Belize
PUNTA GORDA
RECOMMENDED BY Todd Calitri
Belize (formerly known as British Honduras) is tucked between the Mexican state of Quintana Roo to the north, Guatemala and Honduras to the west and south, and the Caribbean to the east. Many visitors are drawn to the small nation's coastal regions and the attractions of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which stretches along the entire Belizean coast and is the second-largest barrier reef in the world. Others are drawn to the interior, where much of the original rain forest is intact.
Visitors to the southern Belize village of Punta Gorda needn't choose, as here the jungle stretches to the sea—and the adjacent Gulf of Honduras offers one of the world's most celebrated saltwater fisheries.
"I first came to Belize in the mid-1990s, to Ambergris Caye, which is in the north," Todd Calitri began. "A few years later I was there with my employer, who owns a number of interests around Belize. Some conservationists were soliciting him for donations on Ambergris. Seeing all the development already underway on the island, he said, 'Show me a place that's still intact.' They immediately flew south to Punta Gorda. It was the old Belize, undeveloped, where the rainforest meets the ocean. Not long after, my employer purchased a fishing lodge a bit inland, now known as Belcampo."
Belcampo sits on a hilltop five miles inland from the Caribbean and includes a main lodge and sixteen suites set along the hillside in the midst of the rainforest. Several hundred acres of land below the lodge are given over to Belcampo's organic farm, where fifty varieties of fruit and vegetables are grown and pigs, chickens, and lambs are raised. (More than 80 percent of the food that's served at Belcampo is harvested from the farm, and it's served fresh.) Seven thousand cacao plants have been planted on the hillsides surrounding the farm, the foundation of what will soon be an artisan-chocolate operation. Sugar cane is also being raised—raw material for a rum distillery on the property.
The farm and its bounties are central to the Belcampo experience. Guests can partake in a number of tours of the property's various gardens, go foraging in the forest with a local guide, and participate in cooking demonstrations. One tour, "Snorkel with the Chef," takes guests to the Gulf of Honduras, where Chef Renee Driscoll and her crew dive for conch, lobsters, and lionfish. (Your catch is grilled up on the boat.) Another favorite agritourism activity is Belcampo's Bean to Bar Chocolate Class. After a tour of the organic gardens, the genesis of chocolate is explained. There's a hand-on demonstration of how plants are grafted, and how cacao pods—which resemble a large squash—are cut to release the seeds, the source of chocolate. There's even a chance to partake in the blending process. Guests take away fresh chocolate bars with 70 percent cacao.
The fish that attract anglers to Punta Gorda, permit, are considered the holy grail for Caribbean light-tackle anglers. Permits' aerodynamics give them tremendous strength; specimens, which can run from five to forty pounds, have been known to rip 150 yards of line out in their first run. Permit are renowned as the spookiest creatures of the flats; to catch one on a fly, you have to do many things right—cast a heavy fly forty or fifty feet, often into whipping winds, mimic the halting gait of a crab with your retrieve, and play a very strong fish on light line. The Garbutt Brothers—Scully, Oliver, and Eworth—and their team have gained a stellar reputation for leading anglers to permit. Permit fishing is a team sport; your guide pushes the boat along with a long pole while scanning the shallows from a platform. When he spots a fish, it's the angler's job to land their fly gently in front of the fish … and hope it's interested. Anglers can go many days (or even years!) without landing a permit. But when you do, a cold beer is in order.
In Punta Gorda, that beer will almost certainly be a Belikin. Belikin (made by the Belize Brewing Company) does not have a monopoly in Belize, though you'll have to work hard to find something different. Belize is not IPA country; given the heat, a crisp Belikin lager is a good match for post-fishing activities. If you're seeking something a bit more spirited, Belikin Brewing Company also brews a stout. A seasonal brew—the Chocolate Stout—includes nibs of cacao and is a perfect after-dinner treat. (You'll find that Belikins go down particularly easy. It's not just the pleasure of a cold beer in a hot climate; Belikin bottles hold only 9.6 ounces!)
"When I've had a good day on the water—and they're all good, whether you land a permit or not—there are two great places to celebrate," Todd shared. "The first is the top deck at Belcampo. The Caribbean is there in the distance. The fruit trees in the foreground attract a variety of bird life, including toucans. More often than not, there's a chorus of howler monkeys accompanying you as you recount the day's adventures. The other is at the bar at Garbutt's. You can grab your Belikin, walk out onto the side deck above Joe Taylor Creek, and hoot at the other guides as they come in with their fishermen. Local people driving by wave. You feel like you're at the center of life in Punta Gorda."
TODD CALITRI ("T. C.") comes from a long line of educators and fly fishermen. Before coming to Belcampo, T. C. ran the Alaska Sportsman's Lodge for fourteen years. He has also worked for the Nature Conservancy on Palmyra Atoll as a boat captain and head guide. Todd has guided trout in Colorado, worked as a guide in the Florida Keys and West Coast, and worked as a fly-shop employee. He has also worked extensively with Orvis travel and has hosted a number of international saltwater seminars in both Belize and the Bahamas. You can contact him directly at tc@belcampobz.com should you have any questions about fly fishing in Southern Belize.
If You Go
Getting There: A number of carriers provide service to Belize City, including United (800-864-8331; www.united.com) and Delta (800-221-1212; www.delta.com). Tropic Air (800-422-3435; www.tropicair.com) provides service from Belize City to Punta Gorda.
Best Time to Visit: November through May is the high season.
Spots to Visit: Belcampo (888-299-9940; www.belcampobz.com) is open for overnight guests as well as lunch and dinner visitors. Anglers—whether they've caught a permit or not—will want to hoist at least one Belikin at Garbutt's Fishing Lodge (501-722-0070; www.garbuttsfishinglodge.com).
Accommodations: If Belcampo and Garbutt's are full, the Punta Gorda website (www.puntagordabelize.com) lists other lodging options.
