Frequently Asked Questions

Coco Plum Island Resort FAQs

We have listed our most frequently asked questions below. Feel free to contact us with any additional questions. Our experience has taught us that when we communicate with our clients directly, it allows us to effectively help plan the perfect vacation.




About Our Packages



The local liquors that we typically stock are naturally gluten-free in that all distilled liquors are gluten-free even if made from wheat, barley, or rye, and we stock liquors made from ingredients that do not naturally have gluten in them, such as potatoes for vodka and grapes for wine and sparkling wine. Exceptions to this would include cases of liquor cross-contamination in facilities that process products containing wheat, barley, or rye or when the liquor is flavored. In Belize, most liquor manufacturers do not label liquors “gluten-free.” If you are gluten-free for lifestyle reasons, our local liquors are generally fine to drink. If you have celiac disease or gluten sensitivity, and are gluten-free due to health reasons, we cannot guarantee that you will have no adverse reactions to the local liquors we stock. We do not stock gluten-free beer.

Yes! We are able to accommodate any dietary restriction whether vegan, vegetarian or gluten free.

It is recommended that guests purchase a comprehensive travel insurance policy at the time of your booking to protect you against illness, injury, loss of personal items and baggage, cancellation, and other travel contingencies. At this time, we do not offer travel insurance through the resort.

Kindly note that rates are listed on each package page under the list of package inclusions. Rates for packages are per couple (except the Island Rental Package). You will select your cabana type (standard or premium suite style) when booking your stay and the rates are generally listed for each cabana type on the package pages. If you’d like a personalized rate quote, simply fill out this form or shoot us a quick email at [email protected].

Sure! Contact us and we’d be happy to process your booking.

Yes, all meals are included in packages as well as unlimited free local beer, soft drinks, and local mixed drinks (mixed drinks made with local gin, local coconut rum, local vodka, and local rum only). Also, we do have imported alcoholic spirits available for purchase at the bar and we have a Happy Hour most evenings during which we offer a 20% discount on imported liquor.

Both Belizean Dreams Resort and Coco Plum Island Resort are home to two equally excellent, yet slightly different, oceanfront restaurants and bars, the Woven Palms and the Coco Palms Restaurant, respectively. The Woven Palms Restaurant at Belizean Dreams Resort offers an assortment of menu options to choose from for breakfast, lunch, and dinner ranging from popular favorites to local delicacies. The Woven Palms Restaurant is famously known for providing a traditional daily special reflective of the distinctive cultures in Belize.

Meals at the Coco Palms Restaurant on Coco Plum Island are a unique blend of fresh and in season homestyle cooked meals with a touch of gourmet Caribbean fusion. Sourcing goods on a private island enables Coco Palms to offer thoughtfully planned made-to-order menu options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. With a flavorful Caribbean flare, guests enjoy the chef’s special selections for breakfast and lunch; and bask in the Caribbean moonlight while dining each night. An exquisite three course a la carte dinner with a salad/soup, entree (you will be given four options), and dessert is offered nightly. Bar snacks are also included at both resorts with the Inland & Island Package. Both restaurants cater to any dietary restrictions or food preferences, offering delicious vegetarian, vegan, and gluten free choices.

The Quarterdeck Restaurant at Laru Beya Resort offers an assortment of menu options to choose from for breakfast, lunch, and dinner focusing on Caribbean, Mexican, and Italian cuisine. The Quarterdeck Restaurant is set on a three-story, open air dining room overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

Pina coladas are included as a part of the Unlimited Local Bar amenity. Wines are not included but we do carry a limited selection available for purchase.

Yes. A 25% deposit is due at the time of booking. The non-refundable balance is due 30 days prior to arrival. Except for stays between Christmas (including the week before & after Christmas) & New Year (including the week after) see website policy page for exact dates, which requires payment in full 60 days prior to your arrival. Reservations made less than 30 days prior to arrival are to be paid in full upon receipt of confirmation.

Kindly note, for the Private Island Rental Package, the deposit requirements are different, contact us for those details.

Unfortunately, you are not able to do this as we are two separate resorts and therefore we would require you to cancel with us in writing directly (adhering to our cancellation policy) and thereafter book with Belizean Dreams Resort or Laru Beya Resort in accordance with their booking policy.

Yes, you can split your vacation between both Belizean Dreams and Coco Plum Island or Laru Beya Resort and Coco Plum Island by booking a combination stay. Kindly contact us at [email protected] for availability. Reservation team members at all resorts can help you book your combination stay.

No, we do not include the international airfare from your home town to Belize in the package rates. However packages do include the cost of the local airfare between Belize City and Dangriga.

