May 2025 - Chabil Mar Villas

Discovering Paradise Together: Why Couples Will Love Traveling to Placencia, Belize This Summer

Posted on May 27, 2025

For couples looking to rekindle their romance, embark on an adventure together, or simply bask in each other’s company, the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize should be at the top of their list. With its pristine beaches, luxury resorts, and thrilling activities, this charming coastal village offers an unparalleled experience for couples seeking a summer getaway. And for the ultimate stay, look no further than Chabil Mar, a premier resort in Placencia that promises an unforgettable retreat.

White-sand beaches and crystal-clear waters

Placencia’s beaches are truly picture-perfect, boasting miles of powdery white sand and crystal-clear Caribbean waters. Couples can spend their days lounging under the sun, hand in hand, or taking a leisurely dip in the warm, inviting sea. As the sun sets, there’s no better way to end the day than with a romantic beachfront stroll, basking in the golden hues that paint the horizon.

Adventure awaits in Placencia’s natural wonders

Thrill-seeking couples will find no shortage of excitement in Placencia. Embark on a snorkeling or scuba diving excursion to explore the vibrant marine life of the Belize Barrier Reef, the world’s second-largest coral reef system. For an unforgettable experience, dive with majestic whale sharks during their annual migration, which occurs between March and June.

If you prefer to stay on land, visit the nearby Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the world’s first jaguar reserve. Here, you can trek through the lush rainforest, spotting incredible wildlife along the way, or even take a refreshing dip in a waterfall pool.

Embrace the local culture

Experience the laid-back, friendly vibe that defines Belizean culture in Placencia. Stroll through the village, visiting the local shops and art galleries, and indulge in authentic Belizean cuisine at one of the many delightful restaurants. For a truly immersive experience, partake in a traditional Garifuna drumming lesson or cooking class and create lasting memories together.

A haven for relaxation

After a day of adventure, couples can find solace in Placencia’s many spas and wellness centers. Indulge in a couples’ massage or a rejuvenating facial, and let the worries of everyday life melt away as you reconnect with your partner.

Chabil Mar: Your romantic retreat in Placencia

Nestled along the coastline, Chabil Mar is a luxury boutique resort that offers couples an idyllic escape in Placencia. Its beautifully-appointed villas boast stunning views, private verandas, and all the modern amenities you could ask for. The resort’s lush tropical gardens and two infinity pools provide the perfect setting for relaxation, while its on-site restaurant, Café Mar, serves up mouthwatering Belizean and international cuisine.

Chabil Mar’s attentive staff can help you plan your perfect Belize vacation, from booking tours and excursions to arranging private dinners on the pier. Experience the best of Belize at Chabil Mar, where romance and adventure await in a paradise you’ll never want to leave.

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.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Posted on May 27, 2025

Review of Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Plenty of natural reserves and parks are recognized by organizations, clubs and travel authorities because they’re home to species of wildlife and plants that can’t be found elsewhere, but the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (CBWS) is that rare location where so much biodiversity exists within these environs, you might never have to visit another sanctuary to have your fill. Called a “magical place” of wonders and diversity by the World Wildlife Fund, Cockscomb is presently the world’s lone jaguar preserve, but if you visit, you’ll find wildcat, deer and taper tracks in addition to those left behind by these magnificent cats.

History: Concern for the viability of Belize’s jaguar population didn’t arise until the 1980s, when wildlife conservationists and government officials compared notes on the frequency of jaguar references found in hunting magazines. A graduate student was hired to estimate the jaguar population and he declared that the “highest density” of jaguars ever recorded were at the Cockscomb Basin. The government of Belize stepped in and declared the Basin a no-hunting forest reserve in 1984, but wildlife experts remained worried that this designation didn’t sufficiently protect jaguars and other wildlife, so that designation was upgraded to wildlife sanctuary in 1986.What you’ll see: If you expect to encounter nothing but four legged creatures while visiting this Belize hot spot, you’re in for a surprise. Majestic waterfalls, trails and mountain peaks are home to all sorts of creatures, including a splendid collection of neo-tropical birds. The reason this area is so hospitable has to do with the bounty of natural resources encouraging habitation. The South Stann Creek not only sustains wildlife but also protects the upper watersheds of river systems supplying water to the people of Belize. In fact, there’s just a sliver of land separating basins interconnected to the Swasey River and a Monkey River tributary, so the complex drainage system supports all manner of life in the region—including people!

