Belize Bungalow - Sleeps 4 - On the River in a Jungle village
Guesthouse • Cristo Rey Village Belize
4 Guests
1 Bedroom
3 Beds
1 Bathroom
1 Car space
1 Car available
Secondary home
Exchange types accepted
Simultaneous
Non-Simultaneous
Non-Reciprocal
Statistics
Listed July 2021
Views 4224
General Overview
Please reach out even if our calendar says we don't have availability (especially for last minute requests) - as our calendars aren't always up-to-date.
Jungle view in the heart of a little village in the foothills of the Mountain Pine Ridge.
Our busiest season is Mid-Nov through March, so usually those dates would not be available for an exchange.
And if we aren't doing a simultaneous exchange, we will most likely be on the property staying in our own home.
The other Bungalow may be rented out to other guests during your stay, and if we aren't doing a simultaneous exchange, we will most likely be on the property staying in our own home.
But exchangers would also be welcome to exchange for both bungalows.
The Space
Air Conditioning & High-speed WiFi.
There are birds everywhere & of every kind! Toucans and parrots are daily visitors. We are an eBird HotSpot: L9561180
We have dozens of fruit trees on the property, from coconuts & bananas, to avocados and mangoes - and nearly everything in between!
Wildlife includes iguanas, agoutis, kinkajous and much, much more!
The large L-shaped deck has 4 hammocks, and additional seating - with room to spare! We are steps away from the Macal River and have kayaks and inner tubes ready for your use. The Belize Bungalow does not have a view of the river, but does have a nice jungle-yard view (as seen in the many photos).
We also have a second bungalow on the property that sleeps 2 - the Banana Bungalow - Listing #10532.
The Belize Bungalow is a stand-alone cabin. It was our home for over 5 years, before we built our current home closer to the river. The Belize Bungalow is roomy and functional, but not fancy :-)
The Belize Bungalow is fully screened. There is a custom-made mahogany queen bed, and two twin-size sofa beds. The very large, covered/screened deck overlooks the property with extra seating and private dining area.
There is a separate outdoor kitchen/dining area for the use of our guests. The kitchen is a shared area with the Banana Bungalow. The kitchen is not inside the cabin - as just boiling water would heat the entire place! Even our own kitchen is 'outside.' :-) The outdoor kitchen is two steps down from the screened deck.
Guest Access
Our property is gated.
Two private entrances to the bungalow.
Single Story with two steps to enter. It has a walk in (no-step) shower.
Gravel driveway is not conducive to wheelchairs.
Notes
Please note the calendar may not be up to date. The only times we absolutely cannot accept exchange requests is Late Nov & Mid Dec thru the end of March, except on short notice.
Other times are subject to availability, so please inquire for other dates, even if they are indicated as Not Available on the Calendar.
Guests have access to the 1.6 acre property, which includes a genuine Mayan mound (yes, you WILL find Mayan pottery, guaranteed!) but you have to leave it behind.
Other features include an outdoor dining area/kitchen with a full-size frig and charcoal grill. There is also a double sink and 6-burner gas stove and oven - and lots of countertop space.
We grow fruits, herbs and vegetables. You are welcome to anything ready to harvest! Depending on the time of year herbs include, basil, parsley, oregano, garlic chives, catnip, sage, rosemary & mint! Veggies include tomatoes, onions, lettuce, hot peppers, and more! Fruits include bananas, pineapples, mangos, soursop, dragon fruit, avocado, raspberries, nuts, and more!
There are kayaks & inner tubes for use on the Macal River - which is in our backyard! We recommend guests that want to take out the kayak, paddle up river only in the morning and then casually float back to our property. Pick-up service for the kayak is not available. There are places to stop upriver where you can safely dock our kayak. There are no secure places downriver to dock (other than the Belize Raptor Center). San Ignacio is down river and therefore it is not feasible to kayak to San Ignacio. There are dams on the river, so in the afternoon the river rises and flows quicker - that's why we recommend kayaking only in the morning.
No open flames permitted in/near the bungalow.
We are a member of 'Pack for a Purpose' - we collect donated supplies for two local organizations - Cayo Animal Welfare Society and the Cristo Rey R.C. Village School. If you are interested in packing some supplies for either of these organizations, let us know and we'll refer you to our website with a list of needed items.
Features
Fridge
WiFi
Bed sheets
Oven
Towels
Washer
TV
Heating
Hair dryer
Microwave
Iron
Dishwasher
Smoke alarms
Workspace
Clothes dryer
Coffee machine
High Speed Internet
Garden / yard
Bathtub
Air conditioning
Deck / patio / courtyard / terrace
BBQ
First aid kit
Fire extinguisher
Balcony
Fireplace
Toys
Covered porch / verandah
Bikes
Pool
Gym
Wheelchair accessible
Home cinema
Hot tub
Gated community
EV Home Charger
Standup paddleboard
Camping gear
Kayak
Sauna
Tennis court
Meat-free kitchen
Kosher home
Piano
Travel Styles
Adventure
Family
Relaxing
Eco
Village
Water
Remote
Tropical
Hiking
Good public transport
House Rules
Unsuitable for infants under 2
Unsuitable for children ages 2-12
Pets not allowed
No smoking
Allergens
Carpet free
Smoke free
Low allergen
Dates of Availability
Click on availability periods to see exchange types and descriptions.
