Best of Belize

Mystic River One Way Transfer from Belize City

When you arrive in the Belize International Airport, proceed through immigration. Collect your luggage and continue through customs. Go through the door to your right to the ground transportation area and a driver from Mystic River will greet and transfer your party to the resort. This transfer takes approximately 2 1/2 hours.

Mystic River Resort

Mystic River Resort is an eco-friendly resort located on a steep bank of the Macal River only 7 miles from San Ignacio. With only 15 fan cooled suites that overlook the river, a restaurant on site, spa facility, and a private jungle trail system of over 10 miles, Mystic River Resort is the perfect oasis for those who are looking for privacy and serenity, gourmet meals as well as jungle adventures.

As a XOOM Tours guest, you will receive the following perks:

• Free use of river tubes and canoes
• Morning basket of coffee or tea in room
• Free Wi-Fi
• Early check-in and late check-out (based on availability)

Once you are settled, experience the incredible serene wilderness that surrounds Mystic River Resort or join in on the many complimentary adventures such as birding, tubing, canoeing, paddle boarding, garden tours, night hikes or local wine tasting.

Birding:  Whether your interest in birds is casual or intense, the variety and beauty of their winged friends will astound you. From Aracaris to toucans, from Mot-Mots to Trogons, spending time trying to identify the 200 species on their property will certainly captivate your interest in these beautiful creatures!

River Tubing: Want to cool off or just simply relax in the river?  Then reserve your tube and submerge yourself in the Majestic Macal River. Perfect for hot days, enjoy pure relaxation on the river in one of their river tubes.  Slowly cruise down and enjoy the sight of birds, iguanas, bats and many more river creatures.  At the end of the day, what a way to cool off!

Canoeing:  What better way to beat the heat than canoeing on the Macal River? Take a canoe and start your unguided tour as you paddle from Mystic River Resort to the San Ignacio Town. On your journey you might spot many different species of birds and even a few Howler Monkeys. It is one of the best activities for adventure travel in Belize!

After a wonderful breakfast, head out for a fun-filled day of adventure.  Zip lining is an exhilarating experience, one with spectacular views and a perspective you won’t get anywhere else in Belize. The Ultimo Explorer is for zip line enthusiasts with over 2,900 feet of zip line, 9 runs and 15 platforms that take you over and through the jungle for 1.5 hours! Screaming is allowed.

Upon return to the resort, enjoy a relaxing afternoon at the pool with a cold beverage in hand as you take in the majestic views of the rain-forest and the river.

Today is your day to do a little bit of spelunking. So, get ready to explore the buried secrets of Belize’s caves. ATM, which stands for Actun Tunichil Muknal, is a cave system approximately five kilometers long with numerous chambers. Within the cave are skeletons, ceramics and stoneware which serves as a testament of the Mayan civilization. These caves make for some of the best eco-tourism in the country. 

This Mayan archaeological site is home of “The Crystal Maiden,” the skeleton of a teenage girl, probably a sacrifice victim, whose bones have been given a sparkling appearance by centuries of erosion inside the cave. To enter the cave, you wade or swim across a large pool before scrambling up and into the cave. The caverns where the relics are found are dry even when the area is hit by a hurricane. You will end your adventure with an ice-cold beer, soda or water to collect your thoughts, relax, and talk about new discoveries before heading back to Mystic River Resort.

Enjoy your breakfast overlooking the beautiful and lush jungle. Then, get ready for another day of adventure.  Caracol, a wondrous site of ancient Mayan ruins and one of the best destinations for adventure travelers, is situated in the foothills of the Maya Mountains. The site was first reported by a native logger named Rosa Mai, who came across its remains in 1937 while searching for mahogany hardwood trees. 

Take a winding path through the Mountain Pine Ridge and later dense broadleaf forests to the ancient city of Caracol and discover its more than 40 monuments, some of them dating back to 1,200 BC. Enjoy the beauty and serenity of this place, which once was one of the largest Maya cities. And if you can, make sure you climb the myriad steep temple steps and be amazed at the views of Belize’s untamed jungle. Learn about the Ceiba tree, the tree the Mayas called “the tree of life” and their belief that its roots would take them to the underworld and their branches to the high heavens. The drive through the Mountain Pine Ridge and the Chiquibul National Forest is very beautiful. Explore Rio Frio Cave on the way and stop at the Rio On Pools for a refreshing dip before heading back to the resort.

