Our family (kids 7 & 10) just returned from a wonderful and relaxing 4 day stay (combined with a 4 day trip to Placencia). I was a little concerned about the food based on other reviews, but the food was very good. Everyone on the staff was excellent, friendly and went out of their way to show us a wonderful time. We did all the activities. The guides were very knowledgeable and interesting. Our favorite activities were the spotlight cruise (excellent birding) and the dawn canoeing. We swam off the dock and lazed in the hammocks every day. The village of Indian Church just outside the lodge was truly a different world. We visited restaurants (for sodas) and stores, and the people there seemed just as interested in us as we were of them. Of course, the Lamanai ruins (including the Spanish Churches and British Sugar Mill) are spectacular. Even when full there are few guests and since we met different groups on each activity and ate all our meals more or less together, we got to know the other families and couples. I really liked the fact that for 4 days we did not travel anywhere, had plenty to do to get tired, and plenty of down time to relax. I would recommend Lamanai Outpost to any family, group or couple looking for a self-contained place, off the beaten path, with lots of outdoor activities and good birding to boot.

I recently returned from a stay at Lamanai Lodge with my wife and 9 YO son. On our second night both my son and I became ill, serious GI disturbance, constant vomitting and diarrhea for 24 hours straight in my case. Our son's doctor had sent us with antibiotics, we got them in him fast and his condition did not get as bad as mine. Suffice it to say I spent my last day at the Lodge in the most miserable condition of my entire life (note this is happening in a cramped, smelly, little wooden cabana with no a/c, sweltering temps, and no medical care around). Eventually we were able to reach my doctor back in the States who advised I be moved to Belize City, close to the hospital. I eventually recovered but the damage was done, it ruined our vacation. I have spoken with my doctor since returning home. There is no question that we were provided tainted food and/or water at Lamanai. Most likely I experienced a particularly virulent form of E coli from infected water, food, or a kitchen worker practicing poor bathroom hygeine. To make matters worse management at the Lodge could not care less. Not only did they offer no apology, no refund of any kind, they actually charged us an exbortiant amount for the emergency phone call my wife had to make to my doctor in the states. I have been in contact with the owners of the Lodge since returning home. Their response. "You must have brought the illness with you". FAT CHANCE (my doc says this is a medical impossibility given the nature of incubation periods). The Lodge has some nice qualities; they are far outweighed by the lack of food/water safety and the alarming diregard that management has for the safety of its guests.

Like all, we made our reservations through Ellen and she explained to me that she and her husband built the place. I think her son-in-law runs it now.

The pick-up at the airport was great as was the trip up the New River. The room was very nice and comfortable. It had a ceiling fan. I am very heat intolerant and was very comfortable the entire time. The grounds are well maintained and beautiful.

The guides and the side trips were simply awesome. Definitely take the Mennonite tour. It is well worth it. The ruins were wonderful and the night safari great.

All-in-all it was a wonderful trip. The food, however, was mostly uneatable. After a day or two I stuck to the fruits and veggies at it was tolerable.

We then went to San Pedro. I would never go back to San Pedro but would return to Lamanai if they get te food issue settled.

Thanks, Ellen.

Lamanai Outpost is an awesome experience for anyone wanting to get far away and into the jungle, anyone interested in Maya ruins, birding, conservation, etc.

We went mostly for the nature walks and birding, and were lucky to be shown around by Carlos and George. Carlos is a superlative ornithologist, able to identify all species by sound alone and if he didn't know something he was frank about it, which is unusual in the birding world. He went the extra mile once he realised we were keen amateur birders and taught us more than we expected. We saw just about everything, including toucans, most of the trogons, several raptor species, the uncommon royal flycatcher, northern potoo, etc, etc, etc. The point is, without Carlos, we wouldn't have spotted or been able to identify many of these.

The lodge was great, the food was good, the rooms were comfortable and the service was okay, although don't expect a five star deal...you will not get over the top personal attention if that's what you wnat, although evidently the lodge aspires to this. But it's a very solid place to stay and the lagoon and ruins are fascinating.

One awful thing happened: on the day of our departure a wet front had moved in and we were transported along the New River (1 and a half hours by boat) in the rain. We were given inadequate ponchos to wear and got soaked to our underwear. The clothes in our luggage also weren't spared, due to the unrelenting force of the rain, so we had nothing totally dry and clean to change into. This was not a pleasant way to end our vacation, nor a good way to start a day-long journey back to New York City. Come prepared for this with full slickers, because the Lamanai management seems to treat the rain with a large measure of stoicism. I don't think it even occured to them that we might be uncomrtable getting on an international flight with wet clothes. I can't imagine how this might have turned out if we were an elderly couple or prone to catching colds or whatever. I intend writing to our agent and Lamanai management about this oversight, because it's totally unacceptable at the rates these folks are charging! Remember, it can rain even in the so-called dry season which ostensibly starts in January. Neither the agent nor Lamanai warned us about this. Such simple, free advice to give...

But don't let this stop you going there - just go prepared. Lamanai is wonderful and we loved the Belizeans' easy confidence and good nature.