The Toledo Ecotourism Association (TEA) is a well-meaning community organization that manages guesthouses in several Maya villages, but various bureaucratic battles have seen the program wind back in recent years. There are currently TEA guesthouses in San Miguel (managed by TIDE), San Antonio and Laguna. With a bit of luck, funding and good management, the program may pick up again and extend to more villages.
Although these are essentially basic guesthouses rather than homestays, you get the opportunity to mix with local families by having meals in village homes. Rates vary depending on the guesthouse, starting from BZ$25 per person, and meals are around BZ$10.
Most of the funds collected through the programs go directly to the villages themselves, benefiting local communities. Organised activity programs range from guided hikes, caving, canoeing and birdwatching to classes in textiles, basket weaving and cooking, as well as village tours and after-dinner storytelling.
To get specific contact information for key people in individual villages, call Reyes Chun or stop by Nature's Way Guest House in Punta Gorda, which has a booking desk.
