Jungle-covered hills of the Maya Mountains in Belize

Mopan River Resort · Belize

Khi & Mackenzie

We're getting married in the jungle of the Cayo District — where the Mopan River bends past the ruins, and the howler monkeys wake you before the sun does.

The dateComing soonPlease hold off on booking flights until it's set.

Our story

Khi & Mackenzie

Their story is still being written here — Khi and Mackenzie will share it soon. What we can tell you is that when it came time to pick a place to say their vows, they didn't choose a ballroom. They chose a river, a jungle, and a country that has always felt a little like home.

We would love for you to make the trip and be there with them.

The venue

Mopan River Resort

Tucked into the forest on the banks of the Mopan River, just north of Benque Viejo del Carmen in Belize's Cayo District. Thatched palapas, river frontage, and jungle on every side — about ten minutes from the Guatemalan border and twenty-five from San Ignacio.

A heads up: much of the property is still under construction, so on-site rooms are extremely limited. Most guests will stay nearby — see Where to Stay for options a short drive away.

Address
3VG5+H6C, Benque Viejo del Carmen, Cayo District, Belize
Nearest town
Benque Viejo del Carmen — 5 minutes
Aerial view of Mopan River Resort's thatched cabanas surrounded by jungle beside the Mopan River
The resort from above — jungle on one side, the Mopan River on the other.

Getting there

Flights & the drive west

Step 1

Fly into BZE

Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City is the only international airport in the country. Nonstops run from Miami, Houston, Dallas, Atlanta, Charlotte and Newark, so most guests will connect once.

Step 2

Head west

Benque Viejo is about 2 to 2.5 hours west on the George Price Highway. Book a shared shuttle ahead of time (roughly $75–$125 per person), rent a car, or take a 20-minute domestic hop to the Maya Flats airstrip near San Ignacio.

Step 3

Settle in

Most guests stay in Benque Viejo or San Ignacio and drive over for the day. Taxis between the two towns are inexpensive, and hotels can arrange rides.

Flying from Florida

  • MIAMiami InternationalMost nonstops to Belize City
  • FLLFort Lauderdale–HollywoodFrequent low-cost options
  • MCOOrlando InternationalSeasonal nonstops, easy connections
  • TPATampa InternationalOne-stop via MIA or CLT

Flying from D.C. / Baltimore

  • IADWashington DullesConnect via IAH, CLT or ATL
  • BWIBaltimore/WashingtonConnect via CLT or ATL
  • DCAReagan NationalConnect via CLT, ATL or MIA

On the map

Find your way around

Pan and zoom to get your bearings. Click any marker for details — the venue, the nearby towns, the ruins, and the airport you'll land at.

Loading map…

  • Mopan River Resort

    The venue — on the banks of the Mopan River, just north of Benque Viejo del Carmen.

  • Benque Viejo del Carmen

    The closest town. Groceries, ATMs, restaurants, and the Guatemala border crossing.

  • San Ignacio

    Cayo's hub, ~20 min away. Most hotels, tour operators, and the Saturday market.

  • Xunantunich Maya Site

    Ancient Maya city reached by a hand-cranked ferry. El Castillo is 130 ft tall.

  • Philip S. W. Goldson Intl (BZE)

    Belize City. Everyone flies in here — then about 2.5 hours west by road.

Where to stay

Rooms in the Cayo District

Mopan River Resort is still being rebuilt, so only a handful of guests will be able to stay on the property. Happily, the Cayo District is full of good options within a short drive — from simple guesthouses in Benque to full jungle lodges along the rivers.

Mopan River Resort

Benque

At the venue · Limited rooms

The venue itself. Much of the property is still under construction, so rooms are very limited — please check with Khi & Mackenzie before booking.

Hotel La Cabaña

Benque

~5 min · $60–$110/night

Simple, well-reviewed, right in Benque Viejo. Walkable to shops and food.

Hotel y Restaurante Las Adas y Estrellas

Benque

~8 min · $55–$95/night

Family-run spot near the border with an on-site restaurant.

