Ever since I was a child I have wanted to swim in a pool below a waterfall.  While I’ve had some wonderful experiences in life, this childhood dream has escaped me until our trip to Belize.  Who knew that that dream would be realized in Belize of all places.

Needless to say, I was thrilled when I read that within a few miles of our hotel at Blancaneaux Lodge was a trail leading directly to such a place … Big Rock Falls.  No entrance fee or car ride to the trail was required.  We merely walked the short distance across the lodge property and found the signage for the trail immediately.  The trail is easy, well marked, and very peaceful.  We encountered only one other couple the entire time we were on the trail or by the falls.

Privassion Creek follows the trail the entire length so you have the lovely sound of rushing water while you hike.  The final hundred yards down to the creek is definitely a steep one but there are lots of good rocks and roots which you can grab to stabilize yourself.  Once down on creek level there are lots of places where you can hop in for swimming.  I personally wanted to be as close to the falls as possible so we continued on the rocks a hundred yards or so back towards the falls.  Given that the rocks are granite, they do get very slick when wet so some caution is wise when clammering over these granite slabs.

The water was so refreshing and clean and it was a total thrill to jump in.  I  paddled around for a while just taking in the solitude, the thunderous sound of the falls, and the refreshing feel of the water.  This was one of those out of body experiences where you think is this real: am I really swimming in a river in Belize below some waterfalls in the middle of a jungle?  I was living a moment about which I had always dreamed of as a child, I felt like Huckleberry Fin.  This is the kind of place where I could spend an entire day alternating between swimming and sunning myself on the rocks.  Blancaneaux Lodge makes some killer picnic meals which would be great to bring along for a day at the rocks as well.

If you’re in Belize’s Cayo District, you definitely want to take some time for this fun excursion.  So glad the Life Bus lead me to this happy place where I could make a dream come true.