Chabil Mar Resort - Belize Blog, Belize Vacation Planning

Chabil Mar Named a Top 25 Boutique Hotel in Central America by Tripadvisor

Posted on February 19, 2025

We are proud to announce that Chabil Mar has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Small and Boutique Hotels in Central America by Tripadvisor’s Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best for 2025. This prestigious honor celebrates our commitment to delivering five-star service, luxurious accommodations, and unforgettable guest experiences year after year.

The Travelers’ Choice Awards Best of the Best represent the highest level of excellence in travel. With over 8 million listings worldwide, fewer than 1% of hotels receive this award, making it a true testament to our dedicated management team and exceptional staff. This achievement reflects the outstanding reviews and glowing feedback shared by our guests over the past year.

Why Guests Love Chabil Mar

Located along the golden beaches of Placencia, Belize, Chabil Mar offers a unique combination of luxury, privacy, and authentic Belizean hospitality. Our beachfront villas feature spacious living areas and breathtaking ocean views, making them perfect for couples, families, and solo travelers alike. Each villa is beautifully appointed, ensuring guests feel at home while surrounded by the natural beauty of Belize’s Caribbean coast.

Guests can enjoy a wide range of on-site amenities designed to provide both relaxation and adventure. Lounge by the saltwater pool or infinity pool, take in the views from our private pier, or savor a gourmet meal with our “dine anywhere” option—whether it’s on the beach, by the pool, or in the privacy of your villa. Our culinary team creates dishes that showcase the flavors of Belizean cuisine, ensuring every meal is a highlight of your stay.

For those looking to explore the area, Placencia Village is just a short stroll along the beach. Guests can immerse themselves in local culture with walking tours, discover marine life while snorkeling at nearby cayes, or experience the thrill of horseback riding through the lush Belizean countryside. Our concierge team is always available to help guests plan personalized excursions that showcase the best of Belize’s beaches, jungles, and Maya ruins.

Award-Winning Service and Attention to Detail

What truly sets Chabil Mar apart is our unwavering commitment to personalized service. As a guest-exclusive resort, we prioritize creating an atmosphere of tranquility and intimacy, ensuring that every guest feels valued and cared for. Our attentive staff goes above and beyond to anticipate each guest’s needs, from providing daily newsletters with activity recommendations to offering concierge services that make every experience seamless and stress-free.

This dedication to excellence has earned us not only the Tripadvisor Travelers’ Choice Best of the Best Award but also a loyal community of returning guests who choose Chabil Mar for romantic getaways, family vacations, and special celebrations.

Plan Your Award-Winning Belize Vacation

We invite you to experience why Chabil Mar is one of Central America’s Top 25 Small and Boutique Hotels. Whether you’re dreaming of relaxing on the beach, diving into Belize’s vibrant marine life, or exploring ancient Maya ruins, Chabil Mar is the perfect place to create memories that last a lifetime.

Reserve your Belize vacation today and discover the luxury, beauty, and warm hospitality that make Chabil Mar an award-winning destination.

Visit our website Chabilmarvillas.com for more information on Belize and Chabil Mar, and don’t hesitate to send us an email, or call & chat with us via WhatsApp Free Worldwide: +501-633-7547, Local: (011-501) 523-3606, if you have questions or need help in planning a Belize vacation.

March Is the Perfect Month to Visit Belize

Posted on February 19, 2025

Did you miss your winter vacation this year? You can more than make up for it by booking a trip to warm, friendly Belize in March.

Enjoy White Sandy Beaches and Lush Jungles in March

March is a great time to explore Belize’s beaches and lush jungles and the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize is the perfect base to enjoy both. Opt for a jungle and beach vacation package and you are guaranteed to have the time of your life in Belize.

Adventures You Can Only Have in Belize

The Belize Barrier Reef is the second-largest barrier reef in the world, and it offers world-class snorkeling and scuba diving.

Try a cave tubing adventure, where you ride a rubber tube down a scenic river and through a network of mysterious sacred caves used by the thousands of years ago.

Belize has many nature preserves, wildlife sanctuaries, and marine reserves. Each is a fantastic destination for birders and anyone who wants to see rare, tropical wildlife.

Major March Events

The biggest sporting event in Belize, the La Ruta Maya Belize River Challenge, takes place in March. This grueling, 180-mile canoe race brings thousands of spectators and participants to San Ignacio Town, where the race begins. Before the race starts, San Ignacio holds a festival of music, food, and dance.

