Isla Marisol Resort

We were the only guests during our 4-night/3-day stay on this piece of reef in a comfortable and simple cabin. Eddie is friendly, genuine, and accommodating. We enjoyed our few dives on a reef in excellent condition with a smiling and helpful team (Mora, Mike, Fernando).
We also appreciated the tranquility of this secluded island.
The food was delicious (thank you Luis and Nancy) served by the smiling and efficient Jill.

Our group of six, three couple's, stayed in the two reef houses. Nice and clean, two bedrooms, two bathrooms. Lots of room, beautiful view and alot of privacy. Every meal was excellent. What a chef. The owner and the entire staff was wonderful. You will not find a better, more enjoyable time. Excellent snorkeling, kayaking and fishing. Will definitely visit again.
D and P Wewel.

I have been considering how to write this review since April. This comes from the heart of an adventurer, an optimistic, and a free spirit. When I look back on my adventure to Isla Marisol, I can't imagine anything like it. We had a bit of a rough trip out, due in part to flight delays, boat trouble with Isla's main transport boat, etc etc. But you know what, I would do it again 1000 times over for the experience. I arrived to the island in darkness, and I woke up to absolute paradise. I ate the most delicious food, drank the best drinks, saw sunsets and sunrises that took my breath away. I woke up each morning in my beautiful cabin, walked carelessly on the beaches, explored, watched the pelicans and egrets. Dives were led well after we made some adjustments (the group I get to dive with is insanely experienced, and they worked with us to make each dive better). Mora is a treasure of a man. Maya is a faithful chow mix who welcomed us back each time. The staff provides outstanding service, friendliness, and food. George was the best bartender and helped me practice my Spanish. Isla Marisol will forever hold a special, hallowed place in my heart and I will never forget my experience there. Oh, and the only crime you have to watch out for is the hermit crabs who might mug you on your way home :-)

There was no hot water our entire stay. Food options were extremely limited with little choice. We had air conditioning for about one hour per day unlike all the other small remote islands with no utility infrastructure we’ve been to, water and electricity were very intermittent here. We have cpaps and woke up throughout the night, every single night with difficulties breathing as the electricity had shut off again and again.
A far cry from paradise.
Although the staff was nice, we were waiting every day for scheduled meals and diving.

The staff at Isla Marisol Resort are top notch. Well balanced and delicious meals are served daily with a smile. The captain Eddy is not only the owner, but ensures that you arrive on the island safely. The grounds and accommodations are well kept. I strongly recommend booking a stay at Isla Mirasol.

This breathtaking Island Resort is filled with pure love, amazing service and friendly people. The rooms are super comfortable. If you are looking for quality natural experience this is the place. Bring your family to experience Belize's beauty at Isla Marisol. Thank you to The Authentic You Belize for making this dream come true ♥

Had a great time enjoying the miles and miles of remote reef. Snorkeling and boating are world class. Water clarity and wildlife is top notch. Meals are outstanding and the staff is great. If you are thinking of a relaxing vacation with little distractions book it today.

My wife and I spent a week away mostly scuba diving. The dive sights and our guides were great. The island is isolated and beautiful. For where it is and how remote it is, the service and rooms were amazing. All of the staff were helpful and friendly and the food was really amazing. Every meal was a hit!

Just completed a third visit to Isla Marisol. What an experience! The accommodations are great as is the food and service. The owner, Eddie, goes beyond to ensure the guests are taken care of and happy.
This island is 20 plus miles from the mainland. It has a solar power supply backed up by a generator that is more reliable than the mainland, incredible cell signal and internet. The accommodations are rustic but extremely comfortable and the AC will freeze you out of the room at night.
If the idea of removing your flip flops for days, eating great food and relaxing in paradise is for you, Isla Marisol will not let you down!
For the nay sayers, the island is very safe and the staff is extremely well trained. The dive master has been there for decades and knows the waters around the island better than most know their own back yards. The guys running the pangas (Eddie included) have been making the trip from the mainland to the island for years and years. They keep a close eye on the weather and make sure the guests are never in harms way. All in all, the entire staff is very professional!
This is not the type of resort that is going to cater to your every desire. If you want drinks by the pool with fruit and mini umbrellas, go to Cancun. But, if you are into diving, fishing, snorkeling and the most picturesque location in Central America, this is for you!
And on a final note, the trash on the beach that some have complained about is virtually non existent.

We just returned from our 4 days at Isla Marisol post Easter vacation. The peak tourist season ends around Easter so we enjoyed a quiet time on the island. Accommodations were clean and comfortable with the air conditioning making for a great sleep. We appreciated the daily housekeeping and clean sheets. We enjoyed the privacy of our cabana porch and hanging out in the hammock and chairs.
Alex, the chef, continually wowed us with the fresh seafood and traditional Belizian food. In addition to the baracuda steaks, fresh mackarel and fresh grouper, a couple of our favorites were the conch soup and the garlic shrimp (with a hint of ginger! ). Daily fresh squeezed juice was a real treat and the variety was great! We enjoyed dining with the owner, Eddie, and his daughter and sharing their island way of life (although we didn't manage to get up early enough to join them fishing in the mornings! ).
We loved the organized diving and snorkeling tours as well as the ability to kayak, SUP, and snorkel independently. A highlight was the dolphin watch tour! One afternoon we kayaked along the reef to Middle Caye and back and several other days we kayaked out to buoys in the atoll and snorkeled there on our own.
Another note worth mentioning is that the island sprays for sandflies so we had no issues with sandflies at Isla Marisol.

