I’ve always enjoyed traveling to new countries and experiencing different cultures other than my own. But it’s made even more special now that I’m able to have these memories of traveling the world with my husband. Since this was our first time in Belize, we needed a little bit of help on where to start for my 27th birthday trip. For a stress-free planning experience, we decided to work with the same travel agency that helped with our honeymoon: Carey at Epperly Travel. After an unforgettable honeymoon in St. Lucia, I mentioned to Carey that we were looking for a similar vibe: Lush green tropics and a luxurious private beach. After weeding out options in the Bahamas, Costa Rica, and Aruba, we settled on the beautiful country of Belize.
Belize is known for its Mayan influence, ecotourism, and its biodiversity– including the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world! If you are looking for a quiet escape off the beaten path with hints of luxury, then read on to see why Matachica Resort & Spa might be the hidden gem you’re looking for.
There are many direct flights to Belize City (the former capital of Belize). The US has options including major airline hubs like Atlanta, LA, Houston, Dallas, Miami, Chicago, and more. Unlike other major cities in the Caribbean or Central America, each hub doesn’t have the same amount of flights available to Belize every day. This is definitely something to keep in mind as you’re planning your trip! Just because there’s a direct flight available from a city near you doesn’t mean it will align with the dates of your vacation.
While it’s fairly easy to travel to Belize, the entire journey to Matachica Resort is not as simple. The adult-only resort is located on Ambergris Caye, an island right off the coast of Belize with only one town, San Pedro. After landing in Belize City, you will then transfer to a small plane for a 15-minute flight to the Belizean peninsula. From there the resort staff will pick you up directly from the San Pedro airport and shuttle you via the complimentary boat service to your room. Don’t worry- it’s only a 15-20 minute ride to the property and they handle all of your bags. It’s a pretty seamless transition! Especially given the fact that they greet you on the shores of the resort with a complimentary mixed drink of your choice. However, if you’re looking for a place to fly and immediately put your toes on the beach, it might not be for you.
The property definitely gives you a glamping vibe. They’re very sustainable (they provide reusable water bottles in your rooms and fill them for you every day) and work to protect the wildlife of their island. So you’ll see small iguanas, lizards, colorful birds, and tropical fish just right off the dock! There’s strong wifi throughout the entire resort and more than adequate A/C in the room, but that’s pretty much where the technology ends.
There aren’t TVs, phones, or refrigerators in the room. Which, is fine for me considering if I’m watching tv on vacation it’s on my laptop anyway. However, it would’ve been nice to have a phone to contact the front desk if anything was needed. But one of the best parts of the property on Matachica is just how small it is. It’s a 3-minute walk to whatever you need- food, bar, concierge, etc. And despite this fact, it still feels like you have the entire place to yourself as the guests are strategically scattered during your stay.
When it comes to accommodations, there are a few options you can choose from. There are casitas, luxury suites, and luxury villas. The seafront rooms are self-explanatory- just 2 steps from the bedroom to the beach. The luxury villas are more for your group travel options since they’re over 2500 sq ft. The luxury suites (750 sq ft) would’ve been our first choice (they were unfortunately sold out by the time we booked) but I had no issues with our room, the seafront casita.
And how could I?! The high ceilings make you feel like the space is way bigger than 500 sq. ft. The only real difference is that we didn’t have our own outdoor hot tub (which given the weather would not have been used) or indoor bathtub. I’ve never stayed in a beach house ON the sand before and I think I can get used to it! Not having to worry about bringing all of my books, water bottles, sunscreen, etc. before leaving our room was a luxury in itself.
One of the main selling points for Matachica Resort is their on-site relaxation haven, Jade Spa. They offer your standard services like massages, facials, scrubs, and wraps. Will and I got the deep tissue massage and noted how it’s nice to have these as an option when many rarely take the time for themselves! If you have the budget to add it in, you’ll definitely want to treat yourself but it’s not a necessity.