Available
Neighbourhood
Our village is a beautiful place to live, mostly because of all the wonderful Belizeans that welcomed us with open arms!
Cristo Rey Village is in the jungle region of Belize. While this provides incredible beauty and natural wonders, it also means that heat, humidity, sudden tropical squalls, power outages and water outages are not uncommon (However, we do have a back-up generator, and back-up water supply & pump).
We have high speed wi-fi service on the property and in the bungalow. It is fast and reliable! However, if the power to the village goes out, we do lose internet service, but that doesn’t happen often.
We strive for a calm, serene & relaxing environment; and most of the time it is just that. However, the local birds are very active as daylight breaks, and the Howler Monkeys can be a bit startling at night. We are also in the middle of a small, but active village. Sometimes the neighboring roosters, dogs, church music, etc. can be heard. For those travelers who are extremely noise sensitive please keep these things in mind.
Getting to my home
Our GPS coordinates are: 17.1302° N, 89.0593° W We do not have a physical address.
It is @ a 1.5 hour drive from the airport to us.
We can help you arrange reasonably priced (for this area) ground transportation to/from Belize City and other destinations within Belize if booked far enough in advance.
If you rent a car:
Lucky Dreamer Lodge is 3.5 miles up Cristo Rey Road, from San Ignacio/Santa Elena turnoff, toward Mountain Pine Ridge.
With the recently paved roads, we are @ a 1 hour 30 minute drive from Belize City, but only 10 minutes from San Ignacio. We are close to all major tourist areas (by Belizean standards). For example, we are about 15 minutes closer to Caracol, Mountain Pine Ridge, Ziplining, horseback riding, birding & Barton Creek Cave (to name a few) than if you stay in San Ignacio. We are the same distance to ATM Cave, Crystal Cave & the Belize Zoo.
If you are driving here, look for the Santa Elena roundabout. Go straight through - DO NOT turn right toward San Ignacio. Count two speed bumps, then start looking to your left for a turn-off that heads up the hill (There is a small covered bus stop area with a bunch of resort signs) - that is Cristo Rey Rd. Stay to the far right of the left turn.
You’ll go over another cement speedbump as you head up the hill. You’ll go over another cement speedbump further up the hill.
At approximately 2-2.5 miles you will start entering Cristo Rey Village.
Start counting the speedbumps again at this point.
After the 4th speed bump go approximately 1/10th mile more (You’re almost there!) You will pass a sign advertising a liquor store on the left.
The next thing you’ll see on the left is a cement fenced-in yard (a dark green color). Slow down once you see that cement wall on the left. Our driveway is on the right, EXACTLY opposite of the cement-fenced property driveway.
Please note: Once on Cristo Rey Rd, it is about a 10 minute drive to us, even though it is only 3.5 miles.
Once you enter the property, veer right towards the carport, but then turn left and head toward the parking sign with the name of your bungalow (either Banana Bungalow or Belize Bungalow) and park in front of the appropriate sign.
Nearest airport
Philip S.W. Goldson Airport in Ladyville (commonly called the Belize City Airport)
Getting Around
On any given day you'll see kids going door-to-door selling homemade goodies, or veggies from their gardens. The tortilla man delivers fresh tortillas twice a day (Sun-Fri) - for 95 cents U.S. a pound!
There is a small convenience grocery store directly across the road from us. There you'll find just about everything you need for simple meals.
Just a short walk down the road is "Carm's" a local restaurant that serves made to order local-style meals.
About a mile down the road is a local spot called "The Showers" - a waterfall area, that very few tourists know about.
Once here, the bus and shuttle service stop right in front of our property from 7am to about 5pm daily, Mon-Saturday. (There is no public transportation available on Sunday, other than taxi service) The bus costs @ $1 U.S. each way. The shuttle costs @ $1.00 U.S. each way. The ride takes about 15 minutes. Taxi rides run between $10-$15.00 U.S. each way based on daytime or nighttime.
It was great to have Cheryl and Jeff stay at our home in Östhammar this summer. Their visit came about after we struck up a conversation through Secret Santa! Communication was good and we were so pleased to get to meet them on arrival and share a meal. They are a lovely couple and they cared beautifully for our home, leaving it clean and tidy when they left. We look forward to seeing them in the jungle of Belize before too long 😊
What a pleasure having Cheryl and Jeff as guests in our home. It was so nice to chat with them from the very start throughout the exchange, perfect communication all the way. They took good care of our home and left it spotless, so our warmest recommendations to exchange with them. We also hope to visit them in Belize some day!
If you’re dreaming of a jungle bungalow where you can hear wild life and sounds of a flowing river, this is your dream destination. Cheryl was very accommodating and we very much enjoyed getting to know the country of Belize at their lodge.
The bungalow was beautifully decorated and the location was great. We were able to walk a few minutes for food or get a quick taxi ride into San Ignacio. Most tour guide companies would also pick you up at this location. We wish we could’ve stayed longer!