Stick around: What’s the best way to experience Cockscomb? By staying on premises, of course. Cabins and campgrounds await, so whether you prefer a solid roof over your head or you never met a tent you didn’t like to sleep under, you can go to bed and awaken to the sounds of nature all around you. Be forewarned: this is a moist, tropical forest with high rainfall (around 100 inches annually), so if you can plan your visit in advance, cooler, dry air awaits between February and May. No matter when you come, you will be amazed when you witness this area’s ecological balance.

Getting there: It will take you time to hike area trails, identify exotic vegetation, and spot reptiles and amphibians residing in these wetlands because this area has expanded greatly since 1986. What was once 3,200 acres is now 128,000 acres and the surrounding corridor brings the protected area total to an impressive 250,000 acres. Take a bus, taxi or car to the sanctuary entrance where you will pay a modest entry fee. If you’re driving, travel the Southern Highway about 20 miles south of Dangriga. You must plunge deep into the forest to see the richest treasures and there’s a six-mile path to the epicenter of the sanctuary. Wear comfortable shoes if you plan to hike in, but expect the effort to pay off the moment you spot your first living creature!

For more information about visiting Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, 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.

8 Reasons Why Half Moon Caye is an Amazing Caye in Belize

Posted on May 27, 2025

Photograph by by Marius Jovaiša, author of Heavenly Belize

Half Moon Caye is located at the southwest corner of Lighthouse Reef Atoll and just this week was selected as a top dive site by Jacksonville Business Journal, a popular business website in the United States.

Kristina Fazzalro, the writer who put together the article entitled “10 Best Dive Sites in North America” described the Caye as follows: Half Moon Caye in Belize offers divers the chance to go on a wall dive–a dive in which the vertical facades of the earth’s landmasses are explored. The depths at Half Moon Caye (and really at any wall dive) are tremendous, giving you the very correct feeling that you are staring into an abyss. The waters at Half Moon Caye are particularly clear, despite the depth, so you will be able to see all manner of wildlife, including loggerhead turtles, rays, barracuda, and eels.

Weather permitting, our dive package can include a trip to Lighthouse to dive the Blue Hole, Half Moon Wall and Long Caye

Of course we agree with Fazzalro’s description on Half Moon Caye and we also have 8 great reasons why we believe this beautiful gem is an amazing Caye in the country. Here are our 8 reasons:

REASON # 1 the fact that the water in Half Moon Caye is ridiculously crystal clear

REASON#2 the fact that the area is diversely populated with abundant marine life like groupers, snappers, hogfish, stingrays, and sand eels and all of these beautiful and colorful creatures are protected under Belize Law

REASON#3 the fact that the spectacular coral growth makes it the ultimate destination for snorkeling and diving in Belize

REASON#4 the fact that Half Moon Caye is a historical national park and protected area

REASON#5 the fact that the Caye supports the only viable breeding for the Red-footed Booby colony in the western Caribbean.

REASON#6 the fact that the Island Leaf-toed Gecko, also known as the Belize Atoll Gecko, is endemic to Belize, meaning it is found nowhere else in the world.

REASON#7 the fact that its beaches are clean and gorgeous

REASON#8 the fact that it is crescent- shaped and is divided into two ecosystems: on the western side it has dense vegetation with rich fertile soil and on the eastern section it sustains coconut palms and other vegetation.

For more information about Half Moon Caye or 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.

What You Should Know About the Placencia Belize Airport

Posted on May 27, 2025

The Placencia Airport (three digit code: PLJ) is a small airport that serves the Placencia Peninsula in southeastern Belize. The airport is located directly on the Placencia Peninsula about three miles from Placencia Village on the southern tip of the peninsula. The airport underwent an expansion and enhancement project a few years ago, which included the installation of evening lights. These upgrades enabled the airport to accommodate a higher volume of flights, including evening arrivals and departures.

Placencia Airport has a single paved runway that currently only handles domestic flights, although there are plans in the works to expand an airport in the area in order to receive international flights. Currently, all flights to and from the Placencia Airport are served by the Belizean air carriers Tropic Air and Maya Island Air, both of which have multiple daily connections to Belize City and other destinations across the country, including Punta Gorda and Dangriga.

