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We stayed 3 nights at the Lodge with our birding group, and it was an ideal location: opportunities for several boat rides in the lagoon and river, walking distance to the Mayan ruins, and beautiful lush grounds to explore. The guest rooms were very well-appointed for active travelers, with strong hooks throughout (we counted at least 15) for our gear, electric outlets every few feet, and very comfortable mattresses and pillows. The staff was friendly and efficient. The only minus was the wine list -- very limited, and the Lodge was out of several varieties while we were there. But Belikan is always available, and the margaritas were frosty and tangy.
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Date of stay: February 2024
Value
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Trip type: Travelled with friends
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We had an amazing visit to Lamanai Outpost Lodge. The grounds were beautiful, the food delicious, and every member of the staff was friendly and welcoming. The sunrises over the lagoon were some of the best we’ve seen.
Our visit started with a pick-up at the airport by Freddy. He was a very pleasant man who enjoyed telling us about the region. The van was a comfortable ride to the boat dock, which took about an hour.
At the boat dock we were met by our naturalist guide Vidal, and our boat driver. The boat ride is about an hour in an open-top boat. A great lunch was provided for us too.
When we arrived at the dock of the lodge, we were met by Marvie, who showed us to our cabin. Our bags were promptly brought up for us. Then we met Marvie and Vidal at the dining/reception area for a welcome drink and to plan our excursions.
We had a lagoon-front cabana and it was very comfortable. We had an AC unit, but never needed to turn it on. There was a ceiling fan and open windows to keep us cool. The whole room was very comfortable.
We did the nighttime boat ride through the lagoon the first night. We have never seen so many stars, we could see the entire Milky Way, the was absolutely no man-made light, it was breathtaking. Vidal took us along the banks of the lagoon and into smaller channels with a spotlight to see nocturnal wildlife, including birds and bats. The next morning we did an early morning bird walk, where we found a really good variety of bird species. We did the early morning boat ride through the lagoon also. We watched the sunrise from a boat in the center of the lagoon while enjoying coffee and baked goods. Then we toured some of the smaller channels to observe more wildlife. We also did a night walking tour of the lodge grounds, where we saw a good variety of nocturnal creatures, including snakes, frogs, and spiders. Vidal was one of the best bird guides I’ve ever met. I got a large number of life-birds during our short visit.
We also went to visit the Lamanai Mayan Ruins, which were only a short boat ride down the lagoon. There is a museum at the entrance with artifacts on display. The temples and pyramids were very impressive to see in person. The walking trails between the sites was buggy when it was under tree cover, and hot when it was out in the sun. Bring sunscreen, bug spray, and water. Our guide was a great story teller, who translated some of the carving to tell the history of the site. There was also a good variety of birds in the area.
We ate all our meals in the dining room, and everything we ate was exceptional. The portions were quite large, so I asked for smaller portions. The staff was small, and for most of our stay, we were the only guests there. We were made to feel very welcome and accommodated.
At the end of our visit, we were taken back up the river to the docks, where we were again met by Freddy and returned to the airport.
The whole visit was exceptional. From the people, to the remote location, the wildlife, the Mayan cultural site, and the views, we loved it all. We will definitely be returning for another visit in the future.
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Date of stay: October 2022
Value
Location
Service
Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
The lodge is so isolated, which is exactly what you want (it took an hour long boat ride on the river to get here)! You are SO close to the Lamanai Mayan complex, which is spectacular, and there is plenty of wildlife to see. The excursions were amazing and our guide George was so great and knowledgeable!! This place seems to be especially good for bird viewing. We also had a family of howler monkeys staying in the trees above the resort while we were there. We really enjoyed our night hikes, the river excursions, the visit to the local community to learn how to make masa in the traditional way. We were very pleased with the communal meals - served with care and variety in large portions and lots of filtered water. The staff was very friendly and helpful.
Just a few notes - The cabins were nice but not luxurious. The beds were comfortable and the rooms were clean. But it was extremely hot when we visited (May) and the AC in the room struggled to keep up in the heat of the day, which meant there was really no place to cool down after a hike, as the rest of the resort didn't have AC. The meals were very nice, especially for the location, but don't expect "fine dining" or choices.
