Otehlia Travels

It was a truly beautiful experience! Incredible way to experience this culture. Food was amazing! Otehlia does whatever she can to make sure you are comfortable. Would love to go on anther trip with Otehlia!

This was a truly amazing trip! It was more than a vacation. It was an experience! My first international trip and Otehlia made it smooth and effortless. From the moment we inquired about potentially booking this trip to heading home post trip, Otehlia's attention to detail made it our best trip ever! Complete professionalism and organization along with a friendly, fun and adventurous itinerary made this trip to Isla Mujeras personal and memorable. Every day allowed us to get to know this island and the beautiful people. We didn't feel like tourist. We felt like guest of the people who live there. The accommodations were excellent and the Isla Retreat staff were kind, friendly and always helpful.

I have known Otehlia from when I was living in Madison, WI. I heard good things about her culinary and cultural tours, but could never make time for it, until now, and am so glad that I did. I went for a 10 day trip to Belize, and I couldn’t have asked for a better vacation for myself. We went to 3 different places, each unique in scenery, cuisine and culture. From the rustic mountains, to Mayan ruins, to a beautiful fishing village, to a town with an urban vibe, the common denominator was that we were soaking in Belizean culture, history and food. My top favorite was the Mayan cooking class, where we literally roasted cocoa beans, unhusked them, ground them in traditional grinding stone, and made the traditional spicy hot chocolate, along with a whole platter of tamales made from corn masa, that we learnt to make from the scratch. Well, cocktail making class comes next, where we explored tropical fruits like soursop, dragon fruit and mango in rum based cocktails. I will have a lasting memory of the snorkeling trip. Although I didn’t know how to swim, the the team from Under da Sea Adventures, that Otehlia arranged for us, made sure that I was comfortable, while still able to see the turtles, different colorful fish and friendly sharks under the turquoise ocean. These were just a few highlights amongst all the other activities, which included other cooking classes, exploring different food, shopping, rum tasting, chocolate tasting, while making sure, we had much time to relax as well everyday.Otehlia personally made sure, we were all having a good time during our entire 10 day trip.All in all, a wonderful experience. Our small group met as strangers and returned home as friends. I, by myself couldn’t have organized a trip like that for me, where I could experience Belize to this extend. Am glad I chose Otehlia Travels.

Cuban Culinary & Culture Tour 2023 - Otehlia’s & Amel’s knowledge & prep ahead of this tour made this a truly amazing experience for us! We learned so much, met many wonderful people, enjoyed fantastic food (and rum, of course :) and were able to explore so many different areas that we never would have on our own!!

A couple of years ago we did an 8 day small group tour of the Yucatan peninsular and Isla Mujeres with Madison Eats (now Otehlia Travels) and an amazing group of people.We are a party of four Aussie/Kiwi travellers and we were a little apprehensive about signing with an unfamiliar company from a town halfway around the world. We realised these concerns were unfounded as soon as we met Otehlia, Amy and the rest of our party - a great group of new friends.The tour had the right blend of the culinary delights of the Yucatan, the culture and sights of the Mayan people and the tropical paradise that is Isla Mujeres. This was the setting for well spaced and planned cooking classes, informative tours to artisans plus yoga each day in spectacular settings.The tour is nice and casual, but nothing was overlooked. Each of the accomodations was carefully selected and the food we experienced was unbelievable. Prepared and taught by local chefs and giving us the ability to learn about the people and their culture through their food.I have no hesitation in recommending this, or any other tour Otehlia curates, to anybody who wants a fun filled culinary tour with like minded people, expertly crafted and put together.Thank you again Otehlia, Amy and all of our fellow travellers.

A few years ago I had an opportunity to travel with Otehlia on the Yucatán food and culture tour. It was one of the best trips I have been on. So many wonderful experiences during the trip such as visiting a Mayan apiary where we learned about the Mayan bees and the challenges they are facing due to climate change, visiting a couple of Mayan ruins, swimming in a cenote, Mezcal tasting, cooking with local chefs, eating some of the freshest the most delicious food, chilling on the beach, morning yoga sessions and a private waterfront Massage. There was some thing for everyone who was part of our travel group. A group that began the trip as strangers, ended the trip as friends. We still keep in touch and hope to book a trip together with Otehlia again.

I travelled to Cuba with Otehlia Travels in January 2023 and had an amazing experience. Otehlia led the trip and was incredibly prepared prior to our trip date, as well as incredibly communicative. Travelling to Cuba is more like a culinary and cultural adventure. All of the trip plans were made by Otehlia and she did not disappoint. She also had ample support in Cuba to negotiate the inevitable wrinkles in plans that happen. The trip was nothing short of amazing and I would not hesitate to travel with Otehlia Travels again.

My husband Martin and I went on a 10-day tour to Belize curated by Otehlia. It was definitely one of the most fun, adventurous, and tasty vacations of my life!Otehlia took us to three very different but equally amazing places in Belize---a mountain lodge in a peaceful jungle near the Xunantunich Mayan ruins with a river running right in front of our cabin, an ocean-front penthouse with a view of the Caribbean ocean in Jaguar Reef, and another ocean-front room in a highly walkable city in San Pedro.In addition to picking the best travel locations and taking us to some of the best restaurants, Otehlia arranged several amazing cooking classes for us. We learned to make cocktails with fresh local fruits and rum, Mayan cuisine, authentic Garifuna dishes, as well as El Salvadoran food alongside the local people!We drummed, danced, swam, snorkeled, kayaked, hiked, and we ate... a lot!!! And we swam with sea turtles, sharks, and colorful tropical fishes in the turquoise Caribbean ocean!We definitely wouldn't have had such an abundant travel experience with such a wide variety of activities in the short amount of time we had if we were to travel on our own without Otehlia's thoughtful planning and guidance.From accommodations to local transportations and domestic flights within Belize, from culinary experiences to every fun, exciting activity, Otehlia took care of it all and allowed us to simply relax and enjoy every moment of our vacation.If you are considering taking a 100% stress-free vacation with a mix of local cultures, luxury, and excitement, we highly recommend Otehlia as your travel ambassador! She will definitely enhance your travel experience! :)

I had the pleasure of traveling with Otehlia Travels to Belize and it was one of the most memorable experiences of my life! When I travel I’m all about relaxing and soaking up the culture — and Otehlia Travels allowed me to do both! I didn’t have to organize a thing or figure out how to get us from the mainland to the island on time for lobster fishing, Otehlia took care of everything so I could just go with the flow. And when Otehlia is involved the flow is always fun! The thing that really differentiates Otehlia Travels from any other tour guide, is that she deeply LOVES the cultures and seems to know all the locals like she’s lived there her whole life. lol With Otehlia Travels you get a truly immersive experience that is full of wonder, incredible food, and forever memories. And lots and lots of delicious local food! Highly recommend!

The January 2023 Cuba trip was fantastic. Cuba, Otehlia, the food and the experiences exceeded my expectations! I enjoyed the great variety of activities. The seafood in Havana was exceptional. I particularly enjoyed the nightlife and the salsa lessons.