Luxury Guatemala and Belize: Tikal and the Caribbean

Guatemala and Belize are a winning combination for a holiday, two very contrasting countries which when explored together present an irresistible collection of travel experiences. On this holiday, travel is at a relaxed pace between three intimate properties owned by film director Francis Ford Coppola, and two more which are part of the Relais & Chateaux portfolio. Each is unique in its design and setting and at each and all the attention is on premium service.

Guatemala is steeped in indigenous and Spanish colonial tradition and religious mysticism where the modern Maya speak their ancestral tongue and observe age-old dress codes. Meanwhile Belize, on Central America’s Caribbean coast, is English-speaking, utterly laid-back, and a popular destination for outdoor adventure enthusiasts.

Start off in Guatemala’s highlands, staying at an hacienda near Antigua before several relaxing days by Lake Atitlan. Then fly to Flores and visit to Tikal, the vast Mayan ruined city where ancient temples and pyramids penetrate the rainforest canopy. Cross the border into Belize and visit the cool forests of Mountain Pine Ridge, before rounding off the holiday at the low-key Caribbean village of Placencia, with time for snorkelling or manatee watching.