No! Once you have made your reservations with us, we will be happy to make the appropriate local flight reservations for you, just e-mail us your international flight itinerary. The flight time is approximately 20 minutes. We generally book this local flight the month prior to your arrival.

Imported call drinks (i.e., mixed and frozen drinks made with imported liquor) and wine (other than the bottle of wine included in the Honeymoon/Romance Package Add-On) are not included in any of our packages. We do, however, have a Happy Hour most evenings during which we offer a 20% discount on imported liquor.

The following is our tipping policy, kindly contact the reservation team should you have any questions:

  • The package rates do not include gratuities. We have developed a suggested gratuities guide in response to guest feedback. Please bear in mind that it is meant only as a guide for you. The actual amount is left totally to your discretion and dependent upon the quality of service. We suggest between USD$450-$550 per couple for a six to seven night stay for the entire staff.

  • Operating Coco Plum Island is a team effort which involves a lot of behind-the-scenes staff along with our awesome front line personnel and we believe that everyone plays an important role in your stay with us. If you decide to leave a gratuity, it is entirely up to your discretion and is based on the quality of service you received. There is nothing too small or big and anything is appreciated.

  • Because we are an all inclusive property, we advise against tipping individually on a daily basis so that you do not have to worry about carrying cash/credit cards with you while you are enjoying your vacation. Instead, we strongly suggest that you finalize your tips at the front desk upon checkout where you are able to write your specific instructions regarding your tip amount and how you would like it to be distributed along with your signature.

  • Utilizing the front desk as the contact point is essential to ensuring that tips will be sent to our accounting department, which manages proper and transparent distribution through the staff's bank accounts.

No need to worry if hunger strikes after regular meal hours at Coco Plum! We’ve got you covered with our extended bar snacks time from 10:00 am to 5.30 pm daily. Plus, for those looking for a unique treat, don’t miss out on our exclusive special bar snack menu served between 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm—a delightful addition to keep your taste buds intrigued. Please see the Food + Drinks page for details about the delicious meals we serve.




About Belize



The rainy season traditionally runs from June to November. On the cays, the rainy season is usually manifested in squalls, leaving plenty of time for all your activities. If it rains too much in the rainforest, then some of the inland trips on the mainland tours may be a bit challenging. We are flexible and if we consider an inland tour too dangerous, we will substitute it for an activity on or around the island.

Yes. However, sometimes this departure tax is included in your international airfare ticket. It is best to check with the airline when purchasing your ticket. The total international departure fee is approximately $38 US payable in cash only.

Dangriga, the largest town in the Stann Creek District, is located 55 miles from Belmopan (the Capital) and 105 miles from Belize City. With a population of 8,100, it is one of the largest Garifuna (or Black Carib) communities in the world. Dangriga takes its name from the local Garifuna language, loosely meaning ‘here, the sweet water is close at hand.’ It lies peacefully along the banks of the North Stann Creek River, whose water is legendary. The town’s drinking supply is refreshingly cool and arguably the best tasting in Belize. The town’s dreamy atmosphere still harks back to a past age. The houses are made of weathered wooden planks and raised on stilts. Fishing dories lie tied up along the banks of the river. – Belize Tourism Board

In Belize, a ‘cay’ is an island. Coco Plum is a series of Belize Cays. Coco Plum Cay, is commonly known in other parts of the world as Coco Plum Island. People in different parts of the world also spell Cay as Caye. You are welcome to call us Coco Plum Island, Coco Plum Caye or Coco Plum Cay – whatever you like!

The Belize dollar has an exchange rate of roughly two Belize dollars to one U.S. dollar. It is your responsibility as a traveler to a foreign country to investigate these variances/fees. Coco Plum Island Resort will not issue refunds for any currency variances and/or bank fees.

No, U.S. dollars are accepted everywhere in Belize, but not U.S. coins. It is best to bring smaller denominations as change in U.S. currency may be limited. The majority of all hotels, restaurants and shops in the major towns and tourist areas accept major credit cards. Street vendors and smaller establishments in remote areas may accept only cash.

We accept MasterCard, Amex, Visa. We gladly accept U.S. currency at Coco Plum Island. Kindly note: we are currently not accepting Discover cards.

Belize is a parliamentary democracy. The government is headed by the prime minister while the nominal head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who is represented by a governor-general. Belize was a British colony in the late 19th century. In 1964, it became self-governing and independence followed in 1981. Belmopan is the capital. The population of Belize is approximately 366,000.

If you want to make calls to the U.S. from your cell phone, we suggest that you call your cell phone provider and ask for international roaming (there is a monthly fee). Guests who use Sprint, Cingular, and T-Mobile have done this and it works well.






