My Honest Review of Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort

About Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort

Nestled amongst lush native fauna and flora beside the turquoise Caribbean ocean, Hamanasi is where luxury, adventure, and sustainability meet. 

Hamanasi is quite different from other resorts I’ve visited — it is down-to-earth yet incredibly luxurious. 

The staff quickly learn your name and remember what you’re up to so they can ask about your excursions and other adventures. 

And the excursions are absolutely incredible. Hamanasi specializes in scuba diving and snorkeling excursions to the Belize Barrier Reef, and the resort also offers a diversity of jungle adventures like hiking, cave tubing, zip-lining, and visits to ancient Mayan ruins.  

It seems like a good majority of Hamanasi’s guests are scuba divers. With such a vibrant reef just 25 minutes from the shore, this is no surprise. But you don’t have to be a diver to enjoy Hamanasi. My husband and I are not scuba divers (yet), and we felt completely at home at Hamanasi.

I also appreciated how much there was to do on Hamanasi’s property — sit by the pool, swim in the gentle ocean waves, relax in a hammock on the dock, take out a paddle board or kayak, or ride a bike into town. 

My husband and I stayed in the Deluxe Treehouse and it was the ultimate romantic escape. 

Although it is called the Deluxe Treehouse ‘Room,’ it has a bedroom as well as a large separate living room, and a private wrap-around veranda with a Jacuzzi, lounge chairs, and a hammock. And the gorgeous bathroom features a dual shower overlooking the jungle. 

I loved all of the details — fresh flowers, a handwritten welcome note on our bed, and exquisite local art. 

Fun fact: Almost all of the furniture and wood details are made at Hamanasi’s onsite carpentry workshop. 

Dining at Hamanasi

If you’ve read some of my other travel guides you know that my husband and I are both vegan. We are always a little nervous about finding wholesome, flavorful vegan food at resorts, but Hamanasi took all of our nerves away and exceeded our expectations.

Whether you’re a meat eater, a vegan, or someone with an allergy, you can expect Hamanasi to cater to your unique dietary needs. 

We were delighted to find vegetarian and vegan dishes already on the menu at Hamanasi’s  Singanga Restaurant, and the restaurant staff went above and beyond to offer even more options, including vegan desserts made just for us.

During our stay, we had the opportunity to tour Hamanasi’s onsite organic garden and composting center with the lovely gardener. Delicious fresh herbs and vegetables grown in the garden are served at Singanga Restaurant, and all of the food waste is composted to create nutrient-rich soil. 

Although I cannot personally speak to the non-vegan options here, a quick look at other Hamanasi reviews reveals that meat eaters enjoy the menu as much as we did. 

Insider tip: If you love Belizean hot sauce as much as we do, be sure to ask for Hamanasi’s hot sauce which is made with habanero peppers and other fresh ingredients grown in their garden. 

Rainforest and Reef Tours at Hamanasi

Hamanasi’s serene property is just the beginning — and a vacation at Hamanasi is not complete without immersing yourself in the natural surroundings on an unforgettable day tour. 

At Hamanasi, you can book a selection of Rainforest and Reef Tours, such as the following:

• World-class scuba diving at the Barrier Reef, Turneffe Islands Atoll, Lighthouse Reef Atoll & Blue Hole, Glover’s Reef Atoll, Night Dives, and more. 
• Barrier Reef Snorkeling with a stop at South Water Caye Marine Reserve
• Romantic Private Sunset Cruise for Two
• Maya History Tour to Xunantunich and Cahal Pech
• Day trip to Tikal archeological site in Guatemala 
• Garifuna Cooking Class with Drumming and Dancing
• Caving at the famous Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) cave
• Jungle River Canoeing along the Sittee River
• Caving and Swimming at St. Herman’s Blue Hole

If you’re not sure which day trips to book, you can head over to Hamanasi’s Adventure Center to chat with a friendly guide. 