The race is a major event that draws competitors from countries all over the region.

Baron Bliss Day (March 9th) honors one of Belize’s greatest benefactors. Baron Bliss was an English aristocrat whose yacht spent two days in the harbor at Belize. Bliss never left his boat, but local Belizeans visited him while he was in the harbor.

Bliss was completely charmed by Belize. When he died in 1926, he left a generous trust fund to set up schools, roads, parks, and public services in Belize. He also asked to be buried here. Every year, Belizeans honor his memory with a parade and a boat race.

Maya Day honors the proud heritage of one of Belize’s largest ethnic groups. The Maya of Belize have built a thriving culture that preserves their traditions. You can learn about their culture and history during Maya Day at the Tumul K’in Center of Learning in the Toledo District, Southern Belize.

Enjoy traditional dances, music, games, and activities for children. Sample delicious, homemade Maya food and world-famous Maya chocolate.

What’s the Weather Like in March?

Unlike northern countries that are still shivering under gray skies and chilly winds, Belize is warm and sunny in March.

Daytime temperatures are in the 80s with low humidity and almost no rainy days. At night, the temperatures drop to the 70s. Sea breezes keep everything cool and fresh. The Caribbean Sea is warm enough to swim in all year round.

In short, it’s just about perfect.

Enjoy Belize at Chabil Mar in March

When you book your trip to Belize, make the most of your vacation by staying at Chabil Mar. Our award-winning Belize resort is located on the stunning Placencia Peninsula and offers luxurious accommodations and amenities to discerning travelers.

Belize Whale Sharks – 8 Fascinating Facts You Need to Know

Posted on February 19, 2025

Despite its massive size, Whale Sharks are the “Gentle Giants” of the ocean. Unlike their other shark relatives that are meat-eaters, these giants are filter feeders.

Every year, huge schools of migrating whale sharks arrive in the waters off of Belize in order to feed on fish spawn and plankton. These enormous creatures normally cruise a depth beyond the reach of most divers. It is only when they rise to the surface to feed that humans can get the rare and wonderful opportunity to interact with these friendly and inquisitive creatures.

Below are eight fascinating facts you need to know about whale sharks:

The name “whale” shark refers to their size, not their biology. Whale sharks are fish, not mammals.
Whale sharks have been swimming in the Earth’s oceans for approximately 60 million years.
Whale sharks have teeth but never use them. They feed by filtering the water for microscopic bacteria and algae.
Whale sharks travel approximately 30,000 miles around the globe every year.
The largest whale shark ever caught weighed more than 47,000 pounds.
Despite weighing several tons, whale sharks feed almost exclusively on tiny plankton virtually invisible to the naked eye.
In Asia, whale sharks are called “tofu fish” because the meat is said to taste and look like tofu.
Scientists have never observed whale sharks mating and know very little about their biology.

Although whale sharks circumnavigate the globe every year, it is only in the waters around Gladden Spit off the coast of Placencia in Belize that divers can get the rare chance to interact and photograph these magnificent animals. Drawn to the enormous concentration of fish spawn and plankton in the area, whale sharks arrive in the waters off of Belize between March and June.

Because whale sharks are carefully protected by Belizean conservation laws, divers who want to dive with whale sharks must use a licensed tour operator. If you’d like to partake in a truly special diving adventure to get close to and interact with the gentle giants of the deep, sign up for this complete Belize whale shark diving package. It includes three limited slots to dive with whale sharks and accommodations at the world-class Belize resort of Chabil Mar.

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Placencia Has the Best Diving Spots in Belize

Posted on February 19, 2025

Find The Best Diving Spots in Placencia Belize

Thanks to a combination of nature’s richness and a history of being protected from boats and commercial fishing, the waters off of the Placencia Peninsula have some of the best diving spots in all of Belize.

The southern part of the Belize Barrier Reef offshore from Placencia is farther away from the mainland and is formed of a large patchwork of different coral channels. Some of these channels are 80 feet deep or more and form a maze of underwater canyons that rise to the surface in the form of shoals, atolls and cayes (islands). This mixture of deep and shallow offers easy access for snorkeling while divers can easily access the deeper areas nearby.

The Inner Barrier Reef

The inner reef serves as a sheltering home where juvenile animals are spawned and spend the early part of their lives. Divers can see juvenile drum fish, barracudas, eagle rays, and sting rays. Adult animals who call the inner reef home include sea rods, seawips, cleaner shrimp, arrow crabs and giant hermit crabs in waters ranging between 60 and 80 feet deep.