Feedback for Eva·Non-Simultaneous exchange·9 nights
We really enjoyed our stay on Eva and her family’s canal boat in Utrecht! It was such a fun and memorable experience, and we were especially grateful that Eva generously opened up the exchange to include Jeff’s sister and her family after we had already arranged the exchange. Having six of us stay together worked out wonderfully, and there was plenty of room for everyone.
The location was excellent. We could easily walk to two different train stations, and there were also public buses nearby, although we never actually needed to use them. Having access to the bikes was a huge bonus.
We absolutely loved Eva’s garden! We were lucky enough to enjoy fresh plums, raspberries, and strawberries right from the garden, as well as a wonderful variety of herbs. The apples, figs, and pears weren’t quite ripe yet during our visit, but it was still such a treat to have all that fresh produce growing right outside.
We also have to mention the wonderful coffee shop directly across the canal — we loved it!
The boat is in a relatively quiet neighborhood, with mostly just the normal sounds of life along the canal. There were a few more lively weekend nights with some partiers, but nothing that really bothered us. And one thing that surprised us was how incredibly stable the boat was — it didn’t rock or move at all!
The boat is clearly a well-loved, lived-in family home rather than a pristine, hotel-like accommodation, but we found that part of its charm. We were very comfortable and thoroughly enjoyed our time there.
Sadly, Eva and her family left the very day we arrived, so we didn’t get the chance to see them again in person. We would have loved to spend some time together, especially since they had stayed at our bungalows the previous summer. It would have been wonderful to reconnect! Hopefully our travels will bring us together again someday. We would happily exchange with Eva and her family again. ❤️
We fell in love with their little town! Such a hidden gem. Their home was perfect for us. Super clean, and everything you would need. Wish we had stayed longer.
Sandy and Gary are wonderful people, met us on person with a fantastic welcome experience. Communication was clear.
Quick walking distance of restaurants, grocery store, pharmacy, shops, etc. Beautiful seaside village!
Hope they get to Belize someday.
We wish you could have stayed longer too! Maybe another time? Glad you enjoyed our sweet little village - it really is a special place. We hope to see you again in Belize!
Feedback for Sofie·Non-Reciprocal exchange·6 nights
We loved our stay at Sofie's home! It was very comfortable - felt like a home-away-from-home!
It was super-clean, communication was great, and everything we needed was available.
Her home is HUGE! Way more space than we needed, so larger families will have plenty of spreading out space! And the backyard is massive! We even picked some cherries from the tree!
Getting to/from Stockholm wasn't burdensome, but it took a bit getting used to taking the buses & metro. We made mistakes nearly every day! 😔 But getting around was part of the adventure.👊
We would recommend her home to anyone that prefers being outside of Stockholm city. We wouldn't recommend renting a car - so public transport needs to be your best friend while there! Sofie did an excellent job of providing directions and train schedules, etc.
BIG TIP: remember what Metros & Buses you need to get on to get back home! 😜 Another thing we didn't count on was no NIGHT - no DARKNESS (we were there in early July) - it just wasn't something we planned on - but the bedrooms have room darkening shades - and she provided eye masks. Just something to be aware of.
Overall we thoroughly enjoyed our stay and highly recommend staying at Sofie's!
Feedback for Eva·Non-Simultaneous exchange·5 nights
Eva and her family were so much fun to meet and spend time with it. She was a great communicator. The family took very good care of the bungalows and outdoor kitchen. We wish they could have stayed longer! We look forward to our exchange with them next year. We highly recommend her family to all Exchange hosts!
Feedback for Alyssa·Non-Simultaneous exchange·7 nights
We appreciated that Alyssa was willing to swap with us after more than a year after she stayed in our place - so she is VERY flexible. Her home was clean, well stocked and just a short walk to a quaint downtown area. We especially enjoyed the local diners for breakfast. Her home is tastefully decorated and was perfect for what we needed. We stayed in the off-season, so it was a bit too cold to venture to the Dunes, but we were able to stock up at the local Aldi's and stay warm & cozy inside.
It was a pleasure hosting Alyssa & Sage in our river view bungalow listing. Unfortunately due to a death in our family we didn't get to meet them in person as planned, but communication went smoothly and they treated our bungalow with respect and left it clean and tidy. I would welcome them back any time.
Wondelful couple who are perfect communicators and takes excellent care of you home.
Premium
Cheryl & Jeff
We are pre-planning for 2027 - so Globes are Welcome!
We are looking traveling anytime during July through October 2027. We haven't decided where to go yet, but we are considering the following: Guatemala, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, & Alaska. But tempt us with other offers. We'd like to stay 3-4 weeks at a time. We don't have any Globes or Plutos. Exchanges don't need to be Simultaneous.
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We both grew up camping and love nature with all it has to offer. In 2014 we moved to the ‘wilds’ of Belize from the ‘wilds’ of Minnesota.
We love animals and would welcome the opportunity to care for pets/animals during an exchange. We currently have one dog and a cat, and only if an exchange is simultaneous we would need our pets cared for (no need for walks, as they roam the 1.6 acre property). Just really need to have a love of dogs & cats....
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