Admittedly, it has been about seven years since I have been to the Maruba Resort and Jungle Spa so things may have changed but for this hippie at heart I hope not because there is no other place like it on earth.
We booked this “exotic” jungle hotel through Expedia. The price was right and the pictures were enticing. When we arrived we felt like we had been transported back to the early 1970’s a time of peace and free love. Something about the resort was just a little quirky and very “groovy.” Turns out a doctor had spent years building this place with his loving hands. With visionary huts and uniquely decorated rooms it wasn’t hard to get into the “RELAX…you are on vacation”vibe . The viper rum with a real snake in the bottle added to the “high” of the place and it definitely made you want to curl up by the pool in a comfy lounge after drinking it as its warmth slowly snaked and spread throughout your body.
The food at Maruba was fabulous and the hibiscus flowers gracing every plate was a huge change from modern hotel fare. There was also a spa offering such delights as mud baths/massages, body scrubs and manicures to pamper the senses. We partook of several spa treatments and came away from them relaxed from the top of our heads to the bottom of our toes; our souls soothed and quenched. Lush wildflowers and orchids added to the natural beauty of the place along with the natural hot baths that magically melted our bodies upon entering the water.
The hotel also rented bicycles so we biked into the nearest “town” and saw a giant anteater run across the road along the way. We sampled local food in town (yum) and when we returned we booked a river journey to a lost Mayan civilization (more about that another time) Horseback riding was also available along with jungle hikes and private exercise lessons.
It wasn’t until we had been there a few days and had seen the huge stockpile of carved penises, naked folks and fertility gods hidden along the jungle pathways that we finally got up the courage and asked…yep the place had been a swingers club back in the day hence the “make love not war” feeling that permeated the place and kept you “in the mood.” Needless to say, we had a very romantic and wonderful time with all the gentle reminders that love and relaxation were the name of the game here.
HINT: You are in the jungle so be sure to bring bug spray. We did not and ended up remembering our trip longer than we would have like after contracting Dengue Fever. We have no idea if it was at Maruba or on Ambergris Caye that the nasty mosquito bit us but it is wise to take precautions wherever you go in Belize.
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