About the Island



While we do not have handicapped-accessible accommodations and a specific cabana cannot always be guaranteed, we can give preference to those with any mobility issues. When you book your stay, kindly let our Reservation Team know if you do have mobility issues so that we can accommodate your request accordingly.

In the past, guests from one of our sister resorts, Belizean Dreams, enjoyed lunch on Coco Plum Island twice a week for approximately 1 hour on Tuesdays and Fridays as a part of that resort’s snorkeling tour. Belizean Dreams is a family friendly resort and therefore at times children were on the island during lunch twice weekly. After much consideration, we decided to discontinue this service and have made alternate arrangements for our sister resort’s snorkeling tours. Additionally, the owners of Coco Plum visit the island from time to time and on rare occasions bring their children. However, they mostly reside in the Overwater Villa and do not frequent the social areas often.

Also, if a large party decides to rent the entire island for a family wedding or other event, children are allowed. 

Seaweed can be an issue along our beaches during certain times of the year. There is no way to predict when it will wash ashore in larger quantities or how long it will last as it has to do with the tides.

Though seaweed may not seem ideal, it is perfect for our ecosystem since it serves as a home to an amazing variety of marine species, including our endangered sea turtles. As an eco-friendly destination, we are committed to preserving and protecting our country’s natural beauty by keeping it as pristine as possible. We would like to make note that we do maintain our beach daily by raking excess deposits on the shore and moving it away from the beach.

Yes! We recently added a pool to the island. It is located just off the Bar area.

We sure do, each cabana and the 3 Bedroom overwater villa is equipped with body soap, shampoo, conditioner, and body lotion.

Our private cabanas are steps away from the Caribbean Sea and will become your own personal oasis. To enhance privacy and intimacy, our cabanas are situated in a staggered manner, this essentially creates two rows of interspersed cabanas. The cabanas that are set farther back get the additional benefit of even more privacy. The main difference between the cabana types is their size. The Premium Cabanas are also the most recently built and/or renovated cabanas and do have a few more modern touches such as an open concept layout. Otherwise, all cabanas are equally comfortable and views come standard 😉 The choice of cabana types when booking is based on availability as well as your personal preference in terms of distance from the restaurant and bar and size. There are lots of places to enjoy the water such as on the overwater palapas, overwater hammocks, beach chairs and beach beds.

We are a fairly casual resort, so we do not have a dress code for dinner. We recommend shorts, tank tops, slippers and little summer dresses for women, but be sure to pack a light cardigan for the evenings, in case it gets a little chilly during your stay; shorts, t-shirts and casual shirts for men.

Currently we have a no pets policy at the island.

We are an adults-only private island resort. The minimum age of our guests is 18.

Yes we offer several spa services in our Serenity Spa, which is nestled among the mangroves on the quiet and most secluded end of the island, you can enjoy a therapeutic massage, facials, or a variety of other spa treatments. Please [email protected] with any questions.

Please refer to the contact us page for those hours.

You can also contact at any time us via email with general questions, questions about reservations or to check for availability, at [email protected]. Additionally, you may choose to use our handy Personalized Rate Quote form.

Check-in time is 3:00 pm and check-out time is 11:00 am.

Complimentary wireless internet service is available to guests of Coco Plum Island Resort. However, reception is better on some parts of the island versus others. Furthermore, our system is dependent on the local telephone companies and telecommunications in developing countries are far from optimal. Therefore, we ask that you download music, books, movies, etc prior to coming to Coco Plum so you can enjoy listening, reading, watching without interruption. You may also want to alert your family and friends that internet may not be available 24/7 so they will not be worried you don’t reply to their texts or emails immediately.

Yes, we have a generator which runs 24 hours a day. The outlets are just like yours in the US (110V)! So no need to bring a converter.

Yes, each cabana has a 5 gallon container of bottled water. Coco Palms (our island restaurant) and Coco Breeze (our island bar) also serve bottled water and we provide purified water for tours and activities.

It will depend on which mainland tours are scheduled for that day. Click the tour schedule to take a look at the times.

As in all tropical climates, mosquitoes and sand flies are prevalent. We attempt to curtail the sand fly activity on the island (the sand flies are less active during times of high wind). If you are sensitive to biting insects, it is very advisable to bring Deet-based insect repellent for use on the inland tours and for use on the island as needed. You may also want to bring a citronella candle for your veranda in case the bugs are active. As well as Hydrocortisone cream and Benadryl Tablets.

