Month: August 2024

Often described as a true melting pot, the modern-day nation of Belize is a rich blend of different cultures, including the Maya, Garifuna, Creole, and Mestizo people.

During its earliest history, Belize was briefly under the dominion of Spain but then became Britain’s only mainland colony in the area. Later emigration of Mennonites from Germany and Switzerland added to the many European influences in Belizean music, including polkas, quadrilles, schottisches, and polkas.

Primarily from the Garifuna culture, local styles feature musical instruments like drums, banjo, accordion, guitar, and a donkey’s jaw bone (played like a saw or zither). The Mestizos, immigrants from Guatemala and Mexico, brought the marimba, double bass, and drum sets.

These various influences have created a number of distinct styles of musical expression in Belize. Cumbia, related to salsa and merengue, is a popular type of music played by troupes in areas where Mestizos live. Probably the most famous musical Creole style is known as “brukdown” (breakdown), a melodic mix of calypso featuring percussion and rhythms from a donkey’s jawbone, drums and banjos. Newer forms of brukdown are called “boom and chime” and feature the use of electric guitars, congas, and bass guitars.

Two related genres of music created in Belize are known as punta and punta rock. Developed by Garifuna musicians, punta and punta rock mix traditional rhythms and dance steps from African melodies and add modern lyrics to create a style somewhat similar to reggae. Punta and punta rock were developed for parties and social events where dancing is just as important a component as the music and singing.

Probably the most iconic component of Belizean music is Garifuna drumming. Whether as an accompaniment to other instruments or played solely, Garifuna drums are traditionally made from local hardwoods covered with a skin from peccaries (a kind of wild pig) or deer. Garifuna drumming preserves the flavor and intensity of its African origins, and is often played along with “siseras”, a kind of maraca.

The award-winning luxury resort of Chabil Mar on the Placencia Peninsula is an excellent place to stay in order to experience all of the rich musical heritage of Belize. With close access to Dangriga, the culture capital of Belize, and other towns and villages with a rich heritage of Maya, Creole, and Garifuna music, Chabil Mar features well-appointed villas, a lush tropical garden, and its own gourmet restaurant featuring elegant beachfront dining, with live garifuna drummers and dancers during our Friday night beach-side grill nights (in-season), where our chefs prepare your dinner for you on open grills adjacent to the dining area, outside.

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.

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Belize doesn’t have states, provinces, or departments. Instead, the country is divided into six different districts. Cayo District is the largest district in the country, located in the west of Belize along the border with Guatemala.

While you won’t find many cowboys in Cayo, the area is often referred to as the “Wild West” thanks to its abundance of lush rainforests, mountains, pristine rivers, and enormous national parks. The biggest urban area in Cayo is San Ignacio Town and its twin Santa Elena across the river, the second-largest municipal area in the country. San Ignacio is a popular jumping off point to experience the beauty of nature in Cayo, but the town is worth a visit if only for its thriving open-air market where farmers, artisans, and villagers meet to exchange gossip and sell fresh produce, dairy products, handicrafts, and traditional medicinal compounds.

Cayo is home to several small villages dispersed throughout the territory, including the Mennonite settlement of Spanish Lookout where hardworking people of faith produce some of the country’s best cheeses and furniture.

Most people, however, come to Cayo to explore the rich abundance of wild nature in the area. There are several Important Birding Areas located in the district, as identified by the Belize Audobon Society. And massive national parks like the Mountain Pine Ridge Forest Reserve (some 106,000 acres/430 square kilometers), home to the tallest waterfalls in Central America and exotic wildlife like jaguars, monkeys, crocodiles, and endangered ocellated turkeys.

Adventure options in Cayo include horseback riding, hiking, bird watching, zip lining, and the uniquely Belizean sport of cave tubing at sites like Caves Brach. Cave tubing involves participants aboard an inflatable inner tube exploring vast underground river systems. Cayo District is also home to the Rio Frio Cave, once used by the ancient Maya for religious ceremonies, and Rio on Pools, a collection of swimming holes located at the base of a waterfall.

Other popular destinations in Cayo include ancient Maya sites, including Caracol and Xunantunich, two vast cities that once competed against Tikal (just across the border in modern-day Guatemala) for dominance of the region. And just across from San Ignacio lies the ruins of Cahal Pech, a cliffside community built exclusively for Maya nobles and members of the elite.

Chabil Mar is an award-winning luxury resort located on the Caribbean coastline in Placencia, Belize. Chabil Mar offers visitors Belize all-inclusive jungle and sea vacation packages that include guided tours to the best spots in Cayo.

For more information about Cayo, 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.