airlines add routes to Belize such as Southwest Airlines and West Jet out of Canada!

We are finally seeing affordable airfare to Belize which means it's time for you to come and visit. Right?

You’re dreaming about a tropical vacation and you soon find yourself spending hours searching the internet for the perfect little room on the beach. As you explore exotic destinations near and far (Bali! Belize! Hawaii!), drooling over the tropical rooms, some of them over the water, you will no doubt come across a wide array of descriptions, features, and amenities. You will notice that rooms may be called bungalows, cabanas, casitas, huts, etc. – with descriptions such as “private thatch cabana,” “thatch casita,” “romantic beach bungalow,” “over water casita,” “overwater bungalow,” “private cabana over the water,” “rustic beachfront cabana,” and more.

If you are like us, you start wondering, “What is the difference between a cabana and a bungalow? Why all these different terms?”  I just want a quiet, peaceful, relaxing setting on the beach, with a clean room by the water where I can sip my drink, get five-star service, and enjoy some SCUBA diving and snorkeling...

CABANA vs. BUNGALOW vs. CASITA

Of course you can go to your dictionary, or ask Siri – and you'll get the basic definition for “bungalow” and “cabana” and “casita.” But the fact is there is no one definition for these rooms and no one enforcing rules on what resorts call their rooms! Even identically appointed rooms at two different resorts can be called a cabana by one place, and called bungalow by another.

But the good news is: you don’t need to worry about it!

It’s not what the room is called that matters, but whether the features and the amenities fit what you want:

• Do you want to stay in a regular hotel room, or something exotic and different?
• Do you need air conditioning? TV? Room service? What other amenities are important?
• Do you want to be on the beach, or are you looking for the “over the water” experience?
• Do you want to be on a private island, or in a touristy area with beach bars?

As you explore your options (here is a great site: http://www.overwaterbungalows.net), look at the pictures, read room descriptions thoroughly, and it can even a good idea to contact the resort and ask them to confirm that the pictures on their website are current and accurately portray the condition of the rooms now, especially if you will be visiting a remote location that is less regulated.

As a fellow commonwealth nation, we see a lot of Canadians in Belize, both as tourists and as ex-pats who've made Belize their new home. Especially in the winter months, known as "high season" in Belize, we tend to have many Canadian visitors seeking sunshine, warm waters, and world-class scuba diving, snorkeling, and fishing on the Belize Barrier Reef.

But ever since the decline of the Canadian dollar, we've had fewer and fewer Canadian guests. And this makes us sad. We love friendly Canadians!

So, to help more Canadians afford a 2016 trip to Belize, Cap'n Ron has rolled out a new special offer for Canadians only!

For trips now through December 17th you get full value for your Canadian dollar. That means your room rate is in Canadian dollars instead of US dollars, saving you 20%, 30%, or more on a private thatch cabana in paradise! You can choose from Overwater bungalows on the sunset side, beachfront cabanas on the sunrise side, or a garden cabana nestled in the center of the resort. 

Interested in an all-inclusive resort package? You can get the special room rate in Canadian dollars combined with any of the Adventure, Dive, Romance, or Relaxation Packages we offer.

Combine this great room rate with the incredibly affordable airfares to Belize City from many North American cities, and your dream trip to Belize in 2016 could become a reality!

We're blushing!

Thanks to the reviews from our wonderful guests, St. George's Caye Resort has earned the 2016 Certificate of Excellence from TripAdvisor. This is the sixth year in a row (wow!) and we are honored to be recognized as one of the best island resorts in Belize. 

Huge thanks to all of the guests who took the time to share their experience and help other travelers discover our secluded island retreat for divers, honeymooners, and adventure seekers. We think our slice of paradise is pretty special and we're glad you agree! Your reviews are the best thanks we can receive. 

Most of the credit goes to the incredible staff of St. George's for providing our guests with unparalleled experiences and the ultimate in Belizean hospitality. We are especially thrilled by how many times guests specifically name the members of our staff who made their trip special. We strive to make you feel like a part of our island family when you are here. Thank you for recognizing the people who added something extra to your time in Belize.  

As anyone who has stayed with us can agree, the staff goes above and beyond to ensure you have a memorable and relaxing Belize vacation.

Here to scuba dive the Belize Barrier Reef? Let our friendly dive masters with decades of experience on the nearby reef show you their favorite spots where you'll see lots of sea life and no other divers.

Visiting Belize for a romantic island honeymoon in an overwater bungalow? Let us pamper you with coffee and juice delivered to your room each morning, a private romantic dinner outdoors, and tropical flower petals on your bed.

