Amazing tour! You get to see the complete process. From the trees that are growing and tasting the... read more
Amazing tour! You get to see the complete process. From the trees that are growing and tasting the... read more
What a great thing to do in Belize! The owners and staff were very inviting and made it a personal... read more
My best find here were the black slate carvings in the Garcia Sisters style. I purchased a palm sized jaguar as a gift. For our family I found an exquisite collection of rainforest animals about the size of a legal pad. Macaws, howler monkeys, toucans and the elusive jaguar. It is one of my favorite vacation purchases ever. Yes, do remember to bring cash.
Julio and his wife were very welcoming and hospitable. We were able to make handmade chocolates, corn tortillas, and coffee. The tour to the chocolate trees was educational and fun but be sure to bring bug spray. I wish I had known about this stay with a Maya family program or we would have done that as well. I feel like we were able to have an authentic maya experience, learn a lot, and build many memories. The lunch was delicious. We really respect what Julio is trying to do in maintaining the Mayan culture and educating the world about his people. This is a very small family operation. If you make a reservation you should definitely stick with it. The day that we had a tour a family did not show up and I am sure that was devastating to them as they had already prepared for everyone. I highly recommend this tour - if you really want to learn about the culture in which you are visiting, This is the perfect place to do so.
I solely visited the Maya Women's Center, and didn't witness a craft demonstration or try the chocolate next door. But the crafts at the Center are really wonderful, and I wish I'd brought more money with me! Such beautiful woven work, in a variety of lovely colors. Traditional womens' shirts with embroidered detail, table runners, wallets, scarves, carved sculptures, jewelry, beaded keyrings, ceramic bowls, I wanted to buy everything! The woven table runners have tags with the name of the woman who made them and care instructions, which is wonderful.
I traveled to Belize from Costa Rica, and had seen a lot of similar items there. I'd asked one of the people selling the carved ceramic bowls where they were made, and he told me Honduras. So when I saw the same bowls in the Maya Center, I got nervous. The whole concept behind the shop was that the Maya women are making the goods on-site to support their community. So I asked a local what the deal was. He explained that people from all over Central America, Honduras, Ecuador, etc. migrate up/down through the region, taking the beading/ceramic-making techniques with them, so, members of the community make the items all over the region, regardless of where they happen to land. So, not sure all of the items being sold in the Maya Center are being made in-house, but the techniques being used seem authentic, and I really regret not purchasing a book on Belizean Medicinal Plants they had for sale in the shop that I later couldn't find on Amazon (again, bring lots of cash)!
They had recently gotten internet installed at the Village when I visited, so I recommended they look into accepting credit cards at the Center. They were cash-only when I visited, but hopefully, they'll take cards soon! I would love to buy more woven items from them one day, very reasonable prices as well (they do however have the same woven wallets and carved wood keychains at the airport gift shop for a bit less)!
The temples were great but getting a great guide made all the difference. Coco Plum has licensed guides assigned to the adventure tours. You need to go because it is an amazing time and when will you be back?
I am reviewing the Mayan Women's Center at the entrance to the Cockscomb Park. They sell beautiful handcrafted mayan art, including clay pots, slate wall hangings, lacquer items, masks, and woven items. All items are reasonably priced and a very good place for a variety of momentos. The proceeds support the Mayan village that was displaced when the govt decided to turn their land into the beautiful Cockscomb preserve. They subsist of the tourist industry now.
We visited this museum/shop three times. It is actually called the Mayan Women's Center and is where you get the tickets to the Cockscomb Wildlife Preserve/Jaguar Reserve.
The women there are wonderful artisans and create such wonder intricate Mayan crafts. Everything is on consignment from the artists that work there and is reasonably priced, more so than at some of the gift shops in Hopkins. If you are going to visit the Preserve, a stop at the museum/Mayan Women's Center for souvenirs is a must and you will be helping the indigenous people to support their families. There is also a chocolate museum/store next door that is well worth the visit (and tasting).