Author: Administrator

Want to Trade Twitter for Real Tweets? Go Birding in Belize

Is Belize’s Placencia Peninsula for the birds? You bet it is. Bird watchers couldn’t choose a place with as much avian diversity thanks to plenty of green space, surrounding jungles and rainforests, and watersheds that act hospitably toward anything with wings that roosts here. If you’re a birding purist, you may want a taste of what you can expect to see here before you book your flight and accommodations, so may we take the liberty of introducing you to the Belize birding scene? Allow plenty of time to see as much as you can so you return home relaxed, refreshed and in possession of colorful photos that prove your amazing good fortune.

Do your homework first

How important is a little education? Important enough to morph a nice birding experience into a spectacular one. According to the Belize Audubon Society, 587 types of birds have been spotted here (though other resources insist that number exceeds 600). Most are indigenous, but about 20-percent of them come from North America, proving that humans aren’t the only species wild about flying south. Prepare for your trip by finding a copy of the book “Birds of Belize,” written by H. Lee Jones and published by The University of Texas. This book is loaded with illustrations, so even if you dislike reading, browsing the art alone can help you identify the birds you spot in Belize.

How to go birding in Belize

If you’ve never before visited this Caribbean hot spot, use an online aggregator to book a flight on any of the airlines now servicing Belize daily: American, United, Delta or Southwest. Competition has spurred price reductions, so go birding here even if you’re on a budget. Book accommodations where an impressive concentration of Belize birds can be found. We recommend Chabil Mar, an excellent lodging choice, because suites are luxurious and well-appointed, onsite amenities like swimming and dining are superior, and you’ll be right in the thick of the action, with easy access to places Belize birds frequent most often.

What to look for

If you’re a serious birder whose journals are tributes to your dedication and record-keeping, bring a large, new journal for your Belize expedition. Be on the looking for these species: In the trees, identify the Magnificent Frigatebird, Double-crested Cormorant, Turkey Vulture, Roadside Hawk, Eurasian Collared-Dove and Golden-fronted Woodpecker. Spot these species along beaches, in ponds and lagoons: the Brown Pelican, Great Blue Heron, Spotted Sandpiper and Mangrove Swallow. Search wooded areas for Cinnamon Hummingbirds, Social Flycatchers, Tropical Mockingbirds and Yellow Warblers. If you’re in Belize at the right time of year, you might also record these three in your journal: the Great Kiskadee, White-collared Seedeater and Great-tailed Crackle.

What to bring

A great set of binoculars and digital camera are essential, as is bug repellent and sunscreen, since you could find yourself waiting patiently in jungles and forests for the bird of your dreams to land on a nearby branch. Your birding journal should have room for your discoveries and don’t bring just one pen, because you know what’s bound to run out of ink at the most inopportune time, right? If you’re a stickler for efficiency, this guide (http://www.wildbirds.com/FindBirds/TripPreparation/TripPackingList/tabid/199/Default.aspx) is your ticket to excellent preparation, but for the best experience of all, ask your Chabil Mar host to handle logistics by booking this Belize birding package. You’ll still need those binoculars, but there’s no better way to enjoy a birding excursion than by letting others handle the details!

For more information about birding in 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.

December is easily one of the most popular months to visit Belize. With plenty of warm sunshine and fun festivals, there’s something exciting going on all month.

Here are a few festivals and events that you don’t want to miss in Belize in December:

End of the World Marathon

The End of the World Marathon first began on December 21, 2012 when many people around the world interpreted the ancient Maya calendar to predict the apocalypse on that date. After gaining widespread popularity, the End of the World Marathon has continued year after year, blossoming to become one of Placencia’s most popular events. Get more information on this event here.

Christmas Parades

Christmas is a very important holiday in Belize, and the locals love to celebrate with parades for adults and children. Don’t miss the famous Love FM Christmas Parade in Belize City where Santa and his elves share a bounty of goodies with the crowd.

Boat Parades

In coastal areas like Placencia and Ambergris Caye, locals and visitors alike turn out to enjoy the sight of hundreds of boats parading by in a sea of lights, decorations, and enthusiastic cheers.

The Sport of Kings

For more than a century, horse racing has been an important past-time in Belize. The small village of Burrell Boom outside of Belize City is home to a big race on Boxing Day (December 26) and New Years Day (January 1). This is no elitist affair, but a big party where people from all walks of life enjoy the action.

Junkanu Dancing

Spelled a variety of ways, Junkanu is a traditional Garifuna dance developed at a time when African slaves had little to celebrate. Dancers don special garb to mock and ridicule their former European masters in a cavalcade of music, singing, and dancing.

Posadas

Catholics in villages across Belize prepare for the birth of Jesus by re-enacting the pilgrimage of Joseph and Mary in their quest for room at the inn during the nine days leading up to Christmas Day.

Christmas Eve

No one needs reminding of the “reason for the season” in Belize as shops shut down to allow for family members to go to church and sing hymns. Many Belizeans herald the arrival of the big day with a midnight mass.

Christmas Day

A full day of gifts, music, concerts, and lots and lots of delicious food. Don’t be surprised to hear traditional classics as carolers roam the streets to celebrate the big day. Christmas is also a great day to enjoy nature, hiking through the jungle, snorkeling and diving on the reef, or marveling at the enormous stone pyramids and temples left behind by the ancient Maya.

