MOUNTAIN PINE RIDGE RESERVE, Belize -- The wake-up call in our cabana at Blancaneaux Lodge came not from a telephone or a knock on the door, but from a conch shell on the living room table.

The shell was apparently hooked up to an intercom and when it "rang" it made a kind of "ting" sound, like an elevator when it stops at a selected floor.

This quaint low-tech communications system was Francis Ford Coppola's idea -- or at least he approved of it.

Two decades ago, the Oscar-winning director bought the lodge and four hectares of land in western Belize as an occasional retreat for family and friends.

He had been searching for a jungle paradise similar to the one he enjoyed while shooting Apocalypse Now in the Philippines, and found it here in the Maya Mountains at Blancaneaux.

Slow but scenic

In 1993, after extensive renovations, the lodge was opened to the public and now guests can stay here for as little as $130 US per night.

Staff told us Coppola still visits about four or five times a year and that his daughter Sofia (also a film director) was the most recent family member to drop by.

She probably arrived the quickest way, via chartered plane to the Blancaneaux air strip.

We took the slow but scenic route, travelling on the remote dirt road that leads to the lodge, where, upon arrival, staff welcomed us with tall glasses of "Jaguar Juice" (Peach Schnapps, rum and pineapple juice).

Accommodation is in villas and cabanas with either river or garden views.

The thatched roof structures, designed by Mexican architect Manolo Mestre, rise up from the jungle on stilts and are separated by a meandering path.

Francis and his wife Eleanor selected all the furnishings, from the colourful woven bedspreads and carved animal masks from Mexico and Guatemala to the mahogany chairs hand-crafted in nearby San Ignacio.

Coppola obviously achieved his vision of creating a comfortable lodge in harmony with its surroundings. This is the kind of place you could easily spend an entire day in a comfy chair or hammock on your screened-in veranda listening to the birds and admiring the tranquil setting. Not that there's a lack of things to do, with hiking trails, horseback riding opportunities, a spa and hot pool on site.

When Coppola first visited Belize in 1981, just after the country gained independence, he wasn't thinking about opening a resort. He was more interested in trying to persuade the new government to apply for a satellite licence and become a hub of worldwide telecommunications. They weren't interested.

But at least one of his ideas was adopted.

Coppola, ignoring the advice of friends, invested in a private hydroelectric plant that harnesses the power of the Privassion River and makes Blancaneaux the only lodge in the area with 24-hour power.

It was so successful, it prompted several other private and public hydro projects in the country.

The resort also has a large garden where many of the fruits and vegetables served in the restaurant are grown.

It was while perusing the menu at dinner that I finally found a connection to Hollywood.

There amidst the pasta and pizza options, was "Mrs. Scorcese's Lemon Chicken." (That would be Marty's mother).

Family recipes

It was tempting but I settled on "spaghetti aglio e olio," which like many Italian dishes on the menu were Coppola family recipes.

As for the wines, they all came direct from the Niebaum-Coppola estate in the Napa Valley.

The evening's "entertainment" was courtesy of the croaking frogs, some of the loudest any of us had ever heard.

It was a hint of things to come.

That night in the cabana I awoke to the sound of animals scurrying on the thatch roof.

More encounters with local critters were to follow the next day.

During a tour of the nearby Caracol Mayan ruins, we listened to the raucous cries of howler monkeys as they scrambled through the tree tops.

Once a major Mayan city, Caracol covered more than 129 sq.-km.

Its most notable features are the date glyphs on the circular stone altars and the main temple of "Caana," which at 42 metres, remains the tallest man-made structure in Belize today.

Come to think of it, the ruins would make a great setting for a film.

For more information, log onto travelbelize.org or blancaneaux.com.


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