For our 30th wedding anniversary, my husband surprised me with a trip. He told me we were going to the Florida Keys first but he wouldn’t tell me where the second part of the trip would be. ( I will blog about the Florida Keys part next because it was awesome and we found great places to eat and fun things to do.) So on October 31st we left the Keys and flew to Belize City, then we got boarding passes on Maya Air to Dangriga. (This is a little town on the mainland of Belize, south of Belize City but not as far as Placencia.) Next we were picked up in a very nice van from the airport and driven out of town several miles down a dirt road to a boat dock. From there we took a boat 12 miles out into the ocean to the island of Coco Plum. They meet you at the dock with a moistened towel for your hands and then Alex shows you around the island while they take care of getting your luggage to the bungalow.
We arrived on Wednesday evening and the sun was just about to set. We were amazed at the breathtaking views in every direction. And the water off the docks and sea walls was so clear you could see the bottom and all kinds of sea life as you walked around the edge.
The main building is the office and a gift shop and a dining room with an outdoor patio, large enough for indoor and outdoor dining depending on the weather. A large tiki bar is attached to the patio/deck. There are lots of comfortable places to sit and relax and enjoy the amazing views.
Our first evening meal happened to be on buffet night and what a buffet it was. They had three salads (and since it was Halloween the cole slaw was shaped like a skeleton): garden salad, cole slaw and potato salad. Then there were asparagus, rice and beans, chicken and fish and ox tails. Everything was delicious.
On our first full day we had breakfast on the open patio and had egg frittatas and fruit and french toast. We walked around the island and then we scheduled for massages. They have a great spa on the island with a couples room and a single room.
Our first day was a busy one, after the massage and after lunch on the dock – coconut shrimp and slaw – we took a snorkeling tour. We headed out on a boat to the reef. Our guide knew where some sea turtles live. So we got to snorkel with the turtles. I never get tired of that. They are amazing to watch. We also saw some rays and a sea cucumber, schools of fish (I love the parrot fish) and beautiful coral.
We got back in time to clean up and head to the dining area. The chef is amazing and everything she made was very good. She makes a variety and every evening you have choices. This night we had delicious ribs and pasta and vegetables. They will also accommodate any special diet needs you might have but there is a definite Belizean flavor and all of the things that we tried were delicious. And then the sunset was unbeliezable!!
The next morning was Friday and we decided to stay around the island. You can take inland tours and go to the Mayan Ruins, the Belize Zoo or cave tubing or zip-lining. All of those tours are great but we have done most of them (I will have a blog on thing to do in Belize shortly and will detail those activities.) There is no TV on the island but they do have Wifi for staying in touch with home, emailing and posting pictures. So we tried our hand (and feet) and paddle boarding and kayaking around the island. So much fun! And while kayaking we saw sea stars and eagle rays right from the kayak. Every day the wind and waves and colors of the water change. Some days it is windy and wavy on the bungalow side and calm on the backside and some days it is opposite.
For breakfast we had fry-jack sandwiches with egg and cheese and ham – delicious! And then for lunch after our water activities we had burgers on the deck – our choice of beef, chicken or fish. The beef and fish were amazing and for some reason the potatoes here are fantastic. The fries were excellent.
After lunch we relaxed on the pier – there are hammocks and lounge chairs everywhere. I did some snorkeling off of the pier and found sea stars and electric rays and conchs.
What a great relaxing day! Then that evening was our special romantic dinner out on the pier. They set up a table just for you on one of the docks. Tonight was steak and lobster with potatoes and vegetables and it was excellent. Dessert was tres leche cake. (Sorry these pictures are dark but the dining area was dimly lit for romantic affect.)
Saturday was another snorkel day but not until 2:00, so we ate breakfast – delicious omelette with cheese and ham and fruit and croissants on the deck. Then we hung out on the end of the pier in lounge chairs -we read and napped. Then headed back for lunch – chicken tortillas and salad with chocolate brownies. On this snorkel trip, there were several couples and we all went to the reef in a bigger boat and snorkeled along the inside of the reef. Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world and it is spectacular!
Saturday night was our second buffet – again great salads, vegetables, rice and beans, and barbecue chicken and fish. Delicious!
Every view on the island is amazing and the sunsets are spectacular every night.
Sunday was the last full day on the island and our actual anniversary. We got up and ate breakfast inside because it had rained that morning. The rain storms usually blow over very quickly. We had scrambled eggs and breakfast potatoes with the most amazing hot fresh fry jacks ever. Then we got ready for our half day fishing trip. We left at 7:30 and headed out across the ocean. It was a little bit wavy and overcast and we got splashed a bit on the way out but I love being on the water. (You can bring a rain coat and don’t forget the sunscreen). We split our fishing trip between drop fishing and trolling. We did the drop fishing first and it was so much fun. We caught lots of different kinds of snapper and a small amberjack and some porgies. Some, that were too small, they fed to the scissor tail birds and yellow footed boobies that were following us. (There is a protected island close to Coco Plum that is a sanctuary for these birds.) They would throw the small fish up and the birds would catch them in midair. Then we went out to the reef and set up for trolling and sure enough both of us caught a barracuda. That was so much fun!!
We got back just in time for lunch and we had barbecue chicken and rice with stewed beans and potato salad on the deck and then we cleaned up from our fishing expedition. We relaxed for the afternoon and then walked over to check out the sea life at the wall and watch the sunset again. For dinner, Chef Jude cooked the fish that we caught today. She also had pork schnitzel and creole shrimp with potatoes and vegetables but she cooked a whole platter of fish. She blackened some of the barracuda and grilled some and pan fried two whole snapper. It was delicious! We had so much that we shared it with all of the guests. Then for dessert she baked us a chocolate anniversary cake! How amazing – again so much cake we shared with the guests.
The food was a pleasant surprise. We were not sure what to expect on an island but every meal was excellent and such a variety with each dish. Really amazing. And the views are really indescribable. I can post pictures but I can’t give you the whole view or the feel of the breeze or the smell of the ocean. And they are in every direction – amazing picturesque views everywhere.
Coco Plum Island Resort was ranked in Trip advisor as the 4th best small hotel in the world and 9th in service for a small hotel. There are 18 bungalows designed for couples and one villa out over the water designed for three couples. In front of each bungalow there are two lounge chairs and a canopied bed. And on each porch a hammock and chairs. They also have a wonderful pier that has three decks on it, each with lounge chairs, a table and chairs and a hammock. So many places to relax. The staff is wonderful. Everyone does their best to make you feel comfortable and special. This is an amazing resort for a special occasion!!
