Twenty-five-year-old Ashley Lightburn, a resident of Belize City, is Belize’s latest beauty ambassador as she was able to snatch the Miss Universe Belize Crown, at the Bliss Centre for the Performing Arts on Saturday, August 13^th, 2022.

Despite strong competition from five other contestants who all participated in segments of Swimsuit, Evening Gown, and a few rounds of Questions and Answers, Lightburn was able to sway the judge’s decision in her favor.

Lightburn who is a Project Manager Officer at a local bank and adjunct lecturer of Mathematics at the University of Belize will now go on to represent Belize at the Miss Universe Pageant, which will be held in December of this year at an unannounced venue.

Lightburn holds a Bachelor’s in Pure Mathematics and is currently pursuing a master’s degree in International Business Administration. She says, “This pageant, to me, is not only about displaying external beauty but also about inner beauty. I aim to show young girls that you can have all beauty and brains, and you should use it to inspire others and build your country. “

The first runner-up is Alina Scott, a twenty-seven-year-old Ph.D. Candidate and Littlefield Fellow at the University of Texas at Austin, who hails from the Cayo District. She holds both a Bachelor’s and Master’s Degree in History and is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in History, Scott, who was the crowd’s favorite and appeared to have been one of the strongest competitors among the delegates, has represented Belize at several international volleyball competitions.

The second runner-up place went to Samantha Singh, a twenty-seven-year-old writer from Placencia, Stann Creek District. Singh holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Loyola New Orleans and a Culinary Arts Degree from The New School of Cooking.

A total of six contestants from Belize City, Belmopan, Placencia, Orange Walk, San Ignacio, and Spanish Lookout, all walked their hearts out on the stage, but despite being armed with dazzling smiles, gracious poses, and drop-dead gorgeous looks, only one was able to snatch the crown and become the 2022-2023 Miss Universe Belize.

Chabil Mar joins the nation in congratulating Miss Ashley Lightburn on such a huge accomplishment. We are certain that she will represent our jewel to the best of her ability and wish her nothing but success as she embarks on this one-of-a-kind journey.

We also wanted to express our appreciation to all the other candidates who participated in this year’s competition and commend them on their bravery, dedication, and commitment.

Discover Paradise at the 11th Annual End of the World Marathon

2022 is your chance to join the eleventh annual celebration of the End of the World Marathon. While the Maya calendar suggested that the apocalypse might happen on December 21, 2012, runners from around the world continue to participate in a marathon and half marathon through the streets of Placencia. For the people of Belize, it’s another way to celebrate their connection to the Maya Empire and a way to do good in the community.

Running For a Greater Good

There’s some irony in the fact that the End of the World Marathon is actually about building a better world. More specifically, all the proceeds raised at the End of the World marathon go to education in Belize. This is especially crucial because education beyond eighth grade requires tuition, making it prohibitive for many poorer families to get the education they need. Proceeds are specifically donated to dozens of high school, university, and vocational trade school scholarships offered to economically disadvantaged Belizean youth.

A Lot More to Do Than Just Run

If the idea of running a marathon sounds exhausting to you, there’s a whole lot of fun to be had anyway. That’s because the people love a good festival, and the End of the World Marathon is as good an excuse as any. While the runners train hard for the marathon, others work hard putting together costumes, stages, and events to keep things rolling throughout the day. And if you’re looking to slake your thirst, you’ll find plenty of food and drink along the marathon route.

And the Perfect Opportunity to Visit

Ultimately, you shouldn’t need an excuse to visit Placencia — but it would be a shame to come all the way down for a marathon and not see what else there is around the village. The peninsula of Placencia is unique in its own right thanks to the fact that it’s 20 miles long but only a half-mile wide. That means you’ll have plenty of opportunities to kick back on the beach after the run — but Placencia also puts you close to the Belize Barrier Reef, ancient Maya ruins, the Cockscomb Wildlife Jaguar Sanctuary, and the Actun Tunichil Muknal cave.

Find the Right Place to Stay

All of Placencia is gorgeous, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t be selective about where you stay. If you’re in town to run in the marathon, cheer on a loved one, or merely spectate, Chabil Mar offers world-class amenities while also being directly along the marathon route.

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 vacation.

Coastal erosion has always been a monster, claiming small islands, eradicating natural habitats for marine life, and disrupting communities and their livelihood for as long as can be remembered, but in Belize, the combined efforts of over 250 Placencia residents were able to defeat that monster through a joint conservation effort which was able to reclaim South Silk Caye.

Today, the small island which has been a major means of income for Placencia residents, as well as a recreation spot for locals, is a testament to the priceless, unmatched, and valiant efforts that Belizeans are willing to contribute towards the protection of what matters most to them. After two months of voluntary and arduous work, South Silk Caye is back to being intact and is now fully protected against the aggressive waves by a 135-foot, wall barricade. The barricade, made from huge slabs of stone, was secured into place manually by locals with the assistance of technical experts. On July 23^rd, amid the sweet sounds of Garifuna drumming, a short prayer, and a ceremony, South Silk Caye was officially reopened, thanks to the quick action of local environmental watchdogs.

While Belizeans and even visitors to Belize are proud of the successful conservation effort, our very own Marketing Manager at Chabil Mar, Larry France said that he, ‘’was personally pleased with how the community in Placencia came together to save Silk Caye.’’ France added that the level of support and commitment among the Placencia community is nothing short of inspiring and must be commended.

Two months ago, South Silk Caye, situated 22 miles east of Placencia Village, was thrust into the spotlight after local tour guide and fisherman Eworth Garbutt made a public plea for assistance from the local community to save Silk Caye which was disappearing fast. Like its siblings, Middle Silk Caye and North Silk Caye, which have already fallen victims to coastal erosion, the caye was also being swallowed up by the sea in huge chunks.

Garbutt eventually managed to convince stakeholders to take matters into their own hands and rebuild the caye, however that was later met by resistance by the Government who insisted that Garbutt and his team were in contravention of Regulations 15 (1) of the Fisheries Act, Revised Edition 2000. That particular regulation had stated that because the caye was located inside a marine reserve, it required approval from the Fisheries Department as well as an EIA by the Department of the Environment. At the time Garbutt was taken into custody but was later released without any charges. A meeting between him and government officials was able to figure out a plan of action on how the parties involved could work together for the greater good.

South Silk Caye can be found on the outer reef, straddled with coral formations, rich marine wildlife, and an amazing view. The Caye has been a major attraction for visitors and locals alike who would take the 1.5 hours boat ride to swim side by side with whale sharks, outside of the reef, and other marine animals, such as nurse sharks, rays, and sea turtles, that are known to hang around the island.