Month: August 2024

Most visitors to Belize will want to experience the white sand beaches and the warm Caribbean water before returning home. But there is so much more to Belize than you may realize. Did you know that Belize is home to the world’s only jaguar preserve? It has become the best place to learn about the Western hemisphere’s largest big cat and the third largest in the world.

Jaguars once roamed freely in an area stretching from the southwest United States to the grasslands of central Argentina. Over the years, their range has been greatly reduced. This is mainly due to road development through crucial parts of the jungle and the burning forests by farmers to plant crops. The species has also decreased significantly in numbers because of its popularity with hunters for its teeth and skin. In addition, farmers will kill jaguars if they believe they are responsible for killing their livestock. Belize has outlawed the hunting of jaguars and has become one of the few countries that has a healthy and thriving jaguar population.

Once fairly common in mangroves, savannas, and lowland forests, jaguars in Belize are now typically found only in the protected preserves. They mostly hunt at night and are known to feast on peccaries, howler monkeys, deer, turtles, birds, lizards, and fish. Jaguars have the most powerful jaws of any big cat and can take down their prey with a single bite to the skull. They are stealthy and are not commonly seen by humans during the day, although paw prints, animal carcasses, and loud nighttime roars are evidence of their presence.

Solitary by nature, jaguars only come together to mate. Jaguar cubs reach maturity by age three and adults can weigh between 100 and 250 pounds, measure up to 6 feet and have a tail up to 30 inches long. Jaguars can be born black with inconspicuous spots beneath their fur or with the more well-known yellow with black-spot coloring.

A trip to the world-renowned Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve is an opportunity to explore the jaguar’s habitat. This 150 square-mile sanctuary was established as a jaguar preserve in 1984 and is home to approximately 200 wild jaguars. The preserve’s main purposes are to provide a safe haven for this endangered animal, conserve the jaguar’s natural habitat, and educate the public.

If you’re looking for accommodations during your visit to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Preserve, Chabil Mar in Placencia is close and convenient. Our award-winning full-service resort has luxury suites and villas surrounded by lush tropical gardens, beach views, and fine dining options. 

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.

Belize – Best Fall Honeymoon Destination

June weddings are so yesterday! Your fall wedding will be held at the trendiest time of year—especially if you choose a romantic, affordable honeymoon destination like Belize.

Once upon a time, no bride would consider holding her wedding during any month but June. According to historian Christine Schultz, the restriction had everything to do with paying respects to the goddess Juno and in fact, choosing another month for getting married could have impaired a bride’s fertility, according to folklore.

But June weddings have gone the way of white dresses and throwing shoes at newlyweds. These days, June has been replaced by September and October as the most popular, and Paris has been replaced by Belize as an ideal overseas trip that’s close to home and where everyone speaks English.

Where to go in Belize? Chabil Mar Villas located on the Placencia peninsula. And if you’re marrying in the fall, you’ll be delighted to read that you can honeymoon here without emptying your savings account at a destination guaranteed to give your married life the most amazing start ever.

Why Chabil Mar?

This is an equal opportunity honeymoon haven. Bridal magazines offer women excellent advice but it’s rare to find a men’s magazine raving about a destination. “GQ” editors say, “no one would blame you for holing up” at Chabil Mar with your loved one.” Agreeing on a honeymoon destination couldn’t be easier!

This resort is sexy and exciting. Accommodations are luxurious, private and intimate. Imagine being sequestered in a honeymoon suite surrounded by a lush tropical garden. Actually, you don’t have to imagine it; you can see it for yourself: https://chabilmarvillas.com/panoramas/virtualtour.html.

Chabil Mar has won many awards. Listing them all here would test your patience but each one is well deserved! From gorgeous suites to the onsite gourmet restaurant, the number of honeymooners hanging “Do Not Disturb” signs on the doors of their lodgings for the entirety of their stays is staggering.

Fall honeymoons at Chabil Mar are affordable. Getting married in September or October? Take advantage of the resort’s “buy 4 nights; get 1 free” offer by reserving before September 30th and as long as bookings are available, you could save a bundle. You get the same white glove treatment you would enjoy if you came during high season when rates are at their highest.

Activities newlyweds adore. Chabil Mar offers an assortment of tours that suit all appetites. Whether you book a package that includes tours, or you want to choose activities when the mood strikes, you can marvel at Maya temples and caves, scuba dive the barrier reef, zip line over jungle canopies, fish the ocean or explore diverse cultural treasures. Staff does the work. You have the fun.

Start Planning Your Belize Honeymoon

Let’s say you have something more intimate in mind. Imagine a yachting island cruise, relaxing couples’ massages and intimate dinners served beachside, poolside or on your villa’s veranda. Why would you think of honeymooning anywhere else now that you know how splendid a fall honeymoon can be when it’s celebrated at Chabil Mar?