December 26

Celebrated both as Boxing Day, a holiday inherited from the long centuries of British rule, and as Kwanzaa, Belizeans keep the holiday season going strong to close out the year.

Where to stay in December

The multiple award-winning resort of Chabil Mar on the Placencia Peninsula is an oasis of luxury and beauty. With well-appointed villas ideal for families, honeymooners, or adventure travelers, Chabil Mar is a great resort to stay for your vacation in December.

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  in December.

With so many fun festivals and national holidays packed into just one short month, September is one of the best times to visit Belize.

In 1798, Spain and Britain contested rule over the area with a tremendous maritime battles in the waters offshore of St. George’s Caye. After a week of close-quarter fighting, the British ultimately prevailed, sealing the fate of Belize as a British colony for the next 200 years. Belize has been an independent country since 1981 but continues to celebrate the momentous battle every September 10 that led to Belize being the only nation in Central America where English is the official language.

Independence Day

September 21 marks the official commemoration of Belize’s independence from Great Britain with parades, street parties, and throngs of people proudly waving the red, white and blue colors of Belize’s flag. September 21 is the national holiday but Independence Day festivities begin up to two weeks earlier with the period between Battle of St. George’s Caye Day (September 10) and Independence Day being a virtually non-stop explosion of musical celebrations, parades, dancing, eating, and imbibing.

Expo Belize Market Place

More than 17,000 people are expected to attend this popular event that showcases the products and goods of Belize. Activities include dancing, singing, sampling a wide variety of local food, and plenty of shopping from booths set up by local vendors. Expo Belize Market Place will be held around mid-September in 2019.

Similar to events in New Orleans and throughout Latin America, Carnival is a colorful display of parades, music, dancing, and partying spectators that line the streets of Belize City. Elaborately-costumed individuals will march and dance in their efforts to be crowned the king and queen of Carnival.

J’ouvert

This unusual festival takes place in the streets of downtown Belize City, with thousands of exuberant party-goers celebrating the opening morning of Carnival Day with a riotous mix of chocolate and paint.

Chabil Mar

The multiple award-winning resort of Chabil Mar on the Placencia Peninsula is one of the best resorts to stay in Belize. Guests can partake in all of the popular September festivals by booking now.

Save

When spring arrives, the faithful eagerly await Easter, a holiday filled with pageantry and fun. Should you decide to celebrate the holy season here in Belize, make it the kind of vacation that suits your religious needs and sensibilities while enjoying weather that’s heavenly. As a Christian, you’ll celebrate in a nation where 80-percent of the populace shares your faith; if you’re not Christian you’ll have an equally fabulous time of it since Belize serves up some of the most beautiful sights, sounds and tastes in the Caribbean at this time of year.

What sets Belize apart from other Central American nations when Easter rolls around? As a society that takes the season of Jesus’s resurrection very seriously, your visit will coincide with a four-day celebration that’s a non-stop ride through parties, events and religious rituals. The nation shuts down in deference to the pious nature of the season, but you won’t care if you visit because you are in Belize to slow down and relax, right?

If you’ve limited time in Belize and wish to see the best of the best, we urge you to attend this Good Friday tradition: evening mass followed by a moving re-enactment of The Way of the Cross staged in the town of Benque Viejo del Carmen in western Belize. Other re-enactments of the Via Crucis will also be held in the Districts of Orange Walk and Corozal, in case one of these locations is more convenient for you.

If you think a suitcase filled with fancy Easter duds is necessary for your holiday trip, re-think your packing strategy. Bring one nice outfit to attend services at any of Belize’s churches on Good Friday, but because the weather’s hot and lots of activities surrounding Easter are more secular than sacred, lightweight shorts, shirts, skirts and traditional resort wear plus swimsuits will have you covered in the fashion department.

Be forewarned that alcohol is not served in Belize on Good Friday, so if you can’t imagine a day that doesn’t include the cocktail hour, follow the lead of tourists and stockpile your bubbly before this 24-hour period begins. Some visitors say that the parties, church services, water sports and visits to attractions keep them so busy, they don’t even miss having alcoholic beverages on this holy day.

Change up the pace of your Belize Easter visit by attending the annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycle Race. The antithesis of religious pageantry, this cycling race is an excitement-filled, 140-mile-long event that takes cyclists from Belize City to San Ignacio/Santa Elena and back. This wildly popular competition attracts big crowds, but if you’ve no interest in the sport, your resort host can help you find things to do for this short period of time that are away from the race route along the Western Highway.

Once you’ve experienced Good Friday and Holy Saturday Belize style, you can expect a more familiar day on Easter Sunday. Churches throughout the nation proclaim the Resurrection of Christ during services and then, in fairly typical fashion, families get together for meals as do tourists in country for the holiday. By afternoon, athletic events, fairs other secular events liven up the third day of this holiday—leaving Easter Monday to be observed. On this day, the last of the fairs, athletic events, dances and parties wrap up this four day celebration!

If reading about Easter in Belize whets your appetite, we recommend accommodations at Chabil Mar in Placencia. The recipient of myriad hospitality and media awards–plus recommendations from travelers who keep coming back–this luxury resort offers gracious surroundings, superior accommodations and service. Staff is delighted to help guests find and attend celebrations held during the Easter holiday season, but to see the full extent of what awaits at Chabil Mar, take a peek at the resort’s website.

For more information about visiting Belize or Chabil Mar for Easter, 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.

Save

Save