So in summary, bring:

  • Deet-based Repellant
  • Hydrocortisone cream
  • Benadryl Tablets
  • Baby oil for additional protection against sand flies



Getting Here



We recognize your potential concerns regarding check-in time upon landing. Over the years, we’ve consistently scheduled guests an hour after arrival without any problems. Drawing on our two decades of experience, we have established solid relationship with the local airlines. In the event you miss your local flight, they will make it a priority to transfer you to the next available one. Your peace of mind is our top priority. If you’d like, we can also arrange a later flight for you—simply inform us of your preference to ensure your comfort.

We have 2 boat transfers for check-in, one at 2pm, the other at 5:30pm. Arriving in BZE by 11:30 am will ensure you are able to depart for check-in on the 2pm boat. If you can’t make that time, we advise that you arrive in Belize City (BZE) no later than 3:45pm as the last local flight to Dangriga leaves between 4:30pm and 5:00pm (depending on the time of the year).

The boat leaves Coco Plum for Dangriga (check-out) at 7:45AM and 11:00AM. For your international DEPARTURE flight times, we recommend booking an international flight that leaves Belize around 12PM to allow sufficient travel time back to the Belize International Airport. We want to make certain you arrive back to BZE international airport at least 3 hours (required) prior to your international departure time. Should you wish to schedule a boat ride at a different time there is a surcharge fee of US$90 per couple. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to us directly if you have any questions about flight times.

Please note: boat transfer times may be subject to change due to external factors which include but are not limited to imposed international flight schedule changes.

Coco Plum Island Resort is located just off the coast of Belize, on a privately owned 16 acre cay. It is one of the three cays of the Coco Plum Range. It is the only facility on the cay and is approximately nine miles off the coast of the culturally-rich, southern coastal town of Dangriga. Coco Plum is a quick 10-minute boat ride from Belize’s amazing Barrier Reef where you can enjoy fabulous snorkeling and diving and it is only a 30-minute boat ride from the mainland, giving guests the option to participate in mainland adventure tours.

All International flights to Belize land at the only International Airport in Belize, the Phillip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE). You will need to book your international flight to Belize City directly through the airline or through an agent of your choice. For information on airlines flying into Belize or additional information about entry requirements, please see our Getting Here page.

Some guests stay with us after (or before) visiting a hotel or resort on the mainland. In those instances, ask your hotel to drop you off at our Dangriga office. It is best to have your hotel call our Dangriga office (M-F 8:00am-12:00pm, 1:30pm-5:00pm-Belize time) at 522-2200 (local Dangriga number) the day prior to your arrival to arrange a drop-off time.

The directions to the office are as follows:
The office is located at 3396 Ecumenical Dr, Dangriga Town, Belize. You would turn left onto Ecumenical Dr if you are driving to Dangriga from Belmopan. The office is on the right hand side in a concrete yellow and blue building across from the Ecumenical Junior College.

A valid passport for no less than three months after your intended period of stay for citizens of the following countries: U.S., Britain, Canada, Australia, Hong Kong, Mexico, New Zealand, Norway, Venezuela, CARICOM member states, nationals of European Community countries. Children under 18 years of age traveling with one parent require a notarized letter of authority from the other parent indicating travel consent. Travelers are permitted to stay in Belize for 30 days. Extensions for longer stays can be processed through the Immigration Office in Belize City for a fee, check with that office for the most recent fee. Kindly note, this info is subject to change, please refer to the Belize Tourism Site.

Belize requires citizens from the following countries to have an entry visa: China, Cuba, Honduras, Haiti, South Africa, Taiwan, India, Libya and more. We do not keep an exhaustive list, for more up to date info see check this website.

For full island rentals: children under 18 years of age traveling with one parent require a notarized letter of authority from the other parent indicating travel consent. Kindly note, this info is subject to change, please refer to the Belize Tourism Site.

 

The process once you arrive at the Belize city airport (BZE) is very simple! The airport has 3 huge rooms – one for arriving passengers, one for departing passengers and one for the airline counters. In one room you will go through Immigration and Customs. When you exit, tell the person at the door that you need to catch a Maya Island Air flight and they will point you to the room on the left where the departing airlines counters are situated.

When you land at the Dangriga airport/airstrip, you will be greeted by a member of our staff. It is a very small airport and very few people deplane, so recognizing you is not a problem. However, for your peace of mind, the driver will either be wearing a Coco Plum or EZ Investment uniform (EZ Investment is our parent company). Please also keep in mind that the employees of the local airline are also very familiar with our staff members, so you can always ask them if you have any questions. If you are early for the scheduled boat out to the island our staff member you will take you to a nearby restaurant for a snack, otherwise, they will drive you to the boat dock (about a 10 minute drive) to depart for a 30 minute boat ride to the island…soon to be greeted by a famous Mosquito Bite cocktail!