The most perfect house and vacation I have ever experienced! Once we picked up our rental vehicle it was late so we were nervous about driving in the dark. But we followed the directions Jim gave and we never turned back! Several times we said, "This can't be right, we must be lost" but we knew we were following the directions so we kept on. When we arrived, Lucy was waiting with our dinner on the table. She and her sweet daughter Chloe are the sweetest people. They took such good care of us and we absolutely loved their company. Please do not consider cooking your own food! We had originally planned to cook a night or 2 but decided against it and CAN NOT imagine doing that now. Each day, we were exhausted from exploring the jungle and was so wonderful to come home to Lucy's Belizean cuisine. The shrimp and fish ceviche was the best Ive ever tasted! The beds are extremely comfortable and the house is spotless. Bring a camel pack for water each day and save your water bottles to refill for excursions. The first day, we did the horseback ride and cave tour with Joe, Lucy's brother. A huge amazing underground cavern complete with ancient Mayan pottery and artifacts. Joe really took his time and shared his wealth of knowledge with us on this private tour. His wife Miriam packed us a lunch of sandwiches, fruit and fresh baked cake. The second day, we journeyed out to Calico Jacks to zip line through the jungle. That was fun and worth the trip. 3rd day we toured Xunantunich Mayan ruins in San Ignacio. Only about a 45 min drive. Our older aged teens really enjoyed that because they have all learned about the Mayans in World History. It was very interesting. The kids and husband canoed out to the nearby waterfall and said it was the most beautiful thing they have seen on the trip. WHEN we return to Casa Santa Maria, we will most definitely do the pontoon boat tour. We just ran out of time!
Do bring some bug repellant but strangely enough, we were not bothered by insects at all. We ate every meal outside on the deck and hung out late each night outside. Can't wait to return. We are even day dreaming about retiring in Belize now.
PS-if you're a wine lover, buy it at the airport in Belize. They don't sell much wine in Belize.