Belize With Kids: A Guide

Belize is a lot of things to a lot of people: a tropical paradise where newlyweds can connect, a living obstacle course for outdoor adventurers, a natural spa for rest and relaxation. But this Central American country is a great destination for families as well. Here are some of the best activities in Belize that are also suited for vacationers with kids.

Silk Cayes and Laughing Bird

laughing bird and silk cayes

Snorkeling is a great low-intensity way for kids to experience the tropical fish and other sea life off the coast of Belize safely, and there’s no better spots in Belize than Laughing Bird and Silk Cayes. The gentle, shallow waters are ideal for first-timers, but there’s still an abundance of life occupying this stretch of the Caribbean Sea. Both cayes are accessible as day trips.

Monkey River Tour

Monkey River Tour

Monkey River is aptly named. The habitat is home to a vibrant population of mischievous howler monkeys, and the popularity of this region has made them hospitable to strangers. Whether your family is looking to cruise the river by boat, experience the hiking trails, or do a little light spelunking, there are plenty of options. And your kid can go back with stories of meeting wild monkeys up close and personal.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Belize-Jaguar

Looking for something a little more fierce? Cockscomb Basin is home to the world’s first jaguar preserve, but don’t worry, it’s perfectly safe for visitors of all ages. It’s also known for its gorgeous waterfalls, and its biodiversity extends well beyond the local jaguar population. It can double as a learning experience as well, instilling in kids the complicated balance of life that makes up the natural world.

Maya King Waterfalls

Maya King Waterfall in Southern Belize

Maya King Waterfalls is a great place for a relaxing and laidback afternoon with the family. Your kids can go splashing in the cool pool at the foot of the waterfall while you bask on the nearby rocks. The surrounding jungle is a true sight to behold.

Nim Li Punit and Lubantuum

Nim-Li-Punit-Maya-Site

Belize is home to a wealth of natural beauty, but it was also once home to one of the most expansive empires in history. If you’re looking to expose your kids to the importance of history and the experience of immersing themselves in other cultures, you owe it to yourself to make a visit to Nim Li Punit or Lubantuum. Located in the south of the country, these remarkably intact ruins are a testament to the extraordinary engineering skills of the Mayan people.

A Golf Cart Stroll on the Placencia Peninsula

placencia village belize

The Placencia Peninsula is a beautiful stretch of territory where the beach is never more than a few miles away. That means that it’s a great region to explore by golf cart. A leisurely journey through the peninsula is an ideal way to soak up the local habitat and have some quiet family bonding time.

If you’re thinking about bringing your family to Belize, don’t wait to call Chabil Mar. We offer a variety of jungle and sea packages, and we can work with you to create an itinerary your family will love.

Best Place in Belize for a Destination Wedding in Summer

get married in belize

A wedding should be a once in a lifetime event. After all, a wedding signifies you pledging your eternal love to another person, and that’s an event remembering forever. And while destination weddings have become increasingly popular, that also means that there many of the most popular destinations have become exceedingly rote. Mexico, the Bahamas, and Hawaii dominate social media feeds of happy couples, Belize deserves to be on your radar.

The country of Belize is known for both the gregariousness and hospitality of its English speaking residents and for the untapped beauty of its landscapes. Beaches, jungles, and ancient Maya cities are all within reach in Belize, and the low population density ensures that the bride, the groom, and their wedding party can have a level of privacy that would be hard to find in more crowded wedding destinations. Of particularly worthy note is the Placencia Village. Located on the southern Placencia Peninsula, the village is a sedate settlement, offering plenty of tourist amenities despite still holding the trappings of a humble fishing village. Being only a quarter of a mile wide at its longest points, the peninsula is a picturesque stretch of land dominated by sandy beaches and easy to navigate. All these factors combine to make it an ideal spot for a wedding.

caribbean-weddings-belize

Then there’s Chabil Mar. Our resort accommodates travelers from all walks of life, but it’s particularly well suited for weddings. Chabil Mar is conscientious about pampering couples to an exceeding degree. Wedding packages include a romantic candlelit dinner for two, an intimate reception on the beach, and a luxurious honeymoon suite. Couples can indulge in massages, champagne, and on-site amenities like fine dining, an expansive pool, and a lush garden.

