Belize Spicefarm and Botanical Gardens — Attraction in Toledo District

Teen & I had so much FUN. We started with lunch--all the teak used to build the restaurant & shop is stunning--great chicken stew & tasty ceviche. The fresh coconut hit the spot. Then a little browsing the shop space--set aside thefresh sour sop & moringa leaves, henna, etc. After that we went on the tractor tour of the farm--what a sensory experience! Loved the fresh, ripe cacao, nutmeg, moringa leaves, etc., etc. Very engaging. Finally we toured the cabins being built, all gorgeous teak. Stunning walkway. Open fall 2023. The owner & his staff are so friendly! This stop set the tone, and the bar, for our 3-day visit to south Belize, "the forgotten district". So many adventures in this region.

See below for our recommendations: Cenaida'd Seaside Cafe in PG market Wed/Fri/Sat AMs in PG Living Maya Experience, $30/p artesania crafts @ Indian Creek Women's Art Group Oct-Feb (dry season): Rio Blanco, San Antonio, Blue Creek cave, etc. roadside tamale cafe near Pearldeen (aka Coleman's) lunch buffet buy what locals sell along the highway. Eladio's Cacao Farm tour was so-so for us, over-hyped & over-priced; we got so much more at Belize Spice Farm & Living Maya Experience.

It was FUN in south Belize. Follow me for honest reviews.

Near Hopkins: Into horseback riding? +Outback Trails near Cockscomb. Fun, hip, chill eatery? +Ella's Chill Spot in Hopkins. Best waterfall to swim any season? +Maya King in Mayan World, $10/p to enter Volunteer? +Clean up the...

Our group of 14 had an excellent tour of this unique property that clearly has been built out of love, dedication and a passion for organic farming and sustainability. The tour began in a comfortable, covered wooden wagon which is pulled by a tractor through a path next to large varieties of plants, bushes & trees which allowed plenty of wonderful samplings of the spices & fruits along the way from our informative guide. Meeting the kind owners, Mr. & Mrs. Mathew & hearing their story of how it all began was an honor. We all had a delicious lunch provided by their staff and could purchase fresh spices directly from the farm to take home if desired. I wanted to buy more, but my carry-on was already quite full. I did buy several that we already enjoyed cooking with after returning back home just yesterday. We also had a look at their newly built cabanas and beautiful walkways, all made on site, by hand and from really beautiful wood that is all grown on the property. The attention to detail is evident in every aspect of their property. The staff were all so friendly and informative. There is a swimming pool being built that is soon to be ready and I think a pickleball court as well. We loved our time at this very special and lovely farm. Highly recommend this also as a change of pace from more adventurous activities. Thank you to all from the Spice farm for a...

We stayed a night at the resort here. The rooms are beautiful, all teak wood, but it has been lacquered & I got a migraine from the fumes. It is also right up against the road, so we could hear & smell traffic all day & all night. Even the outdoor shower sounded & smelled like traffic & pollution. Not the peaceful jungle oasis we were expecting. The tour around the farm was the best part, we were able to see a lot of flowers & sample some of the fruits that are in season: Miracle berries, passion fruit, cacao, oranges. The trolley ride is very bumpy, the seats are very hard & the tractor is pretty loud. Be comfortable being uncomfortable for about an hour. The staff was wonderful! The two employees running the tour were very polite, helpful, & friendly & the front-desk employees were great too, getting us coconuts to start our stay & wheeling our luggage on a cart for us to our room as well, & check-out was easy breezy. They were out of stock on the 2 spices I wanted to buy: cardamom & cloves, which was extremely disappointing, as it was the main purpose of visiting. I did buy some roasted cacao beans, but I didn't enjoy them as much as the beans I normally get from a farm in the Toledo district. I really wanted to enjoy this place, sorry it didn't...