The West of Belize has been getting a bad rap of late. Our muscle-flexing Goliath neighbor to the north, the uncle of all uncles, Uncle Sam has issued some travel advisories that in effect have done a number on the tourist biz in our western neck of the woods. The advisory dated May 12, 2006 says, “The Department of State advises U.S. citizens traveling or residing in Belize to be alert to the potential of highway banditry in the western/southwestern part of the country, especially along unpaved roads. It is strongly recommended that the area be avoided until the assailants have been arrested or until substantial progress has been made in the case.” Other alike advisories were released May 19 and June 9th.

Hoteliers that I have contacted have all concurred that the normally slow summer season is considerably slower than usual. Surely any official US State Department advisory that mentions “highway banditry” is not exactly gonna draw hordes of tourists to a destination. Shades of The Wizard of Oz: “lions and tigers and bears, ohh no!” Change to “guns and banditos and bushwhacked, ohh no, no, no!” It doesn’t take much to scare off tourists. Unfortunately, there was no mention in the advisories that those incidents were the extreme exception and not the rule.

Much ado about nothing. This last weekend I trekked out West to check out the Fiesta at Arenal Village. Ya can’t get more west than Arenal; that’s the village that is half in Belize and half in Guatemala. The football field spans the border: one goalpost is in Belize and the other one in Guatemala. Decided to overnight but no lodging in Arenal, so I found a small resort a couple miles outside Benque Viejo del Carmen just off the Arenal Road called “Flores Villas”.

Flores Villas is a mom and pop enterprise that has been open less than a year. To tell the truth the Villas is a work-in-progress. The owners, Felipe and Hilda Flores are still putting the finishing touches on the rooms and have not completed the interior design furnishings yet. That said, to quote an Ernest Hemingway short story, the Villas is a comfy “clean, well-lighted place” that aims to please. Additionally Felipe is an encyclopedia of local information. Chatting with him, is a mini-history lesson.

The Villas is located on a fortress-like compound that has seven units divided between two buildings. The accommodations include air conditioning, cable TV and elegantly tiled floors and bathroom. It also has a restaurant, bar and covered outdoor patio for dining.

Of special note is the quality of the hearty Belize cuisine served up at the Villas. Co-owner Hilda is the chief cook and concocts a scrumptious meal of rice-n-beans. My better half, a highly persnickety amateur food critic gobbled the dinner down like she hadn’t eaten in days. Actions speak louder than words.  

As for roving bands of psycho banditos, not a one in sight. Contrary to the rather cautious State Department warning the wild, Wild West in Belize is an emphatically mellow place to stay.  Benque Fiesta is coming up Friday, Saturday and Sunday- July 14, 15 and 16. Head west and enjoy.