The Outer Barrier Reef

Deep underwater canyons start around 35 feet deep and drop off to approximately 3000 feet, giving divers plenty of room to see a startling array of marine life. Diving in this area is restricted to 120 feet due to visibility, and it is possible to see sea turtles, moray eels, lobsters and manta rays. Outer reef diving spots includes Silk Caye, Ranguana and Tarpon Cayes, along with approximately 40 other nearby islands.

Gladden Spit

This tiny patch of land is the best place in the world to see migrating whale sharks when they arrive in Belizean waters between March and June. The largest species of fish in the oceans, some whale sharks can weigh up to 15 tons and measure more than 50 feet long. Because of the whale sharks’ unique feeding habits, they rise to the surface following a lunar cycle and can only be seen three days prior to the full moon until three days following the last quarter moon. Diving to see the whale sharks is done in relatively shallow water of 60 feet or less. Snorkeling on the surface gives a great chance to get close to the whale sharks as they feed on fish spawn.

Snorkeling is also spectacular in Placencia

Off the coast of Placencia, you can find a number of small cayes that are great for snorkeling. Laughing Bird Caye and Silk Caye are two tropical and beautiful cayes that offer amazing snorkeling experiences. Adventure travelers will enjoy swimming with trumpet fish, rays, parrot fish, angelfish and many varieties of tropical fish at both of these cayes.

The Best Months to Travel to Placencia Belize: Planning Your Visit

Posted on February 19, 2025

If you come from a big family, you know that siblings are cut from a different cloth – unless they are identical twins. One says the perfect vacation is beach time. Another insists that only activities like hiking will do. A third won’t go anywhere that doesn’t include museums and cultural arts. Sound like your family? Don’t fret. There’s a vacation solution everyone will applaud: Come to Belize.

For the most amount of variety, stay in the middle of the action at Chabil Mar on the Placencia peninsula where a mix of onsite and offsite activities are guaranteed to delight even the pickiest traveler.

Chabil Mar’s Belize vacation packages mean carefree stays because you pay a single price for lovely accommodations, meals, recreational opportunities, and more. While browsing that page, don’t miss current special deals that save guests even more.

When to come to Placencia Belize? Any time the spirit moves you

By sojourning at Chabil Mar along the 16-mile-long Placencia peninsula you’ll have access to the nation’s most popular attractions and celebrations, so there is no bad time to come to Belize, as you’ll see when you browse this list:

•January 1: New Year’s Day. Break out the spirits. Chabil Mar packages include your fill of local spirits.

•February 14: You’ll fall in love with the Placencia Peninsula Arts Association Sidewalk Arts Festival.

•March 7: National Heroes and Benefactors Day. Can people who shaped Belize be celebrated too often?

•March 9: Baron Bliss Day. This Brit is a hero, too, after willing a large fortune to the Belize people.

•April 15-18: Spend Good Friday, Holy Saturday, and Easter at houses of worship throughout the nation.

•May 2: You can attend Labour Day festivities recommended by your resort host.

•May 23: Commonwealth Day pays homage to the consolidation of 54 nations belonging to the British Empire.

•June/July: Lobsterfest starts. Look for raffles, fishing tournaments, and festivals, and eat your share of shellfish!

•August: Summer games include a Country Fest soccer tournament, beach volleyball meets, and more.

•September 10: Saint George’s Caye Day commemorates an important 1798 British/Spanish battle.

•September 21: Independence Day: Full autonomy returned to the Belize people in 1981 is a reason to rejoice.

•October 10: Indigenous People’s Resistance Day memorializes continental struggles for independence.

•November 19: Garifuna Settlement Day: Celebrates the deep impact made by Afro-Caribbeans who invite the world to dance, sing and drum with wild abandon.

•Early December: The End of the World Marathon is a tradition embraced by visitors and citizens that also raises funds for high school scholarships.

•December 25: Christmas Day for folks who live in northern climes is heavenly.

•December 27: Boxing Day. This public holiday is best known for sporting events and shopping.

There’s plenty more to celebrate and your Chabil Mar resort host is happy to update this list, get you anywhere you want to go, and bring you back to your beautiful digs. As you can see, every month is the best month to visit – and when you discover how delighted Belizeans are to have tourists join in the fun, you’ll want to keep coming back year-round just to see what you might have missed during your last visit!