When we say 'A Home Away, A World Within'...we mean it! While we believe in encouraging our guests to get off the resort and into the country of Belize, we also understand that sometimes you just want to stay close to home. Maybe it's a rainy afternoon, maybe your travel group is divided in their interests, maybe you're a bit sunburnt or you want to learn about a piece of the culture without sacrificing a whole day of your vacation to do it. Whatever your reason, we've got a world of in-house activities that we will be introducing you to in our coming blog posts.
Fetching a premium in world markets, Belizean cacao is in high demand globally for its organic fine flavor and produces some of the world's most high-end chocolate. An indigenious crop to the country, it's commercial production is really only a few decades old, while the history is as rich as its flavor and rooted in the ancient civilization of the Maya. Evidence suggests that the Maya invented chocolate almost three thousand years ago and that they consumed it with almost every meal. We're totally okay if you decide to do the same while at Itz'ana - hey, itz'all about ingraining yourself in the culture, so when in Rome...
In addition to eating it as much as you like, we're now offering an In-House Chocolate Making Workshop where you will be taught the history of one of the world's most favorite foods. From how it was done thousands of years ago right through to modern times, you'll learn about chocolate production in Belize, you'll sample the cacao fruit and witness the process of how it's transformed into chocolate. You'll melt, mould and set chocolates infused with a variety of local flavors, you'll sample Mayan hot chocolate and taste organic chocolate in various percentages. This workshop is for chocolate lovers who are looking for an hour long, informative and sensory experience they can share with others back home without having to leave the resort!
Be sure to let the front desk know you're interested and they'll ensure you're scheduled. If you want to book before you arrive, just mention it in your booking notes. The details can be found on our website under the Culture Cravers section of our Adventures. We look forward to sharing this delicious journey with you!