From Caves to Cacao: A Bittersweet Goodbye To Belize
June 19, 2025
As leaders, we wanted to say thank you for sending the best kids to go on an incredible adventure with us for the last two weeks. Words cannot describe how amazing this group is, and every single individual contributed to the unique and inspiring group dynamic. We are so sad to be nearing the end, but so insanely grateful for this experience with such awesome kids.
Leaving Placencia, we had a bit of a drive to our new hostel in Belmopan. To pass the time, the girls used their water bottles to make friendship bracelets. Ava impressively made a chevron pattern, teaching the rest of the group the intricate knot technique. Before reaching our destination, we stopped at the Maya center and the Che’il chocolate center for a cooking class. Ethan showed off his culinary skills while chopping the vegetables, as Davis absolutely crushed the home made corn tortillas. We ended up making a delicious soup with chicken, potatoes, carrots, and other vegetables, along with the tortillas that tasted incredible when dipped in the soup. The kids also made a traditional chocolate drink, that Elle especially loved. After a wonderful meal together, we got to go upstairs to learn about how chocolate is made straight from Belizean cacao beans. Helen adored the chocolate tasting, even the bitter cacao nibs, talking about how good they would be on an açaí bowl. We ended our day by arriving at our new hostel and jumping into the new pool. The kids were so excited to have air conditioning again, and they loved the new cabin set up. With another wonderful meal of jerk chicken and rice, the group went to sleep early in order to get ready for our activities the next day.
The kids woke up early with a ton of excitement to finally get into the caves! As we floated down the crystal clear waters of the caves, Guy had a great time making shadow puppets on the cave walls. The rest of our journey through the darkness included sinkholes giving the slightest glimpses of daylight, swims in the chilly waters flowing through the cave, and stalagmites towering into the darkness. Along the way, the kids had a great time jumping off a cliff in the middle of the cave. Every one of the kids made the leap and some, Eloise and Stokes in particular, especially loved the thrill. As we came back into the light, we were able to truly appreciate how far under the jungle we had been for the day. The rest of the float was sunny and relaxing as we headed home from the day’s activities. Another wonderful dinner of coconut chicken tenders, the group swam in the huge pool before going to sleep.
Our last day was one of the coolest! We got to go to Xunatunich, the ancient Mayan ruins deep in the jungle. Owen and Stephen got tons of cool photos in front of the massive monuments, hoping to get on the Moondance instagram. Asking all of the archeologists a ton of interesting questions, Stokes learned all about the history of the ancient buildings. After one last traditional Belizean lunch, the group moved to the wonderful town of San Ignacio to look around at a few of the shops. Addy had the great idea of all the girls getting matching permanent bracelets from one jewelry shop, but unfortunately they didn’t have the technician to do it. So instead, we have decided that we will all get the matching bracelets at one of our group reunions! For our final dinner together, we went to a fun restaurant and ate outside at a massive picnic table. Whitley finally showed us how she did her magic trick from the first few nights, and all the kids were still baffled from how she could find the right card. From chicken fingers to coconut shrimp, birria tacos to enchiladas, the food at our banquet was incredible. In addition to fun smoothies at the restaurant, we took the group to our final ice cream stop at a soft serve place around the corner. Reluctantly going back to the hostel, knowing that the end of the night meant going to sleep and leaving the next morning, our group of twelve close friends had a final Moonup together.
– Claire and Chase
Wrapping it up!
June 17, 2025
Eloise- Hey mom and Dad! Thank you so so much for this one of a kind trip to Belize! I’m having so much fun and can’t wait to see you soon to tell you all about it! Love y’all so much!!
Elle- Hey Mom and Dad I’m so thankful that you sent me on this trip. I’m having so much fun and I can’t wait to tell you all the fun things we did. Love you!
Ava- Hi mom and dad and coco I’m so excited to see you tomorrow!! I have had so much fun and this Moondance was even better than my last one. Thank you so much for letting me come again I have met so many fun people and made so many good memories. Love you and see you soon!
Addy- hey guys I miss yall soooo much. I have been having so much fun and can’t wait to tell you guys about it. Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity!! Love you guys!
Helen-Hey guyssss! I actually miss y’all so much. This trip was so special and I’m so excited to tell y’all all about it. I’ll be home tomorrow and I can’t wait to see you guys. Tell James hi! Love you!
