Month: July 2018

National Geographic, the world’s oldest and most respected travel publication, recently began a campaign called “Planet or Plastic,” challenging themselves and their readers to enjoy traveling without relying on single-use plastics.

In order to test their commitment to this idea, they sent Marie McGrory, an experienced travel producer, to Belize. They chose Belize because it is a developing country that relies on eco-tourism for a significant portion of its economy. Belize has also recently pledged to ban the sale and use of single-use plastic by April 2019, and its offshore reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, was recently removed from the list of endangered areas thanks to strong conservation efforts by the government and local NGOs.

With more than 200 miles of coastline and the largest coral reef system in the Western Hemisphere, pollution from single-use plastic is an important issue for the people of Belize. After a referendum was overwhelmingly approved by voters, the government of Belize imposed a complete ban on all offshore drilling. More than half of Belize’s territory is a protected conservation area, and the government has strongly committed to preserving the health and diversity of the environment.

After spending more than a week in Belize, National Geographic travel producer Marie McGrory calculated that she had successfully avoided 79 pieces of single-use plastic while in Belize. Her greatest challenge, ironically, was on the flight over to Belize as drinks and snacks served onboard were only available in single-use plastic options.

McGrory advised travelers coming to Belize to pack a few handy items to make avoiding single-use plastic much easier such as a reusable shopping bag, toiletries and sunscreen in reusable containers, a few collapsible containers for snacks, a glass or metal straw, and one or two reusable water bottles. Tap water is not recommended for visitors, but most lodges, hotels, and resorts have purified water available so you can refill your bottles.

If you’d like to enjoy a great vacation in Belize, be sure to stay at Chabil Mar Resort located on the stunningly beautiful Placencia Peninsula. This luxury beachfront resort has its own tropical garden, two infinity swimming pools, and a seafront pier where you can enjoy gourmet meals and delicious cocktails made from fresh, local ingredients.

Chabil Mar offers eco-friendly tours such as scuba diving and snorkeling on the reef, hiking trips to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, boat tours of the well-named Monkey River, and trips to explore ancient Maya ruins.

Due to a series of unforeseen events, the FIBA AmeriCup has had to reschedule their playoffs, so all of the championship games will be held at the Belize Civic Center in Belize City from July 22-22, 2018. The FIBA AmeriCup was formerly known as the FIBA Americas Championship and is an international basketball competition between national teams in the Western Hemisphere.

Originally, Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua were scheduled to host games in their nations, but a number of issues forced the games to be relocated. The first round of the playoffs will begin on July 20, 2018, where Belize will square off against El Salvador. On the following day, July 21, El Salvador will face off against Costa Rica. And on the final day of the playoffs, Sunday, July 22, Belize will go head to head with Costa Rica.

The winner of these playoff rounds will qualify for the next round of the FIBA AmeriCup championship in 2019. Several teams will then be chosen to compete in FIBA’s Olympic Games qualifying tournaments, and the winner will be eligible to compete at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo Japan.

The FIBA AmeriCup championship game is held every two years. In 2017, the United States beat Argentina 81-76 in the gold medal game while Mexico beat the Virgin Islands 79-65 to win the bronze medal. Since its inception in 1980 (when it was known as the FIBA Americas Championship, Belize has never qualified for the medal round.

The United States has won the championship seven times and earned one silver medal in 1989 when it was narrowly defeated 89-80 by Puerto Rico.

Despite widespread enthusiasm across the country, the Belize national basketball team has very little international experience and has never competed in the Olympic Games. Since joining FIBA in 1973, Belize has struggled to successfully compete against regional teams. In 1998, Belize’s basketball team won the CARICOM men’s champions. And on 2001, Belize won the Central American Games championship.

“We warmly welcome all the FIBA Americup competitors to Belize,” said Larry France, marketing manager at Chabil Mar Resort. “And we wish all the teams the very best of luck!”

Chabil Mar is a luxury resort located on the beautiful Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize. Chabil Mar regularly organizes tours and activities, including transportation for any guests who want to attend the FIBA AmeriCup playoff games in Belize City between July 20-22, 2018.