There are plenty of practical reasons for getting married in Belize. The whole process is a simple affair. Couples merely need to have been in the country for three days to apply for a marriage license, and the approval process simply takes a day. The license cost is just $100. But if you have any questions, the helpful staff at Chabil Mar can help expedite the process for you.

That gets to the heart of what makes Belize and Chabil Mar such an ideal choice for a destination wedding: convenience. Once you decide to stage your wedding on Placencia, you can put aside many of the traditional stresses of planning a destination wedding and instead focus on enjoying yourselves.

 
The beaches are readily accessible, the staff friendly and well-versed in the intricacies of planning weddings, and the opportunities far cheaper than more commercialized destinations. And once you’ve said I do, you won’t even need to board a plane for your honeymoon.
 
Belize has widely been recognized as one of the top honeymoon destinations around the world, and Chabil Mar will be happy to host you for the first few weeks or months of your wedded bliss.
 
 

What Is it Like to Cave Dive in Belize?

One of the hottest trends in adventure tourism is cave diving. Combining all of the excitement of standard scuba diving with a thrilling underwater environment, cave diving allows divers to explore secret caverns, passages, and labyinths, many of which have rarely been visited before by humans.

In a recently published article in Afar Magazine, Brooklyn-born Ben Popik described why he moved to Belize eight years ago. “There’s simply no thrill more exciting than diving straight down 75 feet through a narrow shaft. You then have to crawl for about 20 feet before you enter an enormous underwater cavern with stalactites and stalagmites in every direction as far as the eye can see.”

One of the top spots for cave diving in Belize is the Great Blue Hole, sometimes known as the Belize Blue Hole. From the surface, the Great Blue Hole looks like a perfectly circular body of water that is several shades darker than the surrounding water. But the tranquil surface hides a true diver’s paradise – a vast cavern system begging to be explored.

Formed over 10,000 years ago by the rising waters of the last great Ice Age, the Belize Blue Hole came to the world’s attention in 1971 when legendary French marine biologist Jacques Cousteau declared it to be one of his top 10 favorite dive sites in the world.

Not a traditional “color” dive where large numbers of fish and other animals congregate, the Great Blue Hole is, instead, a mysterious, gothic underworld that attracts elite divers from all over the world. Beyond the occasional hammerhead shark or elusive octopus, the Great Blue Hole is largely uninhabited. But the shadowy depths of the underwater labyrinth make this a truly unique dive.

Travelers to Belize should be aware that cave diving, including at the Great Blue Hole, is strictly limited to experienced divers. Beginning divers, however, can enjoy plenty of amazing sights at other nearby locations on the reef.

If you’re interested in cave diving, the best resort to stay at is Chabil Mar. Located on Belize’s fabled southern coast, Chabil Mar is very close to all of the top scuba diving spots on the reef, including Laughing Bird Caye, the Silk Cayes, the Turneffe Flats, the Great Blue Hole, and Gladden Spit, where whale sharks come to congregate every year.

Chabil Mar has a number of Belize vacation packages that include diving trips lead by experienced local dive instructors to all of the top spots on the reef.

For more information about scuba diving in Belize, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at:reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.

Monkey River Jungle Tour – A Must See & Do in Southern Belize

monkey river tour

The tiny picturesque village of Monkey River in the Toledo District is located on the coast of southeastern Belize at the mouth of the iconic Monkey River. This Creole village is a popular destination for eco-tourism trips up the pristine natural river to see some of the extraordinary range of tropical flora and fauna in the country, including the ubiquitous howler monkey that gave the river and village their names.

This eco-friendly tour starts in the village of Monkey River where visitors can dine at the popular local restaurant and stock up supplies. Visitors then board a small watercraft to begin a leisurely cruise up this gentle river. Along the way, it’s easy to spot crocodiles, manatees (often called “sea cows” due to their placid nature and large size), dolphins, lizards, monkeys and dozens of tropical bird species like parrots and toucans.

