Gaia, Rendezvous… And Updated Entry Requirements

Notes from the Directors

We are incredibly grateful to have welcomed so many guests to Belize as the country opened the international airport in late 2020. Guests have been able to access attractions with barely any other visitors in sight; spring and summer seeing the country build visitor numbers back substantially, which is why we are saying, “June is the new March!”

Most attractions and restaurants in Belize are outdoors, and accommodations are mostly distanced, including beach cabanas, jungle casitas, private villas and yachts, and remote islands, so guests can enjoy their holiday with as much isolation as they prefer.

Our Directors, Pat and Rach, have also been out and about enjoying “The Jewel.” Here are their recent experiences:

Rachael just returned from a quick sailing trip around the Central Cayes, including Tobacco Caye, South Water Caye, and Rendezvous Caye.

At Rendezvous (one of my absolute favorites!), we pulled into the dock at the tiny postcard-perfect island surrounded by azure waters and corals. Residents include the friendly caretaker, Pedro, the only person living on the island (except for a couple of passing fishermen who sold us some fresh lobster!), cormorants, ospreys, pelicans, sandpipers, and magnificent soaring frigates.

A snorkeling expedition around the island had us face to face with eagle rays, stingrays, and a green turtle, gliding through an endless school of blue tang and gazing at the technicolor of the rainbow parrotfish, spotted damselfish, and French angelfish. The formations at the island’s tip resemble an underwater “Grand Canyon,” with colossal corals including staghorn, pillar, elkhorn, and brain, dotted with colorful fans and massive drop-offs into the abyss.

A spearfishing mission was next on the agenda that yielded crab, lobster, lionfish, and a Spanish mackerel turned into a coconut seafood medley for dinner. We dined with Pedro aboard our very own yacht under a blanket of stars, feeling a million miles away from the rest of the world.

Next on the agenda? I’ll be heading inland to the Cayo District to scout a new collection of jungle villas, all with private plunge pools and spectacular views that we will be revealing soon!

Traveling fills us with so many emotions. And, if you’ve traveled in the past year, you know that traveling in a post-pandemic era is life-altering.

At Absolute Belize, we are grateful to be part of travelers’ journeys who have taken the leap, hopped on a flight, and landed in unfamiliar territory, willing to navigate through entry requirements, protocols, testing, and so many unknowns. Thank you to our valued clients who have entrusted us with making their travels safe and memorable.

Now more than ever, we know that our purpose is to help you fulfill your travel goals while taking the majority of the stress of planning away from you. Through our interactions with you, we know that travel is a feeling. Over the past few months, we have shared in

• the feeling of taking your first family trip after being apart for so long,
• the feeling of celebrating a honeymoon, birthday, or anniversary on a private island without another soul in sight, and
• the feeling of being surrounded by nature and embracing all the new experiences that travel brings.

I, too, have taken a few trips to rediscover the authenticity of travel in Belize: From visiting a local home-grown coffee plantation to making birthday wishes at Gaia Riverlodge, enveloped by the enchanting Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve, to indulging in beachfront luxury at Itz’ana Resort. In my eyes, Belize is still Mother Nature’s best-kept secret.

I am determined to grab life and make every memory count, and I’d love to help you rediscover your inner wanderlust.

Updated Entry Requirements

As of yesterday, August 9, 2021, all travelers entering Belize must present a negative COVID-19 test.

Visitors are required to present a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 96 hours of travel or a negative result from any approved Rapid Antigen Test taken within 48 hours of travel. Testing is available at the airport for a fee of US$50 per passenger. Children under the age of 5 can travel without a test.