Chan Chich Lodge

Wake up to the sound of howler monkeys in a bungalow surrounded by unexcavated Mayan ruins.

• The medicinal garden where you can learn about the healing powers of plants
• The night crawler experience where you fish for tarantula
• The screened-in pool, with a small waterfall and Jacuzzi, that is so lushly landscaped it feels like you’re taking a dip at the Royal Botanical Garden

The big draw at Chan Chich Lodge, a cluster of 13 bungalows on 130,000 acres of privately owned jungle, isn’t traditional luxury. The thatch-roof mahogany accommodations, largely hand-made using a combination of Mayan and modern techniques and tools, are simple (no A/C and no TV) but comfortably appointed, with ample porches furnished with tables, chairs and hammocks, ceiling fans and modern bathrooms (some with double showers).

The real luxury at Chan Chich (owned by the Bowen family which also owns Belikin Beer) is the setting. The lodge, which opened in 1988, was built amongst unexcavated Mayan ruins. Believed to have been inhabited as far back as 770 BC, the complex includes two large plazas, numerous courtyards and other structures including a ball court. The lodge buildings occupy one of the plazas and the mounds of the other structures and sites dot the surrounding acres, many linked via nine miles of well-maintained jungle trails that challenge you to unleash your inner Indiana Jones.

The lodge provides plenty of ways to explore, including renowned bird watching, canoeing, guided night walks and jungle horseback riding. It’s a long, rough drive out to Chan Chich Lodge so opt for the scenic 30-minute chartered flight into and out of the private landing strip.

Bird watchers; anyone who wants so sleep among Mayan ruins and families who want a laid-back jungle experience.