San Ignacio Resort Hotel

San Ignacio

~25 min · $200–$350/night

The classic San Ignacio stay — pool, iguana project, walkable to town.

Cahal Pech Village Resort

San Ignacio

~25 min · $120–$200/night

Hilltop cabanas overlooking the Macal valley. Great sunset views.

Midas Belize

San Ignacio

~25 min · $90–$150/night

Riverside cabanas a short walk from downtown San Ignacio.

The Lodge at Chaa Creek

Jungle Lodge

~20 min · $350–$700+/night

Belize's most famous eco-lodge. Spa, private reserve, butterfly farm.

Clarissa Falls Resort

Jungle Lodge

~12 min · $90–$160/night

Riverside cabanas on the Mopan with a beloved family kitchen.

Nabitunich "The Stone Cottage"

Jungle Lodge

~10 min · $110–$180/night

Stone cottages on a working farm with a straight-on view of Xunantunich.

Table Rock Jungle Lodge

Jungle Lodge

~35 min · $250–$400/night

Off-grid-feeling cabanas on the Macal River. Very quiet, very green.

The neighbors

Wildlife you'll meet

You are staying in a rainforest. That is most of the charm, and all of the noise.

A black howler monkey resting high in the branches of a jungle tree

Howler monkeys

Belizeans call them baboons. They are the loudest land animal on earth — a troop can be heard three miles away, and their dawn chorus sounds less like a monkey and more like a jet engine arguing with a lion. The first time you hear it at 5 a.m. you will be certain something enormous is coming for you.

It isn't. They're leaf-eaters, they weigh about twenty pounds, and they stay in the canopy. Look up and you'll usually spot a dark shape draped over a branch, entirely unbothered. Bring earplugs if you're a light sleeper — and then take the earplugs out, because you flew to Belize to hear this.

A jaguar resting on the forest floor among palms

Jaguars

Belize is home to the world's first jaguar preserve — the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary — and the country has one of the healthiest jaguar populations in Central America. They are here, in these forests, genuinely.

You will almost certainly not see one. They are nocturnal, solitary, and want nothing to do with a wedding party. The realistic way to see a jaguar up close is at the Belize Zoo, a wonderful stop on the drive between Belize City and Cayo, where every animal is a rescue.

Keel-billed toucan

The national bird. Noisy, ridiculous, everywhere at dawn.

Iguanas

Green ones in the trees, big grey ones on the riverbanks. Harmless.

Bats

They come out at dusk over the river and eat the mosquitoes. Be grateful.

Bugs

Bring DEET or picaridin and long sleeves for evenings. That's the whole trick.

While you're here

Make a trip of it

El Castillo pyramid at Xunantunich with its carved stone frieze against a blue sky
The Xunantunich Maya site surrounded by green lawns and jungle trees

Xunantunich

Ten minutes from the venue. Cross the Mopan on a hand-cranked ferry, then climb El Castillo for a view into Guatemala.

Cave tubing

Float a river through limestone caves on an inner tube. The classic Belize half-day.

ATM Cave

The Actun Tunichil Muknal cave — a serious hike and swim to Maya ceremonial remains. Unforgettable, not for everyone.

Kayak the Mopan

Rentals right in Benque, five minutes from the resort. Easy water, big trees.

San Ignacio market

Saturday morning is the big one — produce, food stalls, and the whole district in one place.

Belize Botanic Gardens

Orchids, medicinal plant trails and birds along the Macal River, about 30 minutes away.

Good to know

Questions & Answers

English is the official language, so you can get by anywhere without a second language. Benque Viejo sits right on the Guatemalan border, so day to day you'll hear a mix of English, Spanish, and Belizean Kriol — but nearly everyone is fluent in English. If you don't speak Spanish, it will not be a problem.

RSVP

Opening soon

Because this is an international trip, RSVPs will open as soon as the date is locked in — with plenty of runway to book flights. Check back here, and we'll reach out directly too.

Registry

Coming soon

Your presence in Belize is genuinely the gift. If Khi and Mackenzie put together a registry, it will live right here.