Belize is a great destination for a family vacation. The beaches, pools, jungle adventures, Mayan ruins and of course all the ocean activities like fishing. And as a plus, the travel to Belize can be quite simple from most North American cities with direct flights from many international destinations (Houston, Newark, Atlanta, LAX to name a few).
So instead of getting your Caribbean beach fix in at destinations in Mexico like Cabo or Cancun, Belize may be a good fit for your next family vacation. And the best part is that the fly fishing in Belize is plentiful. Below you will find a few pointers when planning your family fly fishing vacation to Belize.
Choose Your Resort Wisely:
The most important aspect of planning your family fly fishing vacation to Belize is to choose the right resort for your family. For the typical family with kids under the age of 10, a beach resort like Hopkins Bay Beach Resort or The Placencia Resort is a good fit. These resorts have a lot of different amenities and onsite services like a pool, beachfront access, beach toys like kayaks, paddleboards, and bikes. They even offer babysitting services in case you wanted to leave the kids behind while you hit the flats with your Belizean Fly Fishing Guide. Another plus to these resorts is the dining experience, with multiple bars/restaurants onsite, order off of a menu can be a simple solution to picky eaters. The one negative about staying on the mainland is you do typically sacrifice some of the fishing as the fishing flats are located off of the mainland on the reef and in the cayes. So you do end up losing some time making boat runs to get out there and the DIY Fly Fishing from the beach isn’t the same as wading a flat. So ask yourself, where would your family be happy?
If your family is a little more adventurous and say maybe are young adults or grown adults, staying out at an island resort may be a better fit. Island resorts capture the true beauty of Belize, but you do sacrifice some of the amenities like the full food menu, pool, cultural tours in the town, and other amenities. The resort called Thatch Caye Island Resort is a good fit for fly fishing families as there is plenty of amenities including Wifi, air conditioning, a rotating menu, and flats to fish right on the island.
Plan Non-Fishing Activities:
This tip comes directly from an angler to another angler. Make sure your family has other things to do other than fly fishing during their vacation. While you may spend every day of the vacation out on the flats with a Belizean Fly Fishing Guide your family might not. So make sure to plan some non-fishing activities for your family. Some popular activities include snorkeling, SCUBA diving, lobster or conch diving, jungle tours, Mayan ruin tours, and even some spa time. If your kids are seasoned with a fly rod then no worries the traditional spin or reef fishing is a must for every family. Trolling live bait along the Belizean Reef catching jacks, barracuda, snapper, mackerel, and other species. The best part is you get to keep and eat the catch for dinner!
Planning Your Travel:
Once you land in Belize at the international airport in Belize City most likely you will be transferred to another area of the country for your vacation. The easiest way to get around the country is by utilizing the commuter flights out of Belize City. These commuter flights run very frequently throughout the country and are most definitely the fastest way to travel the country. So if you have booked your family vacation in Placencia, then a quick 35-minute commuter flight from Belize International Airport to Placencia and you will be one step closer to the beach. The flights are also very scenic and enjoyable for many families. Instead of dreading more travel to your final destination, embracing the flight as an attraction can make the last leg of travel much more enjoyable.
Few things to keep in mind when booking:
What is your budget?
How many days of fishing do you want to do?
Do you prefer to have more services and amenities like a pool? Or do you prefer more of an adventure?
How many people are in your family? How many beds and rooms do you need?
At Blue Horizon Belize, we can customize and create a memorable family vacation with a heavy dose of quality fly fishing. So shoot us an email today to start booking your vacation of a lifetime. info@bluehorizonbelize.com.
