Shaka Caye All inclusive Resort

Shaka Caye All inclusive Resort sits on a private seven-acre island, with a limited number of guests and accommodation close to the beach. The mood is deliberately island-based rather than town-based: you arrive by boat, settle into a sea-facing villa or cottage, and let the mainland become someone else's logistical problem for a while.

That suits couples who want their own patch of sand, but the resort also caters for families, solo travellers and groups of friends. A private beach, outdoor dining, hammocks and palapas give the day a simple rhythm. When you have had enough sun, there is a spa, a fitness centre, a games room and a shared lounge with television.

The all-inclusive format keeps the basics together: meals, drinks, the island setting and activities are organised around the resort rather than scattered across the coast. You can also arrange a private island stay for a family gathering or event, with the island able to accommodate up to 30 people.

The property is in Ladyville, Belize, on Little Frenchman Caye, off the coast of Belize. It is set directly on the sea, with a private white-sand beach and clear Caribbean water. The mainland is about 9 miles away, while the island itself is reached by boat rather than by road.

The journey from Belize City takes around 30 to 35 minutes by boat. That is long enough to mark the change of pace, but short enough not to turn arrival day into a second expedition. Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport is about 14 miles away by straight-line distance, with the practical transfer continuing by boat.

The Belize Barrier Reef lies close to the island, and the setting is aimed squarely at guests who would rather spend their free time by the water than hunting for a taxi. Excursions can also take you back towards the mainland, to Belizean cultural sites, Maya ruins and other parts of the coast.

The accommodation is built for island living: air conditioning for the return from a hot, salty day, a refrigerator for keeping water cold, and a coffee machine for the first cup before anyone starts discussing the morning. Private outdoor seating, balconies, patios or terraces extend the living space beyond the room, with beach, sea or island views depending on the accommodation.

For two people, the Villa with Sea View keeps things compact and focused on the outlook. The King Suite with Ocean View gives a couple more room to spread out, while the One-Bedroom Island View Villa works for a small party. Families or friends travelling together have more useful elbow room in the Two-Bedroom Suite, with two bathrooms; the Presidential Suite is the largest option and also sleeps up to five.

The villas have been recently renovated, and daily housekeeping keeps the practical side under control. Private bathrooms include a shower or bath, towels, toiletries and a hairdryer. Free WiFi is available throughout the resort, although the island setting is still better suited to an early night, a book and the occasional glance at the sea than to heroic amounts of screen time.

The all-inclusive plan covers breakfast, lunch and dinner, with the restaurant open for all three meals. Two professional chefs work with a Belizean Fusion style built around local flavours and island produce: ginger, habanero, coconut, mango and curry appear alongside fresh vegetables from local gardens and seafood from the surrounding waters.

Breakfast is made to order, with farm eggs, local fruit, freshly pressed juice, crisp bacon, Belizean fry jacks and vegetables. Later meals bring ceviche, snapper, mahi-mahi, lobster, wood-grilled spiced chicken and pan-seared filet mignon to the table. Special diets can be accommodated, and room service is available in the villas when the idea of changing out of your post-dive clothes feels unnecessarily ambitious.

There is one named bar, the Palapa Bar, serving cocktails and soft drinks in an open-air meeting place for swapping the day's stories. The dining room has a recently renovated terrace extending over the sea, while other meals can be arranged outdoors: private dinners, beach breakfasts, picnics, moonlit seaside dinners and communal meals. The Catch to Plate experience lets you fish and have the chef prepare your catch.

The private beach comes with loungers, hammocks, palapas and beach beds, so the central activity can be lying down with purpose. On the water, kayaking, paddleboarding, snorkelling, fishing, boat trips and other water sports keep the sea involved without requiring every hour to become a formal excursion.

The spa offers massages, facials, reflexology, Swedish massage, therapeutic and deep-tissue treatments, hot stones, body treatments and after-sun massage. Yoga and meditation can take place in your villa on request, while the fitness centre, fitness classes and yoga mats cover the less horizontal side of recovery. There is also a foot bath, a relaxation area and spa packages.

Beyond the beach, the resort can arrange cooking classes, cultural excursions and wildlife activities. Options include Maya ruins, medicinal trails, cave tubing, zip-lining, the Belize Zoo, manatee searches, a sunset cruise, cocoa tours and visits to Caye Caulker. Back on the island, you have volleyball, giant chess, a games room, karaoke, movie nights, live performances, a media room with games and a poker table, plus evening bonfires with toasted marshmallows.

Airport transfers and the boat service with captain are arranged for the island journey, with airport transport included in the stay. A private helicopter transfer can also land directly at the island's private helipad from Belize City, Ambergris Caye, Placencia and other destinations. Arrival time needs to be arranged in advance, which is sensible when the final leg involves a boat rather than a hotel driveway.

Check-in runs from 11:00 to 15:30 and check-out is by 12:00. You need photo identification and a credit card at check-in, and the property operates a private and express check-in/check-out service alongside a 24-hour front desk and concierge. The minimum stay is three nights, rising to five nights during Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year holiday weeks.

Free WiFi is available throughout the resort. A minimarket, coffee house, snack bar, room service, packed lunches, laundry and ironing services cover the small practical matters that become more noticeable on an island. The rooms use Type A sockets and 110V electricity. Children of any age are welcome, with cots available on request; there are no extra beds.

The kitchen works with seafood sourced sustainably from the surrounding reefs and fresh produce from local gardens. That approach reaches the guest directly through the Catch to Plate experience, where your catch is prepared by the chef rather than treated as a souvenir of a fishing trip.

The menu also leans on local ingredients and Belizean flavours, including coconut, mango, ginger, habanero, curry and indigenous fruit. It is a practical, food-led approach to local sourcing, with the island's marine setting kept on the plate as well as beyond the terrace.