Month: August 2024

Whether you are ready for a vacation break right now or not, there’s no better way to spend time than by starting to plan a trip overseas.

Can planning be as enjoyable as arriving at a tropical location like Belize? It can be. Researching a vacation destination assures you that you won’t miss a single attraction or experience as you prepare for a 2024 Belize vacation.

1. Explore the Belize Barrier Reef, one of only two on the planet and visible by astronauts in outer space! Located just off the Belize coastline, this World Heritage site has a reputation for delivering thrills and wonder, whether you sail to spot offshore atolls, sand cays, and lagoons, or scuba dive the area. Expect to spot marine wildlife that’s so fantastical, you will be in thrall, including marine turtles, exotic fish, and breathtaking coral formations.

2. Indulge your inner archaeologist by roaming ancient Maya cities. You don’t have to see all 900 that are believed to be located throughout Belize but you can find plenty to explore, both above and below ground. Don your walking shoes to check out palaces, temples, ball fields, and sophisticated cities, or take deep dives into caves, once home to Maya priests who considered these environs sacred areas of worship and sacrifice.

3. Take a wildlife tour. Choose Placencia’s Chabil Mar Resort as your base and get your pick of excursions that include the Belize Zoo, a Monkey River sail (bring ear plugs if you don’t want to be yelled at by Howler monkeys), the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, home to numerous birds and mammal species plus jaguar, puma, ocelot, jaguarundi, and margay. The Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary has no equal and by staying on Placencia you gain access to a lagoon where manatees reside.

4. The Placencia peninsula is the hottest, trendiest Belize destination according to travel experts who insist the area is home to the nation’s most highly-rated beaches in Central America. If you find that Chabil Mar offers enough fun on its own, there are plenty of things to do when you’re not discovering why these beaches are so glorious. Chabil Mar’s gourmet restaurant, beautiful pool, spa, and endless amenities make ideal diversions when you’re not soaking up the sun.

5. Hang out with Belizeans. If you’ve already read that the citizens of Belize are some of the friendliest, most gracious, and most welcoming people you’ll ever meet, consider that fact shared. Explore the peninsula’s unique cultural mix by discovering the art, music, dancing, cuisine, and other cultural surprises found only in Belize. Learn to drum Garifuna style. Explore the history of Belize’s indigenous people. Take a chocolate tour and learn to prepare ethnic dishes. You’ll never run out of things to do, especially if you make Chabil Mar your holiday headquarters.

As a guest of Chabil Mar, get the most enjoyment out of your 2024 stay if you choose from the resort’s Belize vacation packages. They include every amenity, meal, and tour that allows you to see all of the aforementioned adventures for yourself, and everything you need and want is included.

View specials associated with our packages to tailor your 2024 visit to your exact desires. At Chabil Mar, we’re dedicated to creating an atmosphere where adventure meets relaxation. Immerse yourself in the beauty and tranquility of our surroundings, where every moment is about unwinding and making unforgettable memories. 2024 is shaping up to be a year of exhilarating experiences and serene moments at Chabil Mar. Start planning your dream vacation now!

For more information about 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 or WhatsApp us at +501-633-7547.

One of the quintessentially Belizean dishes out there would be fry jacks. While this dish is hardly healthy, it is certainly popular. Resembling mini puff pastries, fry jacks are wads of dough fried to a golden brown. While it remains unclear how they got their name, fry jacks are cherished by  Belizeans.

Why No Belizean Vacation is Complete Without Some Fry Jacks

Fry jacks are more common than sliced bread and a common breakfast combines them with scrambled eggs, refried beans and some sort of cheese. Fry jacks are also a common lunch staple, paired with dishes like rice and beans or stewed chicken.

Where Can You Get Some Fry Jacks? Cafe Mar, Chabil Mar!

At Chabil Mar, we pride ourselves on providing authentically unique flavors and presentations while using the freshest possible ingredients and from-scratch preparations on all dishes. Our Chef Daniel and Marsha, bake our breads every morning, fresh for you, and our Fry Jacks to order for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The ease of preparation of fry jacks means that you can find them in just about any restaurant in Placencia and throughout Belize. 

If you happen to stroll down the beach or hop on an easy 5 minute bike ride into Placencia Village from Chabil Mar for some eats, it’s easy to find a nice family-run and/or beach-front restaurant just minutes away as well.

What is the Best Time of Day for Fry Jacks?

While you can have them for lunch, breakfast is the best time for fry jacks. Remember that you should have them hot and fresh.

What is the Best Way to Eat Fry Jacks?

The fry jack serves the same role as bread on the Belizean plate, working as accompaniment rather than a main dish. A traditional Belizean lunch is fry jacks served with re-fried beans, some sort of meat and cheese. A traditional Belizean breakfast would combine the fry jacks with many of the same things you would put on a pancake, although honey is more easily acquired than maple syrup.

How to Make Belizean Fry Jacks at Home

Fry jacks are a traditional breakfast food paired with either a sweet (honey, jam or powdered sugar) or savory (cheese or refried beans) aspect. Fry jacks are also great for soaking up the sauces and gravies of other savory dishes.

Ingredients

• Flour, all-purpose, 2 cups
• Water, 1 cup
• Salt, 1 tsp
• Shortening, 1 tbsp
• Powder, baking, 3 tsp
• Oil

Directions

1. Mix the dry ingredients into a bowl.
2. Cut the shortening into your flour.
3. Slowly add the water, mixing as you go, until you have a soft, non-sticky dough.
4. Halve the dough and give it 15-20 minutes rest.
5. Add flour to your work surface and roll the dough into rounds between 10″ and 20″ in diameter.
6. Cut the dough into 3″ strips twice, leaving you with the proper size. Fry jacks are commonly made into triangles.
7. Make a small slit into each piece of dough and then fry each side in very hot oil until the fry jacks reach a golden brown coloring.
8. Remove from the fryer, garnish as you like and serve.

So there you have it; everything you ever wanted to know about Belize’s version of quick bread and even a recipe to make it yourself. Eat up!