Josh and I joined the Barrier Reef Snorkeling excursion during our stay and had an incredible time. We’ve snorkeled on several Hawaiian islands and all over Mexico, but the snorkeling here with Hamanasi was the best we’ve ever experienced — and I have heard that the scuba diving is incredible as well!

There were six other guests on our snorkeling excursion, two guides, and the boat captain. We were split up into two small groups each with a guide who accompanied us around the Barrier Reef, pointing out marine life as we went. 

We snorkeled at two parts of the Barrier Reef and took a short break at South Water Caye Marine Reserve between the two. We saw a diversity of tropical fish including puffer fish, barracuda, parrotfish, and so many more. We also saw a spotted eagle ray, a southern stingray, and a shark that was sleeping on the bottom!

Sustainability at Hamanasi, A Regenerative Resort

Eco-resorts and sustainable hotels are lovely, but Hamanasi is something even better — it is a regenerative resort. 

Here is how Hamanasi defines the term:

“Regenerative resorts like Hamanasi aim to regenerate the environment and communities. Many ecosystems actually are unhealthy and communities may be suffering. Sustainability as practiced today is more about slowing down degradation. A regenerative resort’s goal is to improve vs. merely sustain. It has a commitment to regeneration and is dedicated to the highest levels of social and environmental impact.”

A few examples of Hamanasi’s dedication to the local environment and community include:

• Reforestation: In 2016 Hamanasi purchased an adjacent property that was denuded and bare. After panting thousands of trees, bushes, and vines, this once barren land is now teeming with both plant and animal life.
• Nature reserve: Hamanasi’s property includes a 25-acre nature reserve that is protected from further development.
• Job creation: Hamanasi employs over 170 Belizeans, including members of the Garinagu, Maya, Creole, and Mestizo ethnic groups. Employees are paid generously and get benefits including a wellness program to support physical and mental health.
• Elimination of single-use plastics: Single-use plastics are almost completely eliminated at Hamanasi. Guests receive refillable stainless steel water bottles, encouraging them to continue to avoid plastic water bottles when they go home. 
• Partnership with Pack for a Purpose: Through Pack for a Purpose, guests can pack a few extra items to donate to the local community, such as school supplies for the Holy Family Hopkins School, and vet supplies for the Hopkins Belize Humane Society. We participated in this program and highly recommend it to other guests!
• Composting and organic garden: All food waste is composted, creating soil that is used to grow 40% of the food served at the resort restaurant. 
• Onsite carpentry workshop: Most of the furniture at Hamanasi is built with natural materials by the staff carpentry team. 

These initiatives are just the start of what Hamanasi is doing to bring life into Hopkins’ local community and ecosystem. As a guest, you can feel good about where your money is going when you stay at Hamanasi! 

Final Thoughts: Is Hamanasi Worth Booking?

1,000% yes! 

I loved every moment of my time at Hamanasi—and if you’re looking for a jungle beach getaway at a resort that goes above and beyond in every way—you will too.

How to Book a Stay at Hamanasi

Before I stayed at Hamanasi the first time, I didn’t quite understand how to book a stay, and how their packages work. As it turns out, their unique booking process really sets Hamanasi apart from other resorts.

While you can simply book a room at Hamanasi, most guests prefer to create a custom package that includes Rainforest and Reef tours and some meals. You can end up saving a lot by creating one of these packages ahead of time, and then you don’t have to worry about paying for food or Rainforest and Reef tours while you’re in vacation mode.

With most packages, there are a set amount of excursions that are automatically included with the price of your room, which is an incredible perk! Of course, you can also add on other excursions or subtract a few if you prefer to spend the majority of your time at the resort.

Either way, the first step to secure your stop at beautiful Hamanasi is to reach out to their team. If you do so through my link, you’re essentially telling Hamanasi’s team that my review helped you make your decision to book. I don’t earn any commission by this, but it enables the resort and I to determine how helpful articles like this are. We appreciate it!

If you do end up booking a stay after reading this Hamanasi review, I would love to hear about your experience in the comments below! 

Thanks for reading!

• Browse my favorite Belize tours and experiences.
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