Whitley- Hey mom and dad!! I’ve had the best time on this trip hopefully we can do this next year! I’m so excited to tell you guys everything and I can’t wait to hug and see y’all tomorrow!!
Stokes- sup gang, I have been having the most fun of my life on this trip. Thanks so much for sending me to Moondance I have made the best memories. I had the best group and we had so much fun. In fact I have had so much fun that I have decided to stay in Belize and start a new life. Nice knowing y’all.
Guy-Hi family this trip has been super cool and my group and leaders have been super chill. So thanks for sending me on it and love you guys.
Stephen-Hey mom I just wanted to start off and say thank you so much for sending me on this trip I could not have asked for a better group of people and leaders. The memories I’ve made here will last a lifetime so that’s why I have decided to start a tribe and stay here indefinitely with the core 4 love you.
Ethan- hey mom and dad, I just wanted to let you know how much I appreciate you guys giving me this opportunity to do such an amazing trip like this. This has been one of the best experiences I’ve had and I’ve had such and great time learning things, meeting new people, and making memories that will last forever and I’m thanking you for making that happen. Love you guys and thanks so much.
Davis- hey mom hey dad. This trip has been an amazing experience I have absolutely zero complaints. Thank you so much for the opportunity. I can’t wait to see y’all tmrw and tell you all about it. I love y’all so much and again thank you.
Owen- Hi mom and dad, this trip has been such a memorable experience and I’m so grateful I was given this opportunity. We have so much to catch up on and I can’t wait to see you guys. Happy late Father’s Day, and I love you
Sending Love from Belize
June 17, 2025
Hello from the beautiful Belizean jungle!
We have been having the best time with our group of new best friends over the last few days. The day after our Monkey River excursion, we had a full day sailing adventure and it was quite possibly the best day of our lives. We arrived at the dock to see a huge catamaran awaiting the group, with guides who kept us supplied with water and sodas the whole day. We sailed all the way to Moho Caye, which had the most stunning waters I’ve ever seen in my life. The whole group dove off into the crystal clear ocean, where we played in the water and took pictures together before eating the most insane lunch. With barbecued shrimp kabobs, pork chop, chicken, shrimp ceviche, and watermelon, all served beachside with an unreal view, this was easily the most incredible lunch we have had.
The next day, we had one final scuba day filled with fun dives and sea creatures to really make the most of that certification. Ethan got lots of content on his GoPro of cool fish and reef sharks while Guy and Stokes got some awesome underwater selfies. We spent the whole day focusing on the wildlife and fun parts of diving, which was a great way to wrap up the multiple days of skills we had learned. After both a morning and afternoon dive, the group was so excited to make a delicious dinner of chicken quesadillas with rice and fruit. Chase decided to try out the grill at our hostel, and along with Owen’s help, the two made some pretty amazing shredded grilled chicken for the quesadillas. As usual, our day ended with a dip in the pool and a meaningful Moonup under the stars.
With our final day of scuba complete, we set our sights toward shore as we began our inland activities with ziplining. We soared through the jungle on zip lines as long as half a mile with smiles on our faces. Whitley especially enjoyed the thrill of the day paired with the picturesque views. In addition to ziplining, we also rappelled down a 60 foot waterfall! Ava soared down the course moving faster than anyone, and she didn’t fall once! Once we got to the bottom of the cascading falls, the group climbed some rocks and looked for crocodiles as we waited for the rest of the kids. After our jungle adventures, we surprised the kids with a fun night at The Other Side, where they all ate dinner at a swim up restaurant and got to order fun smoothies! To finish up another amazing day, we walked to our favorite ice cream spot Tutti Frutti for another sweet treat. Stephen even got the shop to play our trip’s classic song “Mystical Magical”.
