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 View of the cabana Our sand is clean, firm and beautiful, and our beach is swept every day - it's just like walking on warm velvet. The water out front of the resort is crystal clear, lovely for swimming and snorkeling, and you can never get bored with sitting on your verandah watching the turquoise, greens, blues and silvers shift and sparkle. Dolphins, manatee and turtles can occasionally be spotted from our dock, as well as magnificent eagle rays which will fly clean out of the water. There is even a baby reef about 100 yards off shore which is fun to snorkle over. At night, the tropical sky is full of stars, and you can sit on the end of our dock watching shoals of tiny luminous jelly fish drift by like a reflection of the stars in the sea.  The dock at dawn. Your hosts are Chris and Sue Harris, authors of “The Encyclopaedia of Lures” and founders of Harris Angling. English by birth, world travellers drawn to make our home in Belize by our love of fishing and of living surrounded by the beauty of nature.  Orange double hibiscus Steppingstones is dedicated to two things - relaxation and fishing. If all you want to do is dream away your days, wandering along the shore, swimming and soaking up the sun, then this is the place for you. The days drift by in peace, you forget where you even put your watch, and you get back in touch with the real you that breathes with the rhythm of nature. If you are after top class fishing, you'll find that both Chris and Sue are keen and knowledgeable anglers who can supply the best guides and invaluable fishing tips. Steppingstones offers a unique range of fresh and saltwater fishing, and as a result, unusually in the Caribbean, we can offer really excellent fishing even when it's windy. For more information, click here.  Cabanas are simply yet comfortably furnished The cabanas, Lively Waters and Treetops, are simple yet comfortable. Each has an open plan sleeping, sitting, dining and kitchen area. The separate bathroom has a shower, washbasin and toilet. There are two double (4ft 6”) beds in each cabana. The cabanas are built to catch every breeze, and they also come equipped with fans for the odd hot still day. We don't have air conditioning because the traditional tropical style houses we have built air condition themselves. Floors and walls are of local mahogany, pine and cane, and the decoration is a bright and cheerful mixture of English and Belizean styles. There is a shady veranda running along the front of each cabana for outdoor living. Your cabana comes with a selection of books and games for lazy evenings or the odd spell of rain. You will find many little touches which make your cabana a home from home. Lively Waters is our first floor cabana, decorated with water and sea themes. Treetops is our top floor cabana, slightly larger, a little more luxurious and of course being on the top floor, has the best views both over the sea and the jungle. The walk to the Caribbean from the cabana building takes approximately 6 seconds!  Cool and comfortable sitting area  Simple yet well equipped kitchen area  Comfortable beds with individual fans and seldom needed mosquito nets  Owners Chris and Sue Harris with regular guest Steve Wozniak, and of course, Suzie Q and Faye Food and drink The kitchen is equipped with a four burner stove top, a small fridge, work surface and sink with hot water, plus a good range of cooking equipment. Pre-prepared frozen meals (for example, delicious pasta sauces) are available for you to purchase from our own kitchen if you don't feel like cooking, but of course part of the fun is to look after yourself and perhaps experiment with the local food. For a change, we can arrange for you to go into Monkey River and try some traditional Belizean food in the tiny village restaurant. We can supply a starter pack of food at local cost for you if you wish, which you can arrange with us in advance. A starter pack of food is included in our weekly rate. We can usually offer a family or gourmet dinner at additional cost by arrangement in the big house on at least one evening during your stay. We always have a gourmet dinner available at additional cost for Christmas Day, Easter Monday and Thanksgiving.  A special celebration meal can be served on your private veranda.  A dish of crayfish and conch fresh from the sea Shrimp with Garlic Rum Sauce Belizean Beef with Belikin Beer, served with Yellow Rice and Tropical Vegetables and a Lime Mojo Banana and Sapodilla Surprise with Homemade Coconut Ice-cream We can also offer on occasion a simple “family” evening meal which might be, for example, Chicken Curry and Fresh Fruit Salad.  Chris and Faye with home grown bananas As we are isolated, there isn't the opportunity for you to walk to a local restaurant. Transport to Monkey River village is by arrangement with local fishermen only and will cost around US$25 for a return trip. You should therefore be prepared to be catering for yourself on most days. Soft drinks, beer and cocktails are available to residents only throughout the day until around 9pm. Our rainwater is clean and can be drunk from the tap. Our delicious cocktails can be served to you right on the beach.  Part of our free range flock We have the sea in front of us and forest behind, so as you might expect we get our fair share of bird and animal visitors. Animals are almost exclusively seen and heard at night, and range from raccoons to the occasional wild cat. As for domestic animals, we have three dogs, two ducks and a free range flock of chickens. As this is a breeding flock (we usually have baby chicks running around) we do keep one or two roosters and they do crow from early morning on, a sound that most people like, but some people hate!  A lineated woodpecker makes a visit Bugs As with just about every tropical resort, there are bugs around from time to time. The main ones for us are sandflies. All our buildings and verandas have top quality bug screens. Our beds have optional mosquito nets – very seldom required – and individual fans. We suggest that you bring with you Avon Skin So Soft Bug Guard which we have found to be the best insect repellent. (UK visitors will not be able to buy this American product from Avon in the UK, however it is readily available from the US on e-bay). When there is no breeze (this hardly ever occurs) and always at dawn and dusk, we advise long sleeves and trousers/skirts if you are walking on the beach. Please do not rely on citronella type insect repellent as these are usually ineffective. Our dock is generally a good bug free zone if you want to sun bathe, especially when there is one of our customary light breezes, and of course, your veranda is screened.  We have a selection of locally made Mayan crafts for sale. Steppingstones is run totally on solar power. Solar panels provide 24/7 electricity, sufficient for lights, fridges, water pumps, etc. We have generator back up just in case, but touch wood, have never had to use it. We do ask that you check with us before using any electrical equipment that you may have with you. We also have solar heated water, so you can have lovely hot showers day or night, as well as hot water supplied to your kitchen. We are indebted to MrSolar.com and Solar Dynamics for their invaluable help and advice to us, and can highly recommend these companies if you are thinking of going solar.  Soft cotton hammocks for relaxing in the shade. We strongly recommend that you obtain good quality travel insurance including cancellation insurance and medical evacuation insurance. Health and safety You should be aware that we are a remote location, and primary medical care is a minimum of an hour's journey away. Please make sure you bring with you any medication you need as well as basic first aid supplies (aspirin, band aid, etc). Make sure you bring plenty of sun screen, aloe vera based after sun cream, sunglasses, sun hats etc. Smoking We do not allow smoking indoors, either in the cabanas or in the house. Smoking on the verandas and in the grounds is acceptable. Click here to read SteppingStones' Policies. Keep up to date with the daily life of Steppingstones and the adventures of our guests at steppingstonesbelize.blogspot.com. |