After a wonderful breakfast at Mystic River Resort, pack your bags and your driver will transport you to your next adventure before heading to Belize City to catch your flight to Ambergris Caye. Enjoy this unique outdoor experience of cave tubing at Nohoch Che’En Caves Branch Archeological Reserve. Once you arrive at the park you will go for a 30-minute jungle walk to the cave tubing starting point. Then you will be provided the gear to tube down the adventurous river. The ride is nice and slow, the water is refreshing, and you will pass three caves which were home of many Mayan Gods.

After cave tubing, your private driver will transport you to Belize City so you can catch your Tropic Air flight to San Pedro Airstrip.

Off to Ambergris Caye & the Grand Caribe Belize Resort 

Upon landing in San Pedro, you will be greeted by a representative of Grand Caribe for your transfer to the resort. This ride is about 15 minutes.  

Check-In to your next home away from home.  You are heading for pure relaxation. Grand Caribe Belize is a luxury resort located only 2 miles north of San Pedro Town on the island of Ambergris Caye. Embracing 650 feet of prime beach front, the Grand Caribe offers you a beautiful 2 bedroom oceanfront condominium for your comfort, convenience and fun. Hang out on the beach or by one of 6 pools, enjoy fine dining at Rain Restaurant & Rooftop Terrace, take a kayak out to sea or workout in the on-site fitness center. 

As a XOOM Tours guest, you will receive the following perks:

• Welcome Belizean Drink (fruit/Rum punch) with cold towels
• Complimentary laundry services
• Early check-in and late check-out (based on availability)
• Complimentary use of kayaks and paddle boards

Now it is time to unwind and enjoy breath-taking, panoramic views of the Caribbean Sea and Belize Barrier Reef from the grand veranda that extends the full width of your condo. Enjoy!

Golf carts are a popular mode of transportation in San Pedro, Belize. It’s a great way to get to and from your resort, makes for quicker shopping and a wider variety of restaurants if you can get around a little bit quicker than walking or riding a bike. Upon arrival to the resort, a representative of Carts Belize will greet you to deliver your golf cart. 

Belize City so you can catch your Tropic Air flight to San Pedro Airstrip.

Hop aboard one of Ramon’s 24’-26’ handcrafted Belizean made boats and head to where the “big ones” are. This is fishing made easy. If you don’t know what you are doing, don’t worry our guides do. If you don’t have fishing gear, we have plenty of rigs and one of them is bound to fit your hand. Your skipper will have everything you need to make your fishing trip a great success. Let’s see who catches Snapper, Yellowtail, Grouper or Barracuda. At Ramon’s Village we encourage catch and release unless you want Chef Rommy to “cook your catch” of the day.  For a very modest fee, we will clean, prepare, cook and serve your catch, your way! Fresh and delicious!!

Fourteen miles south-southeast of Ambergris Caye lies the island of Caye Caulker. Five-miles long and one-mile wide, this quaint island has been a destination for backpackers and ecological minded travelers for a long time. The general population is mixed with Garifuna and Rastas, sprinkled with a few Europeans and Americans. You’ll enjoy hearing music playing from the shops which will remind you that this island is definitely not Americanized. 

Once you have arrived at Ramon’s Village dock, you’ll set sail for Hol Chan, the second most popular snorkel site in Belize. The reef system that borders Belize was recognized as a World Heritage Site by UNESCO several years ago. Hol Chan or “Little Channel,” which cuts all the way through the reef, lives up to its reputation among some of the world’s best dive sites. Breathtaking coral of all descriptions abound in and around Hol Chan and serve as a habitat for literally millions of species of fish. Incredible stories are told frequently of the magnificence of this Marine Reserve and how well it is guarded and preserved. It’s a marine wonderland that every snorkeler and diver (beginner and experienced) must see.

The ultimate Hol Chan experience will be your exciting half-hour “swim with the sharks.” That’s right, you can swim with the sharks and stingrays in Shark Ray Alley! Dozens of nurse sharks will circle your boat as if they were the Caribbean’s welcoming committee. When you enter the water, you will observe the activities of these friendly sharks and rays up close and personal, if…you’re adventurous, and not faint of heart. But, it’s against the law to touch or hold any marine life while snorkeling or scuba diving. We promise you’ll talk about your shark adventure for years to come.

Back on board the boat, enjoy the ride to Caye Caulker, then go ashore and spend some time dining at one of the very unusual cafes or shopping in some of the gift shops on the island before heading back to your resort.

Enjoy your breakfast while watching a spectacular sunrise over the crystalline waters of the Caribbean Sea. Mid-morning, your driver will transport you to San Pedro airstrip in time to catch your flight with Tropic Air. This ride is about 15 minutes. Upon arrival at San Pedro Airport, head to the international terminal to board your plane home.