The next morning we got to meet a ton of kids in the local community Siene Bight. Whitley absolutely crushed playing volleyball with some of the kids, while Helen made a ton of new friends and beat everyone in a track race. Davis was a fabulous goalkeeper in soccer, shutting down many of the score attempts from both teams. After playing tons of games and bonding over favorite songs and sharing bracelets with our new friends, the group went to the coolest restaurant to eat lunch. Addy was obsessed with the chicken and rice meal, enthusiastically telling us how she must have more once she gets home. After our lunch on the beach, we went to a local center to learn more about Garifuna culture. We got to wear traditional clothing while our guide told us about the art pieces in the center, before we got to learn Garifuna songs and dances. Guy loved his traditional tunic, requesting many “flics” to be taken. While learning the dances, we also got to learn how to play the songs on the drums. Stokes was called up as the leader of the group and got to set the rhythm while playing on an instrument made of turtle shells! Owen and Elle were the best dancers of the group, showing off their skills together in the middle of the dance circle performing the “shake and shake”. That night we cooked our last meal together, making an insane plate of chicken fried rice with delicious vegetables and pineapple. Shoutout to our main chef Ethan who knocked it out of the park!!!
Despite all of these amazing activities, Saturday might have been the best day yet. Not only did we get to go horseback riding, but we also got to celebrate Owen’s birthday! With our last day in Placencia before moving further inland to Belmopan, we woke up with tons of streamers and birthday music before arriving at the horse farm. Everyone was so incredible with the horses, and the guides even let us trot through the jungle! Of course our professional equestrians Eloise and Elle set examples for the rest of the group, and the guides let them show off at the end of the ride, letting the two gracefully gallop through the woods. We finished off the activity day with a quick trip to a picture perfect waterfall and swimming hole. Davis and Stephen really showed their enthusiasm as they bounded into the chilly depths of the pool with complete abandon. Our car rides have been filled with incredible song choices by Helen as well as friendship bracelets skillfully made by Ava and the rest of the girls. To round out the day, we went on a surprise journey to celebrate Owen. The evening was complete with swimming, dinner, mini golf, and even cake! Many members of the group managed to get a hole in one, including Addy, Eloise, and the birthday boy. Lots of laughs and memories were shared as we celebrated such a valued member of our group. Happy birthday Owen!!!
Lastly, we wanted to thank all of you for allowing your kids to come with us for the experience of a lifetime. We have loved our time with all of them, and we cannot wait to see what the last few days of our trip have in store. Happy (belated) Father’s Day to all of the wonderful dads reading, the kids are sending love from abroad! Looking forward to sharing more memories soon!
– Claire and Chase
Belize Days, Island Ways
June 11, 2025
WHATS UP BELIZE FRIENDS AND FAMILY!!!!! We are here to update you on our adventures this past week with our hilarious, curious, and outgoing group! Our first day started with sweaty hugs and friendly smiles in the airport before we made our way to Placencia for the first section of our trip. The kids chatted away in the back of our car ride, sharing their favorite songs they wanted to add to our playlist and playing endless get-to-know-you games. After a delicious lunch on the way, we arrived at the wonderful Royal Rat hostel and immediately threw down our bags so that we could jump in the pool. Graciously hosted by Sheila and Mark, the Australian and English couple that run the hostel, the group devoured pizza and quickly went to sleep, exhausted by the long travel day and excited for the first day of scuba.
Our first real day began with LODs (leaders of the day) Davis and Addy infecting the group with their positive energy. Although the weather was too windy to learn scuba skills in the ocean, we were able to go to a fun pool with pickleball and tennis courts to begin our intense but exciting training. Ethan and Ava were naturals with all of the scuba skills, serving as great examples for the rest of the group. While the other two groups were in the pool learning how to remove their BCDs and use their alternate air source, Guy and Stokes showed off their crazy pickleball skills. With delicious Belizian jerk chicken with rice, veggies, and fresh juice for lunch, all of the kids quickly ate before heading back to the hostel to swim and play the fan favorite game ERS (Egyptian Rat Slap). Whitley is the current reigning champion of the game, with Ethan close behind. The group got to walk down the road from the hostel and explore the beach, where Owen absolutely dominated our small game of hacky sack (no doubt from his soccer skills) while Stokes and Stephen retrieved and cracked fresh coconuts. By the end of the first day, with a wonderful moonup and full bellies from our home cooked fajitas, its safe to say everyone fell asleep quickly.
