Crystal Paradise Resort

I cannot begin to say enough good things about how the Tut family cared for us during our stay. Andy Tut, our birding guide, worked tirelessly to find lifebirds and beautiful scenery. He kept our water containers full, lest we succumb to the extreme heat. And, he was incredibly entertaining. At the lodge, the food was beyond incredible. Breakfast was the most memorable meal for me, because of delicious fruits and fruit juices that cannot be experienced in the United States. Orange juice was fresh off the Valencia trees, papaya juice and mango juice and watermelon juice. Each meal was served elegantly with tablecloths, and napkins folded in floral shapes. The food choices were local favorites, never chicken nuggets. And the family style portions were extremely generous. Sometimes we were on early or extended trips that required us to have to go meals, And those, too, were unique and completely satisfying. Vegetarian options were available. The grounds included access to the Belize River and there were untold species of birds, mammals and herps visible without ever leaving the compound. The family provides multiple bird feeders that attract numerous species for constant entertainment and photographic opportunities, as in the picture above. Our rooms were well appointed and magnificently cared for with daily room service. Be prepared for your room to be hot in the warm months, as your view of the thatched roof above comes at the cost of having no ceiling. The modern air conditioner simply cannot keep up. A plexiglass ceiling would allow uninterrupted view of the beautiful thatch work while slowing the loss of cold air. Finally, some words about the Tut family and how they cared for us during our stay. They made us feel like family, not customers. They welcomed us into their country and into their home. They prepared and served our food like we were brothers and sisters. we felt love from their hearts while we were there. And, we took that love home with us. I honestly could not recommend any place in Belize more highly!

A family operation that is locally owned and operated by Beliezians. The food was all local dishes and very good. The service was excellent and all of them were polite and friendly. Our bird guide was excellent. Grounds were well kept. I would definitely return.

Had a wonderful week of birding with the Tut family as our guides. Not only did they get us great birds, they made sure we stayed hydrated with cold bottled water. The resort is a very nice facility. The meals were delicious. The staff was most helpful, and friendly, The only negative I could see was that the cabins were not completely walled in. They had screens which kept the bugs out, but not the heat. So the air conditioning really didn't help at night. And it was brutally hot. Would definitely stay here again.

Great and beautiful grounds. Our bed was comfortable and lots of hot water. They have a bottled water to refill your bottle. The staff was nice. My daughter got heat stoke the frost day we are they which kid of spoiled the time but we did go to the river to cool off. This place is far from town and a taxi costs 25.00 each way so don’t forget anything.

After snorkeling at Turneffe Flats, I booked a 6 day birding experience at Crystal Paradise. My bird guide, Abi Moralez met me at the marina and we immediately started birding on the way to the resort, stopping roadside at a place with excellent food for lunch. Upon arrival at the resort, I was impressed by the beauty and maintenance of the grounds. The cabana where I stayed was clean, air conditioned and very comfortable. The staff was friendly and accommodating, and the meals were first rate. The local food was perfectly prepared and extremely flavorful. If the chef offered a cook book, I would purchase it in a heartbeat for the recipes. The highlight though was the birding. Abi was so good at identifying birds by their calls, and then spotting them almost immediately, telling me where to look. We traveled through many different habitats, took a canoe trip down the Macal River, saw the Frio Cave and the Maya ruins at Caracol where we hiked through the jungle spotting birds as well as a family of Howler monkeys. Abi was a pleasure to be with, friendly with a great sense of humor, and an extraordinary bird guide. If you take this birding trip, ask for him to be your guide. It is a family run business, and you were treated as part of that family.

Crystal Paradise is an amazing place to stay in tropical rainforests. We stayed for 2 nights and wished we booked a third. The eco system is a vibrant tropical rainforest, the staff are generous and responsive, the rooms clean and very comfortable. We love local whole food and ordered 2 breakfast and 1 dinner and it was all local, Belizian and delicious. The location is excellent- both rural and quiet but only 20 minutes into San Ignacio. Staying at Crystal Paradise also connected us to 2 of the best guides we’ve ever experienced (Jam Jam Tours for ATM Tour and Eric for morning birding). This is a unique, beautiful,welcoming lodge that is reasonable priced for all it provides. We had 5 adults and 2 children and we all delighted in the wildlife, orchids, geckos we noticed relaxing in hammocks or in a walk down to Macal River. This is an amazing, well run family run lodge you will be grateful to visit.

Beautiful facility on a very private family owned site outside of town. The family is so kind and an accommodating to our individual needs. The food is extraordinary and unique to local flavor. Lots of birds and a nice hike down to the river for a refreshing swim is the icing on the cake.

What a great find. The whole experience at Crystal Paradise was great. The location and atmosphere was so amazing and quaint. It was so refreshing being away from the hustle and bustle that we often see at other resorts. The grounds were amazing. The cabana were clean and pleasant. The food was very nice and the atmosphere of having all the guests eating around the same time was very engaging. It was wonderful to mingle with the other guests. Such a great group. Edna was a great host. She arranged two day trips that were amazing. The ATM cave with Ian as the guide was so amazing. What a special place. The experience of spelunking in the cave was so cool. It is one of our favorite experiences. The trip to Caracol with Ronell as our guide was also great. What a great place. We hope to come back with our family next year.

Not far from the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena, the Tut family have created an oasis for birds and travelers at Crystal Paradise Resort. It was our home base for a 6 day birding package of Central Belize with Birding in Belize with Paradise Expeditions. Our bungalow was clean, comfortable and air conditioned and looked exactly as pictured. The Tut family were gracious hosts. The friendly, outgoing patriarch of the family has coffee ready before the sun comes up and gladly shares his love for birds. Meticulously kept grounds makes birding on the property easy. Even those who just sit and watch the birds at the feeders will see many different species. We enjoyed the excellent Belizean food and service the lodge provided. The Tut family women run the kitchen and lodge operations and are assisted by staff who are like family. Homemade tortillas and dishes featuring locally grown produce were special treats. Each evening at dinner they reviewed our schedule for the next day and provided tips on what to bring. The Tut family women were also very helpful pointing out birds or where to find them on the property. Our guide for our birding excursions, Abimael Moralez, was excellent. He helped us find many of the birds we were most interested in seeing as well as many other species. In addition to the itinerary, he knew great off the beaten path spots to see birds and wildlife. We were able to see about 120 different species of birds as well as howler monkeys, spider monkeys and tayras. He was very thoughtful and made sure we were doing ok in the high heat and humidity. He kept track of all sighting on ebird and shared with us so we had a complete record. Besides sharing his great birding knowledge he was also very knowledgeable about Mayan history. We enjoyed our time with him very much and would love to go birding with him again in the future. If you want an authentic Belizean experience choose Crystal Paradise Resort and Birding in Belize with Paradise Expeditions.