The tour will stop at various locations to give visitors an opportunity to explore the jungle on foot, keeping an eye out for snakes and spiders. Howler monkeys will make their presence known with their famous call, inviting children and adults to join in all the fun. Following well-marked paths, visitors can learn from their guides about the rich variety of medicinal plants, insects and animals that call the area home.

If you’re sensitive to the sun, be sure to be prepared by bringing and applying plenty of sunscreen, wearing loose clothing and/or wearing a hat. Due to the abundance of insects in the jungle, it is also recommended that visitors bring insect repellent and wear protective clothing for hiking through the jungle.

Not designed to be a high-adrenaline adventure, a cruise up the Monkey River is instead a way to relax and enjoy the unspoiled scenery while keeping one eye open for some of the many interesting animals, reptiles, birds and marine creatures that inhabit this unspoiled area.

Lodging Near Monkey River Village in southern Belize

One of the finest resorts in all of Belize is located just a few miles from Monkey River Village. Chabil Mar, named for a Mayan term which means “beautiful sea”, is located on the Placencia Peninsula. The resort features full-size villas, an on-site restaurant and private beach access.

For more information about the Monkey River Tour, feel free to chat with the Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact the Reservations Manager at:reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.

 

7 Reasons to Travel to Belize this Summer

Summer is right around the corner and many travelers the world over have started to plan their summer getaway. With beautiful attractions like the great Blue Hole, Maya temple sites like Caracol and Xunantunich, sumptuous Belizean meals like tamales and rice and beans, and the upcoming Lobsterfest in Placencia, Belize is a great ecotourism destination to visit this summer.

Here are seven reasons why you have to travel to Belize this summer:

The Belize Weather

island beach

The average yearly temperature is 84° F (29°C), which means that it is pretty much near perfect to be in Belize this summer. In addition the intact jungle and rain forests provide relief in the hot summer months.

Belize is the only English Speaking Country in Central America

children of placencia belize chabil mar resort

Belize is a diverse society with many cultures and languages (Creole and Spanish are widely spoken) however English is the official language, making it easy for travelers to get around.

Belize is a nature lovers paradise

Howler Monkey Chabil Mar Belize Resort

Belize has some of the most intriguing and fascinating wildlife in Central America. In fact 40 percent of the land is classified as protected and is habitat to a variety of species of plants, birds, amphibians, reptiles and marine life.

Belize is the epicenter of the ancient Maya world

xunantunich

Archaeologists estimate that more than one million Maya lived in present day Belize and flourished during the Classic Period from 300 to 900 AD. Maya temple sites like Caracol, Xunantunich, Altun Ha, Cahal Pech and Lamanai are just a few of the spectacular sites that can be discovered in Belize this summer.

Belize is home to the world renowned Blue Hole

great-blue-hole-belize

The gigantic underwater Blue Hole off the coast of Belize is believed to be the world’s largest hole measuring 1000 ft across and 412 ft deep. It offers divers a great opportunity to see geological wonders like giant stalactites, dripstone sheets and amazing marine life such as nurse sharks, groupers and a vast array of fishes and Caribbean sharks.

The Blue Hole was made famous in 1971 by Jacques-Yves Cousteau, the French Explorer in the television series – The Undersea world of Jacques-Yves Cousteau.

See also: 25 Things You Need to Know Before You Travel to Placencia Belize

Belize has one of the most intricate cave systems in Central America

ATM-CAVE

Caves were used extensively by the ancient Maya to conduct their sacred rituals and ceremonies and today a plethora of impressive caves can be discovered throughout Belize. The Chiquibul Cave System for example is nearly 540,000 square foot long and is the longest in Central America and offers a treasure trove of geological and archaeological wonders.

Some of the top caves to explore are: Actun Tunichil Muknal, Barton Creek Cave and Caves Branch and the Chiquibul Cave System.

Belizean food is tasty and succulent

lobsterfest in placencia 2014

The food in Belize is as diverse as its population and consists of a vast array of elements from the different ethnic groups like the Garifuna, Maya, Mestizo, East Indian and Creole. Some of the top must eats in Belize this summer are: Rice and Beans, Fry Jacks, Johnny Cakes, Stew Chicken, Gibnut, Escabeche, Tamales, Hudut, and Fish Sere.

For more information about travelling to Belize this summer, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at: reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.

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