Luxury Hotels Atlas / Places / Belize / Gallon Jug / Chan Chich Lodge
Chan Chich Lodge
Gallon Jug, Orange Walk, Belize · Independent · Core Luxury
Fifteen thatched cabanas in a Maya plaza on the 30,000-acre Gallon Jug Estate, opened 4 December 1988 by Sir Barry Bowen so looters would stop cutting the temples. Farm-to-table at the open-air restaurant, the Looter's Trench bar, night drives, nine miles of trail. You sleep inside the ruins, Orange Walk bush, not on Ambergris. The door says Chan Chich.
- 15 rooms
- Opened 1988
About Chan Chich Lodge
- Chan Chich Lodge counts 15 rooms in thatched cabanas and a villa on the Gallon Jug Estate, Orange Walk District, Belize. Official site: chanchich.com.
- Founded by Sir Barry Bowen; opened 4 December 1988 inside a Maya city plaza to protect the site. Cornerstone of the wider Belize Maya Forest corridor.
- Neighborhood is Gallon Jug / Chan Chich Maya plaza, not a cay. Garden and Deluxe cabanas, Family Cabana with loft, Modern Jungle Cabana with air-conditioning, two-bedroom villa.
History
Opened on December 4, 1988, Chan Chich Lodge was founded by Sir Barry Bowen to protect the Maya plaza and surrounding 30,000-acre Gallon Jug Estate from looters. The lodge was uniquely constructed within the ruins of an ancient Maya city, using sustainable materials like local hardwoods and cohune palms. Today, it serves as a cornerstone of the 500,000-acre Belize Maya Forest corridor, one of Central America's most critical conservation areas.
The setting
Gallon Jug Estate, Orange Walk District, Belize, in a Maya plaza, 9 km from the Guatemala border, not Ambergris Caye.
Experiences
- Walking tour of the Maya city — Walking tour from the Ball Court Ruin past the Twin Pyramids and Maya Stela Ruin to the Palace Ruin, with looters' trenches visible.
- Off-site tour of fully excavated Maya sites — Tours to large, fully excavated Maya sites, arranged by the lodge.
- Birding and wildlife viewing — Wildlife viewing and birding within the protected rainforest reserve.
Amenities
- Swimming pool surrounded by lush jungle greenery
- Farm-to-table dining at the open-air restaurant
- The Looter’s Trench jungle bar serving local spirits
- Over nine miles of maintained nature trails for hiking
- Day and night safari-style wildlife drives
- Yoga deck and fire pit lounge area
Open Chan Chich Lodge in the atlas for live weekend rates, photos, and the full folio.