What Caribbean resort is complete without a gorgeous pool? Coupled with ocean views, the infinity pool was hardly ever full with guests and provided another location to fall asleep with a mojito in my hand. The resort also offers paddleboarding, kayaking, snorkeling, and beach cruising bicycles if you ever get tired of lounging on the sand. Because of their location on the island, the water is so calm! It makes it the perfect opportunity for you to try out any of the water activities for the first time.
If you’re more of an adrenaline junky, try an off-site excursion (not included in the rate) like visiting the coral reefs, cave tubing, ziplining, hiking, and more. And while I am definitely NOT someone who looks for thrills on vacations, I pushed myself to try something new! Will and I swam with nurse sharks, stingrays, snappers, sea turtles, and basically every other friend of Ariel at Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley. It was hands down the highlight of our trip!
I’ll be honest in saying that I knew nothing about Belize before arriving in San Pedro. In fact, I incorrectly shared with followers that we were going to a Spanish-speaking country as a hint, whoops! *Yes, they do speak Spanish but it’s not their official language. Fun fact: Over 50% of Belizean residents are MULTI-lingual! But I digress. I assumed the food would be more similar to Costa Rica or even Mexico given the proximity. We didn’t spend much time away from the resort. From what I observed their cuisine is a lot more seafood-heavy than other Central American countries. We dined on fresh snapper, grouper, and lobster the entire time. The prices were hardly different than other menu items.
As for Matachica itself, it has 2 dining options. The first is a casual sit-down that’s open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. The other is a fine-dining experience open for dinner only with a selection that’s a bit more upscale. Depending on the package you book through the resort, a continental breakfast can be included with your stay. I’d highly recommend it! Will and I would still order something off the menu to fill us up. However, the complimentary option came with the resort’s best feature: their bread. I’m not even kidding when I say every bite was life-changing. It’s baked fresh daily and each day they had different options available so you always got to try something new as a surprise!
Like I previously noted, Matachica Resort focuses on sustainability efforts. So instead of fixed menus, they offer only what’s locally grown from farmers and fishermen on the island. The quality of the food was superb. However, it could make it hard to choose when only some options would be available versus your first choice. And despite the fact that they had a decent amount of selections on the menu, it’s hard to go back to the same restaurant every day while on vacation. Compounded with the difficulty to go into town for another dining experience because of the additional costs/stress of transportation, you’re kind of stuck with what they have. Perhaps I’m spoiled by other adult-only resorts with multiple dining choices, but the lack of food options wasn’t preferred.
Let me be honest for a second. I am a proud girly girl. My approach to being in nature is taking 1/2 mile hikes for a selfie to put on the gram. So take anything I share from this point with a grain of salt. There’s a huge seaweed (Sargassum) problem happening throughout the Caribbean right now due to climate change and other ecological factors. It’s unprecedented and they have little control over what they can do to clean it up. With this phenomenon comes bugs or animals that might not have been as “active” beforehand. There were flies and mosquitos that would constantly buzz around us at the casual restaurant on the resort because of its proximity to the beach. While I get that they’re not really responsible for the swarms of bugs, it can make your dining experience a bit uncomfortable.
My husband also did a very good job and thoughtfully neglected to tell me that the ceiling of our casita was home to 4-5 lizards. They were there every morning until we left our room for the final time. Because the ceilings were so high, we never came in contact with them. Also, they camouflaged themselves well because I truly did not see them. However, that thought might be too unnerving for me to make a return. Of course, given the location of Matachica and the famed biodiversity of Belize, it’s common sense that you’ll run into a few critters here and there. But I’d just prefer if it was OUTSIDE of my room and not when I’m trying to eat.
Despite the fact that we had a few issues, we still enjoyed our stay! And yes, it was a bit lighter on luxury than I would’ve liked in comparison to other similar resorts. Given all of this, I think Matachica Resort & Spa is perfect for adventurous couples and older, solo travelers alike. It has everything you need on the property and enough once-in-a-lifetime experiences to fill a camera roll for thrill-seekers. It’s a place filled with tranquility that is rare for a city-person like me and it was much needed. The direct beach access, crystal blue-green waters, and on-site amenities can make this Belizean adult-only resort the ideal getaway.
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