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Date of stay: May 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Such a wonderful place to stay. A proper, authentic holiday lodge with cabanas, all kept in top condition, run and staffed by locals. All activities were well organised and executed. Mark our guide was very knowledgeable as well as fun to be with, learning from the best, his father. The village from where many of the staff came was five minutes away and they were happy for visits. The food, all included, was amazing! We hope the lodge is able to flourish and have a very successful future.
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Date of stay: July 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
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Positive: - Water bottles in number in the room Beautiful and large room, well decorated - Very nice location and arrival by boat (1 hour journey) - Very interesting tour of the ruins with Eduardo -Good food - Welcome drink included (several alcoholic beverages possible - Flexibility in the general menu which is prepared for the whole hotel and displayed at the reception: if certain things do not suit you can ask to change -Good bedding - Very nice setting
Negative: - It would require a little more light on the paths at night between the restaurant and the huts (not necessarily permanently, this can be via presence detectors like what has been set up for the steps leading to the restaurant)
Neutral: - Room located in a bungalow with 2 bedrooms so you can hear the other room - Free Wi-Fi that works relatively well (but sometimes you have to reconnect)
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Date of stay: January 2025
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Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We just completed a 4 night stay and everything was just amazing. The Lamanai Outpost lodge is exactly what you want to do to understand Belize, the current culture, the history and the environmental beauty of the country. Our guide Chris took us on some amazing adventures and knows so so much about everything (current, past and the environment). He is a birding expert for sure. The food was very very good but portions are designed for marathon runners (LOL), just ask for a bit less. Every single staff member wants to make your stay special and help you with whatever you need. We are extremely happy about choosing Lamanai Outpost Lodge for our stay in Belize and will come again.
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Date of stay: October 2024
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Trip type: Travelled as a couple
Room Tip:Â bring sun glasses and you might need bug spray depending on the time of the year and the rain but...
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Totally brilliant experience. We were 2 adults and 2 teenagers (age 13 and 15).
Room: we had a family cabana which was a great size - we had a huge super king bed and the kids had bunkbeds (the bottom bunk was a double). Lots of space to keep bags on the counters which was helpful as we lived out of our bags this trip. Mozzie nets on all windows.
General / staff: we were lucky enough to be the only guests for the first night, and even then only one other family arrived for our 2nd and 3rd nights. The staff were really friendly and helpful, and the food was excellent - traditional, local - loved it.
Activities: Chris Ramirez was our guide and he was phenomenal - knowledgable, fun, took the time to make this a really special first visit to Belize for us. We chose a spotlight safari on the boat, a visit to the Lamanai archaeological reserve, sunset cocktail cruise, sunrise kayak trip and a walk around the beautiful gardens with Chris explaining the medicinal plants, and then a visit to Indian Church Village to learn how to make tortillas and tamales.
Recommendation: could not recommend this place enough, we had a fabulous time. Def need mozzie spray (they sell it if you don't have it); plenty of drinking water available (take a refillable water bottle each - saves plastic), tap water is fine to clean your teeth.
Be prepared: the howler monkeys woke us up in the middle of the first night and our daughter said it was like being in a horror movie (15 yr old so slept through it - no idea how!). Doesn't last for long and it was a pretty special experience!
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Date of stay: August 2024
Value
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Location
Cleanliness
Service
Sleep Quality
Trip type: Travelled with family
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We were quoted US$ 2200 for 3 nights with a bunch of activities and boat transfer, but decided to go a la carte as we had no interest in cramming 6 activities into 2 full days and we had our own car. Our spend in the end was much lower than the package despite a boat trip in and cocktails every night.
Our room was super basic and could hardly have been more basic and on the first night we asked for the AC remote which is an extra US$ 30. It took a while to cool enough to get to sleep. The other nights it had rained and I think we would have been fine. I can’t see much point in a couple upgrading to more expensive rooms as facilities are basic.
Food in the restaurant was excellent and always very tasty but unless you have a massive appetite I can’t see how anyone could manage all three meals. We ate the large breakfast and the 3 course dinner. One day we had some chips and salsa in the afternoon as a snack. Bar drinks are OK if not overly special with cocktails generally being long ones. Still, they tasted good even if a Manhattan would not go amiss (they sadly don’t have the ingredients).
Guiding is first class and obviously the main draw. I cannot fault anything here. We went with our guide to the ruins, on a medicine and cooking morning and looking for howler monkeys. The howler tour was a lovely walk but you can see them around the camp all the time. Vidal’s personal experiences of growing up as a boy right there in the ruins were priceless and he put the polish on the experience. There are very few places where you can stay in the region so if you want to see the rainforest, it’s worth doing. If you like 5 star accommodation, lower comfort expectations but come anyway. Oh and bring waterproofs or buy a poncho at the lodge!