The next two days of scuba diving had our jaws on the floor! With friendly sharks and eels, as well as huge lobsters and colorful angelfish, this coral reef is un-belize-able! Stopping at picture perfect islands with crystal clear water, all of the kids absolutely crushed the scuba skills. Even the most difficult and scary tasks, like completely taking off the mask and putting it back on 30 feet below water, were done beautifully by Eloise. We saw some of the coolest coral and tons of sea life, with some awesome scuba pictures on the gopro. Ethan even learned how to make bubble rings, and we can’t wait to show you them on camera! Guy has been taking a ton of photos and we are 99% positive at least one of them will be posted on the Moondance instagram. Elle swiftly developed the scuba skills as well and has been diving like a pro! With how quickly she catches on to new skills, we can’t wait to see how she shines on the horseback riding day in particular. Adding to the basic hand signals that the scuba instructors use to communicate underwater, the boys have created their own complex sign language that allows them to talk while 40 feet down. The language has also made its way out of the water, as the whole group has adopted the funny expressions as our own. We ended these long, salty days with dips in the pool and talks around the bonfire. One night, with newly purchased clippers from the supermarket down the street, Davis got the buzz cut he had been begging for since day 1! Don’t worry, it actually looks really good. With endless laughs and so many inside jokes, its hard to belive that all of these kids only met a few days ago.
Once again due to windy weather, we moved our final day of diving so that we could go on a monkey river tour and manatee watch on day five. With insanely blue waters and picturesque mangroves, we boated through the jungle in search of crocodiles and howler monkeys. With Helen and Guy taking over the aux, we jammed out on our boat ride over to the town. After a quick hike with lots of monkeys followed by our imitation of monkey sounds, the group then headed to the monkey river town to buy some handmade souviners and eat yet another tasty Belizian meal. Grilling out with burgers and fries, we ended our more relaxed day with watermelon and card games before our moonup in the pool. Stephen has passed all of us with his newly found darts talents, even beating the seasoned pro Chase.
From yummy S’mores outside of the hostel to fun dinners at restaurants on the beach, our bellies and hearts are full as we head into the half way point of our trip. Thank you all for sharing your amazing kids with us, we truly are having the best time and can not wait to tell you all about it!!!!
– Claire and Chase
Shoutouts
Stephen- “hey mom and other siblings I’m nasty at darts now love and miss yall”
Davis- “hey mom hey dad hey Otis!!! I got a buzz cut and really like it. Love yall!
Stokes- “hello mom dad Peter Emily Lilly jack and Dave, I love all of you and I miss you but I am having sooo much fun without yall!!!!!”
Guy- “hi mom dad weezie and Betsy, it is very fun here, thanks for sending me.
Helen- “I love and miss you guys, happy early Father’s Day. Mom I’m not getting skin cancer and text Eliana’s mom and tell her I miss her and tell James I say hi”
Eloise- “Hey mom and dad I miss yall! I got officially scuba certified, but don’t worry I’m not getting too sunburnt. Belize is so much fun thank you so much! See you soon love yall!!”
Ava- “Hi mom and dad and coco. Thank you for letting me come on Moondance I promise I will actually do my chores when I get home. I’m having so much fun and I bet it is much better at home without me and Riley. Love you!”
Elle- “Hey mom and dad I’m having so much fun in Belize!! Scuba diving is so fun, I saw a shark! Love y’all”
Owen- “Hi mom and dad, Belize has been good I like a lot of the campers and my counselors are cool. My hammock has carried me through all the downtime as well. Happy early fathers day and can’t wait to see yall”
Addy- “hey guys I miss yall sooo much!!! Can’t wait to tell yall all the cool things we have been up to. Happy early Father’s Day. Love you all so much!”
Ethan- “Hey Mom and Dad I’m having a great time in Belize Scuba diving has been so fun and I was able to pet a shark. Happy early Father’s Day dad and I hope u guys are having fun in London and Scotland without me.”
Whitley- “Hey mom and dad I love you and miss you. I’m having the best time.”
Safe Arrival!
June 5, 2025
Hello Belize Families!
We heard from our leaders this morning that the group has landed safely in Belize City! The trip is off to a great start, and we cannot wait to hear more stories from their adventure! Please remember our leaders and students will be unplugged during their trips, but we will be posting trip updates throughout the next week! This will allow you to follow along with the trip. You can also follow us on Instagram, @moondanceadventures, to see more of what we are up to!
-Moondance HQ