From Belize City to Placencia, the flying time is around 45 minutes in the air. The Placencia Peninsula measures about 16 miles from north to south and just a quarter-mile wide at the widest point. The unofficial capital of the peninsula is Placencia Village, still largely an idyllic fishing village with a population of around 1,000 residents. The Placencia Peninsula is located in the southeastern corner of the Stann Creek District.

The eastern side of the Placencia Peninsula is composed of beautiful white sand beaches fronting the Caribbean Sea while the western border is a mangrove-lined lagoon teeming with fish and wildlife. Placencia Village holds a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records for the town with the smallest “main street” in the world, a pedestrian-only 4,000-foot long sidewalk measuring just four feet across. From south to north, there are loosely-defined communities that begin with Placencia Village and continue on to a Garifuna Village named Seine Bight and then onto Maya Beach, at mile six and eight north on the Peninsula.

Popular local events include the End of the World Marathon that first began as a humorous reference to a date on the Maya calendar that supposedly predicted the apocalypse in December 2012 and Lobsterfest, a multi-day beach party and culinary competition held every July to celebrate the opening of the lobster fishing season.

Placencia is rapidly becoming one of the top visitor destinations in the country, with many lovely resorts and inns giving guests access to both the nearby islands on the Belize Barrier Reef and top destinations on the mainland. Nearby attractions include the Cockscomb Basin Nature Reserve (home to the world’s first dedicated jaguar conservation mission), boat tours up the eponymous Monkey River, and the enormous ruins of ancient Maya cities such as Lubantuum and Nim Li Punit.

For more information about visiting Placencia, 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.

Save

What You Should Know About Dangriga Belize

Posted on May 27, 2025

Dangriga Town will charm you with its color, vibrancy and friendliness. The town is the capital of the Stann Creek District in Southern Belize. With a small population of over 9,000 people, it’s small enough to be enjoyed in a day.

Get to Know a Vibrant Community

Dangriga Town is often called the cultural capital of Belize because it’s the heart of Belize’s Garifuna culture. The Garifuna are descended from slaves who escaped from a sinking ship. Over the years, the escaped slaves mingled with the indigenous people of St Vincent in the Caribbean and then migrated to the coastlines of Honduras, Guatemala and Belize. Today, the Garifuna people live in communities like Dangriga, Hopkins, Placencia and Punta Gorda.

Enjoy Art and Culture

Dangriga Town is the birthplace of Punta Rock, an authentic Belizean musical style. It’s also home to festivals that celebrate Garifuna music, art and food. Spend some time at the Gulisi Garifuna Museum to learn more about this vibrant, thriving people.

Make sure to make your way to the Pen Cayetano Art Gallery, owned by the celebrated Garifuna painter and musician Pen Cayetano.

Get Close to Nature

Natural beauty is never far away in Belize, and Dangriga Town is no exception. It’s surrounded by pristine rainforest, sandy beaches, coconut trees and the Maya Mountains. Dangriga Town is close to the southern edge of the Belize Barrier Reef. It’s also close to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the most beautiful natural areas in Belize.

Taste True Belizean Flavor

The Garifuna people have added to Belize’s rich ethnic flavor. You can get a taste of that in the delicious, freshly cooked meals you’ll enjoy here. Sample some traditional Garifuna dishes like sere, a stew made from fish and coconut milk. Dangriga has other specialties like cashew wine, mashed plantains and cassava bread.

Do you love chocolate? Learn how the ancient Maya of Belize make their world-famous Maya chocolate at the Maya Center which is located a few miles outside of Dangriga Town. At the Maya Center you can sign up for a farm-to-factory tour with a master chocolate maker. The tour includes a trip to a cacao plantation.

Chabil Mar

Every trip to Belize should include the beautiful beaches and fun, friendly towns of southern Belize. At the Chabil Mar, we’re in the perfect location for all your Belize explorations. We offer luxury accommodations and we’ll help you enjoy all that Belize has to offer.

Month: May 2025

Discovering Paradise Together: Why Couples Will Love Traveling to Placencia, Belize This Summer

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

8 Reasons Why Half Moon Caye is an Amazing Caye in Belize

What You Should Know About the Placencia Belize Airport