Isla Mariposa is in a great location but left a lot to be desired. We were there in February 2024. We stayed in a Family Beach Front Cabana, which was spartan but clean. However, we were without water for showers and flushing much of two days and had to carry water from the ocean to flush. The hot water lasted less than 5 minutes. The owner went to the mainland midweek, after which communication, especially about the water problems, was confusing.
The food was only midling. We had lobster three nights, but they were overcooked and tough the first two times.
The website says you can snorkel off the beach, which is technically true, but the closest reef is a lengthy swim away. It would be better to use a kayak, but, oops, the seats, fittings, and paddles were missing or in terrible repair. The best snorkeling, which was quite good, requires a boat ride for $60 per person.
We enjoyed the staff. Mora, the divemaster, was great.
There was nothing we couldn’t deal with, but for the price, we expect much better.

We loved every minute of our stay. The island and the accommodations were perfect for us. Well maintained, clean, unpretentious and extremely comfortable. Highlights included: 1. The food! it was absolutely amazing — we had lobster twice prepared to excellence, and fruit juices every meal, accompanied by local dishes; 2. The staff! made us feel cared for in a way that was sincere — they were attentive and friendly; 3. The location! (omg) The ride out is an adventure in itself. Exhilarating. I turned to my husband after 45 minutes of riding out on the choppy shuttle and said "I feel alive; this is why we travel! " While we were on this amazing little island paradise, we went on three snorkeling trips with Maro — the kind and helpful divemaster — and Eddie — the owner and manager. They guided us (safely! ) to the different fish, shark and lobsters. We also took two sea kayaks out to some nearby snorkeling, and also used the paddle boards (never before! ), as well as took a few swims from the beach. I would guess Isla Marisol may not be for everyone. But I would say it is a place for those who want to kick back, listen to waves, eat great food, see some great fish, have a Belikin on the dock while talking with George, the bartender, while watching the sunset and birds, relaxing, and meeting other like minded adventurers… etc. It's just the best. (And last note, of particular importance to me since I'm so allergic — there were hardly ANY bugs or sandflies!

Isla Marisol Resort on South West Caye of Glover's Reef Atoll is for travelers with a sense of adventure who seek great diving and food at an intimate resort far from the madding crowd that operates on solar power and tries to minimize its environmental impact. It is not the place to go if you want to sit by the pool (there is none), or you can't handle occasional brief power outages or taking 5-minute showers to conserve hot water, which comes from a desalination plant. You won't find flower petals strewn on your bed, or designer toiletries, or towels shaped into hearts.
What you will find are comfortable, air-conditioned accommodations that are a 5-15 minute boat ride from over a dozen dive sites on a very healthy reef with an abundance of soft coral, fish, excellent visibility, and little chance of any divers except from Isla Marisol Resort. Why? Because Glover's Reef is 30 miles from mainland Belize, and a 3-hour boat ride from the crowds on Ambergris Caye.
Eddie Usher is the enterprising, entertaining host who has run Isla Marisol Resort for over 20 years, and he is involved in every aspect of its operation. Eddie picks up guests in Dangriga, and drives them the 75 minutes to Isla Marisol (Mar y Sol) Resort in one of the 38-foot open-air pangas (skiffs) that he bought from the Belizean police at auction and converted for diving and fishing. According to Eddie, the pangas were built and used by the Colombian cartels to deliver drug shipments, then abandoned.

We spent a wonderful week at the magical Isla Marisol.
The pros:
— One-of-kind location: Gilligan’s Island in the middle of a marine reserve.
— Superb diving: we’ve been scuba diving around the world and the coral and fish found minutes (yes minutes) from the dock at Isla Marisol are among the best we’ve seen.
— Friendly and accommodating staff:
Activities and meals were customized to our family’s needs.
Cons:
— It’s a rustic, remote resort in the middle of the ocean. No spa, pool or room service.
If you’re unable to survive without those and other luxury amenities, this might not be the place.
The power sometimes goes out. Hot water is limited. There are giant land hermit crabs who try to mug you as you wander back to your cabin at night.
This isn’t The Atlantis. For many people, that’s the whole point.

Isla marisol was the best experience of my life. Fishing, snorkeling, kayaking, just chilling by the beach with my speaker, getting drunk at the bar with a great bartender. Then at night stargazing because the night sky is the best it could get you can actually see the milkyway. The food was excellent something different from the norm everything is is belizian 100 percent. The host Eddie is a wonderful boatsman he really knows the ocean. I can't wait to go back.

If you’re looking for a ‘plastic’ resort, keep looking. Isla Marisol is as authentic a serene resort destination that you could ask for. Plenty of activities to explore, paddle boarding, snorkeling kayaking, scuba diving, fishing, dolphin watching excursions. Three chef prepares meals per day included, and a full bar over the water. Participate in the actives much or as little as you like. You won’t be disappointed. Definitely coming back again.

My husband had planned the trip so I didn’t know what to expect. First it’s the boat ride to island where you can see dolphins and other islands. Once you get to the Island you are greeted by some of the staff. What caught my eye was the beach and the equipment such as kayaks & paddle boards. My family went fishing and snorkeling we made such amazing memories. Not to mention the delicious meals that were provided 3 times a day. Let’s not forget the full stocked bar that my husband enjoyed way too much. We definitely we be coming back!