The boat ride from the highway was worth doing and we took our own car back to head to San Ignacio (about a 3 hour drive if you drive fairly quickly). The road does need you to have your wits about you as potholes come quickly. After the rains, some roads are closed, so check the day before you drive.
All in all we enjoyed our stay, thought it was a bit overpriced and we do hope that those rates make their way to staff in the form of decent pay and they they are not relying wholly on tips.
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Date of stay: August 2022Trip type: Travelled as a couple
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Visiting here is an such a unique and adventurous experience. It was the first stop on our tour of Belize and made an unbelievable start to our holiday. The boat journey to the lodge is so serene and drinking a Belikan gets you straight into the holiday mood. The family cabanas are well appointed and the air conditioning and fans were welcome as it is hot. The staff were so friendly and the food for all meals was excellent. The kids were initially a bit fussy but the staff really helped to adapt meals to their tastes. As for the adventures - they were all top class. Our guide Chris was excellent and really engaged well with the kids which ranged from 8 to 15. We did the Spotlight safari, Lamanai ruins and village experience which were great but the absolute highlight was the crocodile encounter. It was the best thing we did in Belize and the kids are still buzzing after it. The fauna and wildlife around the lodge are amazing, and even got to see a just hatched baby turtle making their way to the lagoon. It is an off the grid location which isn’t for everyone but the staff, location and service make it an unforgettable experience
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Date of stay: June 2024Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip: Don’t miss the crocodile encounter
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Very nice lodge accessible by a 45 min shuttle from Belize City and an hour boat down the New river. Lodge was much nicer than I expected for it's location. Room was large with thatched roofs, fans, ac, and a small fridge. Lodgings were very comfortable and you could hear amazing jungle sounds all night. You can swim in the lagoon and they have canoes available. The restaurant is open air and has an incredible view, if you can try and hit dinner right at sunset. They serve a set menu every day and the food was consistently fantastic also much nicer than I had anticipated. There's a very cosy bar/lounge area also. Staff was awesome. While there we did the Lamanai Ruins tour, the nighttime nature walk, the spotlight river safari, and the Mayan medicine and village tour. George was our guide the entire time and he was awesome. Very knowledgeable and friendly. Cannot recommend this enough, this was our favorite place in Belize.
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Date of stay: August 2024
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Trip type: Travelled with family
Room Tip:Â Don't skip the Lamanai ruins.
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
We are definitely birders but also enjoy the animal life. We did see a jagarundi right at the lodge at dusk when returning to the lodge one evening. We stayed four nights and enjoyed every minute. Also agree with the previous review that you will see much more if you go with the lodge guides. Chan Chich is also wonderful - we were fortunate enough to see a puma there one day when out with our guide. Also saw a family of peccaries and a pair of tapirs very near the lodge. The evening boat rides at Lamanai are very special.
I have not yet been to Costa Rica so unfortunately I'm unable to give a firsthand comparison. However, I do have friends who did a tour there. They booked their adventure through Dream Vacations and they had many good things to say about the entire experience. They spoke of caving and jungle tours similar to our Belize trip which was truly an amazing experience. Costa Rica is next on our list as well and I look forward to reading your reviews upon your return!
Happy Travels!
Green Bay, Wisconsin23 contributions6 helpful votes
I don't know prices of rooms as I traveled as a package trip. Activities began at 630am, then there was a 9am activity, 430pm, and 730pm activity. Our package included 2 activities per day. I think the dining times were 730-9am, 1130-1pm, and 6-730pm or therabouts!
We were picked up at the airport and driven (on paved highway) to a place where we boarded a boat to take us the rest of the way (about an hour or hour and a half.) I don't know how the road is from there to Lamanai, but there was another guest at the lodge that drove there, so yes it is possible.
I would highly recommend the boat trip. The lodge has several boats of different sizes and our transportation was included in the price of the accommodations. I saw some other boats on the river that looked like they may be independent "taxis" as well.
There are more places to choose from in the Water Bank area.
ALSO KNOWN AS
lamanai outpost hotel orange walk
LOCATION
BelizeOrange Walk DistrictWater Bank
NUMBER OF ROOMS
17
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