Cap’n Ron, owner of St. George’s Caye Resort, is a music lover and has hosted musicians for house concerts on a number of occasions at his home in Portland, Oregon.  Resort manager Barry is a huge fan of Blues music and spent part of his career (before moving to Belize to manage St. George’s!) working with Grammy-award-winning Blues pianist Pinetop Perkins.

Both Cap'n Ron and Barry felt our private island resort offered a unique and intimate atmosphere for live acoustic music, so after reaching out to some industry connections, we hosted our first Blues 'n Belize with Doug MacLeod and Phil Wiggins in November 2015.  (Read more about the inaugural event: Blues in Belize :: A Private Island Blues Experience)

“My heart was full the entire week, full with the wonderful music of Phil and Doug and their generous teacher spirit, full with the beauty of St. George's Caye, full with the welcoming spirit of the staff and guests, with the other-world beauty of the reef. I must add that my stomach was full with the delicious meals prepared by Ernesto. I believe that we all felt the magic at some point during that special week.”
– Marc P., guest at Blues ‘n Belize 2015

Popular excursions like Cave Tubing, Zip Lining and exploring the ancient Mayan temples are thoroughly enjoyed by our guests, and to many visitors are a “must-do” while in Belize. And we can't blame them -- they're a lot of fun! Many of our packages include one or more of these popular Belize Adventures. 

Excursions to these popular jungle sites are provided in a number of ways by tour operators: 1) Some operators function only on the mainland and provide services at bare-minimum standards; 2) Some tour operators use busses and take 20, 30 or more people at a time; 3) And then there is the St. George’s Caye Experience -- We not only provide boat transfers as part of our tours; we take only small groups from the resort and our top-notch professional guides give personalized tours during which everyone can hear the information. 

Our premium service costs a bit more and that has been mentioned several times in online reviews. Although we will not diminish the quality of our tour experience in order to offer the cheapest prices, we are sensitive to how much a vacation can cost, and so we are always seeking ways to reduce costs and pass the savings on to our guests. 

GOOD NEWS!

Cap'n Ron has just reduced the prices for our most popular tours -- by over 20% when we have 4 or more guests participating! 

In a time when our world often seems continuously chaotic, unfair, mean and full of bad news - I'd like to offer you some hope and faith in humanity. 

Specifically, I’d like to introduce you to Carlos Reyes and his family. If they don't give you a glimmer of hope for humans - I don't know what will! :) Meet St. George's Caye Resort Team Leader, Carlos Reyes. A 20 year veteran of Caye living Carlos knows every square inch of St. George's and is an integral part of the Resort's success. Behind the scenes he is often unseen and unheard - but we cannot function without him! 

At four years old Carlos was brought to Belize by his parents from civil war torn El Salvador. They were immigrants fleeing a less than ideal situation in their home country. Actually it was a scary place full of violence, gun fights and fear. Sound like a familiar recent story you might have heard on the news? Well, it is not too far off. 

With not much other than their family and a few backpacks Carlos, his three brothers and sisters and parents were offered hope in a community named Valley of Peace; a village in Belize set up just for El Salvadorian immigrants. His family knew how to farm and live off the land and pretty much do any job they could to make a living. His parents went on to have seven more children - thriving in a peaceful, humble atmosphere.

“Everything has its beauty, but not everyone sees it.” 

                                                Andy Warhol 

 

Leonel is like a breath of fresh air. He embodies the Belizean spirit. His smile is contagious and you can't help but want to take him home with you. Because Leonel  sees the beauty. He sees the beauty in people. And he sees the beauty in art. St George's Caye isn't complete without Leo's beautiful outlook. 

When you arrive to St. George's Caye Resort Leo is one of the first team members you'll meet. You will mostly find him mixing your favorite cocktails and making sure your beer is ice cold. But Leo also loves to entertain. He's full of fun card tricks and bar games that will leave you scratching you're head. But don't ask him how he does it - because he won't tell. Sworn to secrecy by a fellow magician Leo takes his oath seriously and won't share the tricks of the trade.

We're sorry big terrycloth cotton towels - but we're breaking up with you. Your soft, I'll give you that. Your luxurious feel is not to be forgotten. But you're bulky, hard to carry around and you take too long to dry in this humid Caribbean climate. It's not you - it's us. We still love you and take you snorkeling with us - but in the intimacy of our bathrooms we're going to have to part ways. 

 Introducing stylish, colorful Turkish cotton pestemal towels