Belize is on the eastern coast of Central America on the edge of the Caribbean Sea. Belize is known for its Mayan ruins, jungles, and some of the most beautiful barrier reefs in the world.
We recently visited Belize for a family wedding at the beginning of August. The entire wedding party and guests stayed on the island resort of Thatch Caye (pronounced “key”) in Belize.
This beautiful resort is located about 9 miles from the coast of Dangriga and can only be accessed by boat. This all-inclusive resort only holds about 30 guests, so we were lucky enough to have the entire mile-long island to ourselves.
Thatch Caye is one of the most beautiful places I have ever stayed, and I recommend it to absolutely everyone. This post goes into my five-day stay in Thatch Caye and includes all the amazing amenities and travel tips for getting to and from the island.
Getting to Thatch Caye
The trip to Thatch Caye was a total of about 9 hours from Atlanta since we had to make a couple of stops along the way. We first took a plane from Atlanta to the tiny Belize International Airport.
From there, you have several choices to get to Dangriga. The first is to take the Muy-Ono Explorer van. It includes drinks and a tour guide but is about a 2-hour drive. The other option is to take a small 10-person plane to the Dangriga Airstrip.
The flight is only 15 minutes and offers the best views of the coast. We choose the quicker option, which was the flight. To be honest, we were all terrified to get into this tiny plane, but it ended up being one of the most memorable things we did.
Once we arrived at Dangriga, we were greeted by some of the Thatch Caye staff waiting to take us to our boat. Since many of us got to Dangriga at the same time, we took turns taking the boat to Thatch Caye island.
Thankfully, the Pelican resort is next to the boat ramp, so we ordered some food and drinks while we waited for our turn on the boat.
Last but not least, we took the 25-minute boat ride to the island where we were greeted by the resort’s manager, who gave us each a drink and showed us around. The crew was very sweet and took care of all our luggage for us.
Thatch Caye Resort
The resort has several bungalows and cabanas staggered around the island. There are five different types of rooms to choose from. Each comes with a beautiful view of the water, terrace, air-conditioning, and bathrooms.
Since we were part of a wedding party, all the rooms were arranged by family size before we got there. My boyfriend and I stayed at one of the bungalows close to the center of the island.
My favorite part of our bungalow was the covered rooftop overlooking the ocean. We didn’t spend as much time on the rooftop as I had expected.
There were so many quiet places around the island that offered beautiful views that we only spent time at our bungalow to shower, sleep, and change.
I think one of my favorite parts of our stay was the staff. They were beyond hospitable and made sure we had everything we needed at all times. The staff lives on the island so that we have someone there 24/7 in case we ever needed anything.
They told us that they take weekly shifts, so they go home for a week or two in between stays on the resort. Something I liked was that they actually wanted to spend time with us.
The staff members joined us at night and played music and partook in telling jokes and stories. They were some of the friendliest people we met in Belize.
Island Amenities
The island itself is full of wonderful amenities. Each cabana comes with its own private terrace and hammock, and there are also hammocks spaced around the beach.
The resort has several kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes that guests are free to use. Something we loved doing was getting up early in the morning and biking around the island before breakfast.
Thatch Caye also has a cabana bar over the water and a natural saltwater pool. There is a large wall that keeps the strong tide from coming in but still allows you to swim in the natural ocean water.
The water around the pool area was very shallow and calm, so many of us spent the day kayaking and snorkeling on the outskirts of the island. The water is also crystal clear, making it perfect for snorkeling.
There was even a sandbar connecting our island and the neighboring resort. We could have actually walked on if we had wanted to.
Food & Drinks
We paid for the all-inclusive package, which meant three full meals a day and unlimited drinks. All produce is either grown on the island or imported fresh from the mainland.
The island has its own chef who cooks meals for you each day. There is no menu since the dishes are made based on what is available at the time.
You just show up at the designated breakfast, lunch, and dinner times, and your delicious meal is brought out to you.
If guests have any special dietary requirements, the chef will be more than happy to accommodate you.
On the second day we were there, the guys went on a fishing boat for a deep-sea fishing excursion and caught some fish, which the chef incorporated into our dinner.
I can honestly say I had some of the best food I have ever eaten during my stay. Breakfast was served in the main cabana along with fresh orange juice, tea, and coffee.
Lunch and dinner were served family-style at the outdoor picnic tables at the Grove. Dinner was my favorite part because the entire wedding party ate together under the stars.
The staff also provided us with snacks during happy hour, where we all got together at the Starfish Bar.
All the drinks are from fresh fruits and available all day long. The drink menu is all delicious, and the bartenders are happy to make anything you like as long as the supplies are available.
On one of our last days at Thatch Caye, we had gone through all the pineapples since many of us had been drinking Pina Coladas nonstop, so we were given a Mango Colada instead. It was delicious! Make sure to ask for one of those while you are there.
Weddings at Thatch Caye
Since the main reason for being at Thatch Caye was for a family wedding, it only makes sense to talk about their wedding packages.
There are three types of wedding packages to choose from. Some of the amenities included in these packages are a minister of the ceremony, bouquets, cake, champagne toast, live band, conch shell wedding aisle, photographer, and on-site wedding coordinator. The resort is happy to help plan your custom wedding for you!.
The wedding itself takes place at four different locations around the island. The wedding we attended was at Serenity Point. Serenity point is a covered pier on the far side of the island over the water.
The resort had set up a beautiful flower arch at the beginning of the pier. You had to walk down the conch-lined walkway to get to the end.
Excursions Around the Island
There are a variety of excursions you can book from the resort. Some include fishing, snorkeling, scuba diving, and jungle excursions. We did several excursions during our time in Belize, but only one from Thatch Caye.
The boys all went on a deep-sea fishing excursion while we went island hopping.
Our island-hopping excursion took us to some of the nearby islands. The tour picked us up from the resort in the morning and dropped us back off around lunchtime.
Our guide took us around by boat and stopped at a couple of different islands where we were able to get off and walk around. Unlike Thatch Caye, the islands we visited are inhabited by locals.
It was interesting to see and learn about the way of life here and the history of Belize. If you want to learn more about the culture, I highly recommend this excursion.
Conclusion
Our stay at Thatch Caye, Belize was one of the most incredible few days I have ever had. The island itself is stunning, and you get a chance to fully immerse yourself in nature.
If you are looking for a low-key getaway or having a beautiful tropical wedding, I highly recommend coming here.
Everything about our stay was perfect, and the staff on the island went out of their way to make us feel at home. Thatch Caye is everything you could want for a romantic Caribbean vacation.
