Luxury treatment along the Caribbean is second to none, no matter what species you might be. Just two nights ago, the Chabil Mar Resort staff stumbled upon an injured tern. Not equipped to truly see to the needs of such a unique guest, the staff called in the expertise of the Belize Bird Rescue (BBR). Founded in 2004, BBR works to provide sufficient care and rehabilitation for the country’s enormous bird population with a major focus on helping parrots that have been freed from the area’s illegal pet trade operations.
Terns are most well known for the spiked black feathers that sit atop their crowns, mimicking a popular human coif. These seabirds are extremely adaptable, commonly leading them into more dangerous situations than most other bird species.
According to Nikki Buxton of BBR, the skinny and weak tern was found to have internal parasites. While it won’t be feeding on fine cuisine any time soon, it will receive much needed fluids and tubed fish puree.
When asked if the little visitor will make it, Buxton is confident in a full recovery. “It’s 50-50 with these guys but this one seems stronger than most. Fingers crossed! Good save.”
If you’re eager for the chance to get into a celebratory mood–but Christmas and New Year’s Eve are just too far away in your opinion–you’ll be happy to know that Garifuna Settlement Day takes place on November 19th, giving you everything you crave in a festive, culturally-rich special occasion.
Every November, the Garifuna people hold a grand celebration on November 19th that commemorates the legacy of a people who were literally exiled from their homeland in the Caribbean Sea, only to set sail for the west, where Belize became their new home back in 1802. Do you detect a similarity between Thanksgiving in the U.S. and Garifuna Settlement Day? You should! Both tell a story of a people hungry for freedom and willing to undertake a risky sea voyage in search of a welcoming land willing to let the people put down roots.
Symbolically, the landing of the forefathers of the Garifuna people is literally re-enacted on the 19th every year, so if you choose accommodations near this exciting happening, you’ll have a front row seat for the pageantry, the party and the fun. Chabil Mar Villas makes an ideal lodging choice if you’re here for the holiday because it’s located in Placencia Village and in close proximity to Seign Beight, the Garifuna Village in south Belize known as the epicenter of Garifuna life. If you’ve already experienced the Seign Beight celebration, head for Barranco, Hopkins, Punta Gorda or the cultural capital of the Garifuna people, Dangriga.
Traveling to any of these destinations is a breeze thanks to your Chabil Mar Villas host. Ground transport can be arranged through the concierge so your only responsibility is to relax during a short ride and experience all of the celebratory events, food, dance, music and history you crave. If you want to cap off your Garifuna Settlement Day in style, learn how to drum, since this instrument is an important part of Garifuna history.
Garifuna Settlement Day, Belize. Photo by Lebawit L Girma
Chabil Mar can arrange transport to get you back to the villas early, if you like, but if you decide to join the crowd that loves to celebrate all night long, you’ll be right in step. Besides, if your constitution is up for the challenge, you can always sleep the day away in your luxury villa on the 20th once you’ve had your Settlement Day fill.
This year’s Garifuna Settlement Day festivities will give Belizeans another chance to memorialize the legendary musician Paul Nabor, so expect the music you hear throughout the day to be bold, colorful and vibrant. The iconic master of Garifuna music passed away last year around this time, leaving a huge void in the Belize music scene that won’t soon be filled, but plenty of up-and-coming young musicians eager to emulate Nabor’s success will perform at this year’s festivities, so don’t miss a minute of it.
While your soul and your ears are being nourished by Garifuna music, feed your tummy by dining on traditional Garifuna cookery, like serre, hudut, cassava bread, puddings, traditional drinks and some of the most potent wine on the planet. Everything about this holiday will reverberate to the signature drums of the Garifuna people, so catch up on your sleep before the 19th so you don’t miss a minute of the excitement.
Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in attending the Garifuna Settlement Day Celebration.
Travelers insist that one of the best reasons to visit Belize year-round is because everyone speaks English, so it’s easy to shop, dine and get around without a translator or guide book. But on one day every year, English takes a backseat to the language of Gobble, Gobble, Gobble: everyone talks turkey on Thanksgiving Day!
At Chabil Mar Resort in Placencia, this holiday has become a more splendid affair with each passing year, and 2015 is guaranteed to surpass your expectations. From luxury rooms and affordable rates to a holiday atmosphere that’s as festive as any celebratory Thanksgiving you’ve attended in the U.S., expect a place at the Chabil Mar table that’s part gourmet banquet and part tropical splendor, all at an affordable fixed price.
According to Chabil Mar Marketing Manager Larry France, Chabil Mar chefs have been working for months to perfect the ultimate menu worthy of culinary awards for both imagination and preparation: Start your meal with sweet potato bisque lavished with chives. Indulge in an assortment of three salads that run the gamut from pasta and almonds and a green tropical mélange to a traditional Caprese salad.
Return to the buffet table to load your plate with a sampling of colorful fall vegetable casseroles—one more delicious than the next—and help yourself to the apple raisin stuffing. At last, the course you’ve been waiting for: the Chabil Mar carving station offers two succulent meats: perfectly-roasted turkey and ham on the bone, both served with tropical sauces.
Save room for at least a taste of pumpkin cheesecake, southern pecan pie and tiramisu or you won’t end this spectacular meal properly. As for giving thanks, you may wish to include the chefs when you count your good fortune once you’ve had a taste of this year’s Chabil Mar holiday extravaganza.
Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call US/CAN Toll Free: 1-866-417-2377, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize Thanksgiving Vacation.
Wondering what to pack for your stay at Placencia’s world-famous Chabil Mar Resort in Belize? Shorts. Sunscreen. A hat to protect your head from the sun…and how about tossing some flash cards, pencils, rulers, cat snacks and perhaps a dog leash into your suitcase?
You’ve got room, right? Everyone speaks English so no need to drag a translation guide or install an app on your smartphone. And since Chabil Mar is all about breezy living, relaxed dress and a no-frills experience, by tossing a couple of educational or pet-related items into your bag, you turn your vacation into an opportunity to show your kindness and concern for others.
What’s this request all about? Charitable giving. Chabil Mar Resort just joined the Pack for a Purpose family, a worldwide nonprofit organization devoted to helping kids, supplying basic medical needs and even assisting homeless pets. By bringing a book, pet shampoo or Band-Aids when you travel south for your vacation, you use a little bit of room in your luggage to do so some big giving!
As a Pack for a Purpose partner, the Chabil Mar team is thrilled to get in on this program. Launched in 2010, the initiative has been a stunning success, amassing more than 103,642 pounds of school, medical and pet supplies since it began spreading the word throughout the international travel community.
“Our targets are St. John’s Memorial School in Placencia Village and the Belize Humane Society,” explains Chabil Mar’s Marketing Director Larry France. “Every time we inform our guests about this collaboration to help St. John’s stockpile school supplies that kids can’t afford to buy—as well as contributing much-needed provisions for the Belize Humane Society—they become as enthusiastic as is our staff!”
If you can’t figure out exactly what to bring as a donation for this terrific cause, there’s a list of most-needed items posted on the Chabil Mar website or simply figure out what your kids needed for school and slip it into your bag when you prepare to leave. Even small donations of goods and materials help, says France.
Becoming involved with the Pack for a Purpose movement is just the most recent way resort staff and management found a way to show their concern for the earth and its people. Chabil Mar was recently awarded Green Globe certification—an honor bestowed upon travel industry entities only after it has fulfilled 380 sustainability compliance indicators that prove a serious commitment to conservation and green operations.
The Pack for a Purpose movement has done amazing things for worldwide populations thanks to the efforts of the international travel industry and you get bragging rights if you join in! Ask yourself this question: when was the last time you contributed to a worthy cause simply by tucking a few rulers into your bag when you go on vacation?
For more information about the Chabil Mar or its Pack for a Purpose initative, please contact Larry France at chabilmar@comcast.net or https://chabilmarvillas.com/.
Being asked to join an exclusive community is always an honor. When that recognition is received for doing an outstanding job of practicing sustainable tourism, that’s cause for celebration–which is exactly what the Chabil Mar Resort team did after learning that the staff and the resort were awarded Green Globe certification.
“This has already been a banner year for us at Chabil Mar, so being notified of our Green Globe certification was like icing on a cake,” said the resort’s Marketing Manager Larry France. “This is no lightweight designation. It’s given only to those in the tourism industry practicing the highest levels of sustainability. At Chabil Mar, we take seriously the beautiful environment surrounding us and we are eager to help with global initiatives that keep the planet pristine for future generations.”
To earn this recognition, an applicant must meet 44 core criteria and fulfill 380 compliance indicators. Only those able to document their achievements, improvements and green efforts are eligible to be awarded Green Globe certification, and thanks to the efforts of management and staff alike, at Chabil Mar, that goal has been achieved.
“Receiving this designation is just a first stop for Chabil Mar,” explains France. “We will be reviewed twice per year by third-party independent auditors to make sure that we are living up to our promise to remain as ecologically responsible as we are tourist-centric. From our lush tropical gardens to kayaks, paddle boards and bicycles we provide so guests can travel from place to place without expending carbon emissions, our green earth commitment has become a priority for us.”
As the only guest-exclusive resort on the Placencia Peninsula, Chabil Mar undertakes unusual measures to promote sustainability, including choosing suite furnishings decorated with locally-grown Belizean hardwoods from trees that are regularly replenished. Wildlife reserves and ancient Mayan ruins are considered treasures so when guests are taken to these locations, guides stress the critical nature of the world’s finite resources.
In addition to being awarded Green Globe certification, Chabil Mar resort is the recipient of numerous awards on a peninsula that is no stranger to worldwide notoriety: Placencia was named “Leading Beach Destination” at the 2015 World Travel Awards held in Bogota, Columbia and Chabil Mar’s laudits include nine years topping TripAdvisor award categories and a “Choice for Luxury” designation by Fodor’s.
“Too often, people say that it’s impossible to balance luxury with conservation and sustainability, but Chabil Mar is proof that not only can this be done, but done in such a way that visitors return again and again for first-class hospitality and service. We’re proud of our efforts and we intend to keep up our commitment to sustainability in every way possible,” adds Mr. France.
For more information about the resort or its Green Globe Certification, please contact Larry France at chabilmar@comcast.net or https://chabilmarvillas.com/.
Luxury treatment along the Caribbean is second to none, no matter what species you might be. Just two nights ago, the Chabil Mar Resort staff stumbled upon an injured tern. Not equipped to truly see to the needs of such a unique guest, the staff called in the expertise of the Belize Bird Rescue (BBR). Founded in 2004, BBR works to provide sufficient care and rehabilitation for the country’s enormous bird population with a major focus on helping parrots that have been freed from the area’s illegal pet trade operations.
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