The Ultimate Belize Adventure eco-Lodge

Belize Adventures at Long Caye offers an action-packed, off-grid getaway at Glover’s Reef Atoll. Located on Long Caye, one of Belize’s most remote islands, this eco-lodge trades typical resort amenities for an all-inclusive adventure getaway and sustainable glamping experience. Powered entirely by solar and wind energy, Belize Adventures features rustic yet comfortable facilities that perfectly complement the natural surroundings. Beachfront cabanas provide guests with views of the Caribbean Sea and a porch to soak in the beauty.

From surfing Belize’s only surf break to enjoying a vast array of watersports, this eco-lodge offers the perfect blend of adventure and relaxation. The 13.5-acre island provides ample space for exploration, and rustic amenities ensure comfort without compromising the authentic island experience. We cater to the adventurous spirit with 21 beachfront cabanas, a well-equipped kitchen, water pumps, a composting toilet, an assortment of adventure equipment, and our own dive shop. While there is no traditional hotel setup, you’ll find a fridge stocked with Belikin beer and sodas, friendly Belizean guides to accompany you on adventures, and a true sense of community during shared meals. Escape the ordinary and embrace the best of rustic, adventure travel at Long Caye in Belize.

ISLAND HISTORY

Long Caye is a small, narrow, privately owned island on the southeastern rim of Glover’s Reef Atoll, part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (UNESCO World Heritage Site). The atoll features hundreds of coral patch reefs. Long Caye has historically been covered in coconut palms, with beaches used by nesting sea turtles (loggerhead, green, hawksbill), and excellent access to the “Long Caye Wall.”

Early history and naming (1700s)

Glover’s Reef is named after the pirate brothers John and Rodger (or Roger) Glover. In the 1700s (commonly linked to the 1750s), they used the remote atoll as a base to raid Spanish merchant ships. Earlier maps used other names; by the late 18th century it was recorded as Glover’s Reef, and the 1830 Admiralty survey formally named the cays, including Long Cay.

Coconut plantation era

Long Caye was originally a coconut farm. Like many Belizean cayes, it supported extensive coconut woodland (primarily Jamaican Tall palms). By 1961 it was documented as a coconut plantation with a local caretaker family. By 1971 an early American-owned tourist operation with chalets existed at the east end (later damaged by a hurricane). An American businessman Fred Dodd later acquired the island from a Belizean owner Ralph Jackson; in the early 1990s it still supported around 1,500 coconut trees.

Slickrock Adventures (founded 1977)

Slickrock Adventures was founded in 1977 by Cully Erdman in connection with the sandstone “slickrock” country of southern Utah (Moab base). The company began as a guiding/kayak operation and later expanded into multi-sport adventures. In the 1980s it operated in Mexico, including the Sea of Cortez and eastern Mexico, and it has been operating in Belize since 1986. A pioneer of sea kayaking in the region, Slickrock also offered jungle trips to Maya sites and river kayaking (including cave kayaking) from 1986 to 2020, thereafter focusing solely on the island operation. From 1991 to 1996, Slickrock operated on Northeast Caye. In 1996, Cully Erdman and partner Lucy Wallingford leased (half of) Long Caye from American businessman Fred Dodd who owned it. They transported kayaks from Utah and established an off-grid multisport base focused on sea kayaking, surf kayaking, windsurfing, snorkeling, and related water sports, with Belizean guides. Slickrock Belize opened on Long Caye in 1996 as a rustic ecotourism outpost. Lethal yellowing disease struck the coconut palms in the late 1990s. Slickrock treated and saved trees on their leased portion while the untreated half suffered heavy losses; this contributed to their eventual purchase of that half of the island. They later replanted hundreds of disease-resistant hybrid palms. Slickrock continued under Cully and Lucy until 2018, when it was sold to Phil Dowsett. The operation retained its adventure focus and low-impact character.

Slickrock Adventures was founded in the US in 1977 and has operated in Belize since 1986.

Rebranded to Slickrock Belize Adventures in 2019, following new ownership from November 2018.

Rebranded as Belize Adventures in August 2024.

Off The Wall Dive Center and Resort (founded 1998)

PADI 5 Star Dive Resort

In 1998, Jim Schofield (a retired dentist from Tucson) met Kendra (a realtor from Portland) on Long Caye while he was serving as manager of Slickrock Adventures. They fell in love with each other and the island, began living simply (initially in a tent), and gradually built Off The Wall as a small eco-friendly PADI dive resort and center on the central portion of the caye. It specialised in diving (especially the nearby Long Caye Wall), and all-inclusive stays in oceanfront cabanas, using solar/wind power, composting toilets, and rainwater systems. The two operations (Slickrock on the northern end, Off The Wall more central) shared the island for decades.

Recent unified ownership and conservation

In 2022, Peter Lawson partnered with Phil Dowsett at Slickrock. In 2025 Peter purchased Off The Wall from the retiring Jim and Kendra Schofield. The resort continued under new management (reopening for the November 2025 season) while remaining closely linked with Slickrock. The West End of Long Caye had previously been owned by property developers. It is now under the same overall ownership/management. This supports preservation of the island’s natural character for wildlife, including nesting turtles on the beaches (with active protective practices). The island remains off-grid and low-impact.

Long Caye continues as a remote adventure and dive destination, reflecting the progression from pirate refuge and coconut plantation to carefully managed ecotourism within a protected atoll.