My second time in Belize and another great experience. I went to Belize a few years ago and really loved it too. It’s one of my favorite places to snorkel and be in the ocean- the marine life is incredible and so colorful. I stayed 9 nights this time and it was after Coachella so I really wanted to go somewhere to relax for once and not have to stress too much about work. What really made my experience special this time was staying at Coco Plum Island Resort. This is in no way a paid ad- staying there really made my trip amazing and I wanted to share my experience with you. It’s definitely a place worth looking into if you visit Belize. The staff there was exceptional and super attentive and friendly, the food was delicious, and the tiny remote island of Coco Plum Resort was a little slice of heaven in the middle of the Caribbean Sea.
I got SO many questions about this place from my stories and IG posts, asking if it’s worth going and if people should plan their honeymoon there, and I am here to share my thoughts and experience with you!
GETTING THERE
I booked my flight to Belize City from Los Angeles, and bought a separate flight to Dangriga which was only a short 15 minute flight from Belize City. The airplane was tiny and could only seat a few people but it was an experience! I kind of love getting on small planes (I know I’m weird, most people don’t!). My flight cost from Belize City to Dangriga was around $50. Upon arriving at the tiny Dangriga airport, someone from Coco Plum was waiting to greet us and take us to the boat dock to get on a boat 20 minute boat ride and head to the resort.
COCO PLUM ISLAND RESORT– An intimate private island in the middle of the Caribbean Sea, this all-inclusive resort accommodates only 42 people at a time, with one spacious 3-bedroom overwater villa and 18 colorful cabanas-all on beautiful white sand and steps away from the sea. In full transparency, I usually steer clear from all-inclusives and here’s why: the main reason is because food is very important to me and I feel like with an all inclusive, the food is never as good because they are serving massive amounts of people. This wasn’t the case at Coco Plum. The resort couldn’t have felt more secluded, private and intimate. It felt nothing like an all-inclusive resort. Literally every single meal I had was delicious and tasted like a home-cooked meal (and it pretty much was). All the food was made by an amazing Belizean chef named Ms. Jude, who cooked for all the guests. She didn’t cook just to cook because it was her job, you could really taste the love in her food, almost as if she was cooking for her own family. I was really blown away and pleasantly surprised by every meal. There isn’t a set menu at Coco Plum, the menu varies daily and its written on a chalk board on the outside deck seating area each day. She uses what is local and fresh, and I trusted anything Ms. Jude felt like making! If you are vegan, have allergies or just a picky eater, they can adjust to your needs and preferences. All the servers there know you by first name, and were genuinely so happy to see you each day for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Another reason Coco Plum didn’t feel like an all-inclusive resort is because the island is small, and it’s intimate. There were other guests there but I felt like I had the island all to myself most of the time. It was so peaceful and quiet- the perfect relaxing getaway. My friend and I stayed in an overwater sea villa which was so so nice and spacious. We had a huge private patio and deck that wrapped around the whole villa on top of the water. The villa had 3 bedrooms, 3 bathrooms, a kitchen, living and dining area. It was absolute paradise!
There is a resort pool overlooking an epic view of turquoise water, as well as a long pier going into the sea with two overwater huts equipped with lounge chairs and tables to park and relax for the day. There are paddle boards and kayaks for water activities accessible all day long right on the beach near the pool area. The resort also offers excursions and activities off the island. I went out on a boat three times to snorkel! Definitely recommend snorkeling while staying here because its next to Belize’s great barrier reef and one of my favorite places to snorkel.
The staff is honestly one of the top reasons Coco Plum Resort is so special. Everyone is so friendly and knows each guest by first name. It’s 5-star service and they go above and beyond to give you an unforgettable experience. Also a big shout out to Alex for taking very good care of us while we were there!
Definitely look into Coco Plum if you go to Belize. I think it’s perfect for a relaxing getaway or honeymoon. I would love to visit again someday, I really had a special experience there. Such a gem!
MARIE SHARPS HOT SAUCE
A little fun thing to add to my trip- I noticed that everywhere I ate in Belize had a bottle of Marie Sharps Hot Sauce on the table. I loved the hot sauce so much (I LOVE sauce in general and used to carry hot sauce in my purse lol), so I posted it a few times on my stories and Marie Sharp herself invited me to her factory and plantations in Belize to learn about her sauce sauce and see how it was made. Was a very unique and special experience, so glad I went! I brought some bottles home with me and always use it on my eggs and sandwiches 🙂 Thanks again for having me Marie, I love your hot sauce!
BELIZEAN DREAMS RESORT– After our stay at Coco Plum, we moved to its sister property Belizean Dreams in Hopkins, Belize. Hopkins is a local beach town, which was a completely different vibe than a private island but still a cool to experience a different side of Belize. Another all-inclusive resort located right on the beach. We stayed in a 2 bedroom villa, a few steps away from the resort restaurant, pool and beach. The airy and spacious bedrooms had beautiful white canopy beds and I loved the vibe. It had a kitchen, dining area and living room with a TV too.
The food was also good. It wasn’t Ms. Jude (lol) but it definitely exceeded my expectations. We spent our days on the beach and spent an afternoon exploring the small town of Hopkins. The resort offers golf carts and we drove around the town stopping at a beach down the road. We didn’t really see any tourists, or very many people at all because it was a Sunday and very quiet, but it definitely felt like a local beach with just a few mom and pop hotels and rentals.
The resort also offers several activities to do off property. We went snorkeling again and also on a waterfall hike in Mayflower Bocawina National Park which was definitely a highlight and so beautiful. I love being in nature and we saw so much wildlife there!
A lot of people don’t think to stay in Hopkins when they travel to Belize. Most people go to Ambergris Caye/Caye Caulker-places near the Great Barrier Reef. Hopkins is just a tiny town of 1500 locals, so it is not commercial whatsoever but still has charm and things to do and see there.
LARU BEYA: Our third stop of the trip was another all-inclusive resort and sister property of Coco Plum and Belizean Dreams- Laru Beya in Placencia. We drove from Hopkins to stay at Laru Beya for the last 3 nights of the trip. Placencia is also a really cute local beach town, and an up and coming popular destination spot for tourists. This resort is budget friendly and right on the beach. I really loved the open air restaurant on the property that overlooked the pool and beach. The food there was really good!!! They had a menu with a wide variety of options for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and daily specials. Every meal we had was good, and definitely one of my favorite parts about Laru Beya. Food is so important! The resort also has golf carts and bikes you can take into town. Placencia is a colorful town with a bunch of cute restaurants, boutiques and local gem spots and markets for a quick bite to eat. I had never been to Placencia so it was another place worth checking out in Belize!
I really love Belize. It’s a place I will continue to go back to. I hope to get my diving certification and one day dive the Blue Hole there! I basically lived in the water everyday, I went snorkeling 4 times!
To see my previous trip to Belize back in 2015 when I went to Ambergris Caye and Saint Ignacio, check out my older posts here and here. (You can also go to my homepage and type “Belize” in the search bar and all posts from Belize will pop up).
Also to see more of my trip check out “Belize” highlights on my Instagram.
Thank you to Coco Plum Island Resort, Belizean Dreams Resort, and Laru Beya for giving me a much needed vacation. I loved different qualities about each place I stayed, each being great for different types of travelers and occasions, and also giving me a well- rounded trip and amazing experience this time around.