Chabil Mar Resort - Belize Blog, Belize Vacation Planning

5 Things to do in Belize this Summer

Posted on February 6, 2018

From diving the great blue hole of Belize to exploring Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (one of the most sacred caves in the world), these 5 Belize tours will certainly immerse you in the beauty and wonder of Belize this summer.

Great Blue Hole of Belize

The world famous Blue Hole is an incomparable natural wonder in Belize. It is located at the center of Lighthouse Reef and measures 1000 feet across and 412 feet deep. Giant stalactites, dripstone sheets and columns, and colorful marine life are the enchanting geological wonders that will fascinate you if you decide to dive this site this summer.

It is interesting to note that Jacques-Yves Coustea, the popular ocean explorer revealed the secrets of the Blue Hole to millions of viewers in 1971 through the television serious The Undersea World of Jacques-Yves Coustea.

Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

Globally recognized as the world’s first jaguar preserve, Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary is a top rated nature reserve to visit in Belize this summer. Cascading waterfalls, panoramic mountain views, nature trails, furry mammals, colorful insects, scaly reptiles and a variety of neotropical birds are just a few of the things you will experience at this sanctuary.

Although the jaguar, the largest spotted cat in the world is what the reserve is famous for, you are unlikely to see one as the cat is nocturnal. However you will see its tracks along with tracks of tapir, deer, and other wildlife that inhabit the nature reserve.

Cockscomb Basin is also home to one of Belize’s highest points — Victoria Peak.

Actun Tunichil Muknal Cave (ATM Cave)

Actun Tunichil Muknal or the ATM Cave as it is locally known is one of the most breathtaking caving experiences you will have in Belize. The cave is located in the karstic limestone terrain of Roaring Creek Valley in the Cayo District and is approximately 5 km long and contains a perennial stream that runs through it including a ledge with two stelae and a large chamber full of intact human remains and Maya pots.

According to Director of Archeology Jaime Awe, Actun Tunichil Muknal was a sacred place to the Maya who utilized the cave during the classic period AD 250-909. Thousands of people are attracted to this cave annually due to its remarkable history, elegant stalagmites and stalactites and the Crystal Maiden, the intact skeleton of a young woman who was sacrificed to the gods.

Annual Placencia Lobsterfest

If you will be visiting Belize in June, it is a must to attend the Placencia Lobsterfest. This year, the festival is scheduled from June 22-24, 2018 and is organized by the Placencia Village Council and the Placencia Chapter of the Belize Tourism Industry Association. Thousands of local and international visitors are expected to attend this event.

Kayaking in Belize

Crystal clear waters, tepid sunshine, balmy Caribbean breezes, thousands of coral reefs, and colorful marine life are just a few of the things that make kayaking in Belize a joy. With more than 200 stunning islands, Belize makes an idyllic kayaking destination and cayes such as Glovers Reef, Half Moon Caye and Laughing Bird Caye are favorite destinations for reef kayakers.

For more information about traveling to Belize this summer, 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.

Chabil Mar Wins TripAdvisor Traveller’s Choice Award

Posted on February 2, 2018

Chabil Mar Resort in Placencia, Belize has just been awarded the Travelers’ Choice Award by TripAdvisor for the year 2018. This marks the 11th consecutive year in which Chabil Mar has been recognized by TripAdvisor for providing outstanding customer service and hospitality in the travel industry.

Chabil Mar has previously been recognized by TripAdvisor in a number of key categories. Currently, Chabil Mar is rated number five in Belize for small hotels and number eight overall in Central America for small hotels. Chabil Mar has also been awarded numerous times by TripAdvisor in a number of categories, including Top 10 small hotels in Belize, top 10 family resorts in Belize, the top 10 romantic destinations in Belize, the top 10 in hospitality service in Belize, and the top 25 small hotels in Central America.

“We wish to thank all of our guests who took the extra time to post a review of their Belize vacation experience and to congratulate our wonderful staff for another year of providing superior service,” said Larry France, marketing manager of Chabil Mar. “We are always proud to receive an award at any given time and any year, but marking 11 consecutive years of excellence is a very special treat for us this year.”

Chabil Mar is a luxury beachfront resort located on the southern coast of Belize. With well-appointed villas, a lush tropical garden, and a gourmet restaurant, Chabil Mar has consistently been recognized by TripAdvisor and other travel information publishers for providing superior customer service to its guests.

Chabil Mar is located close to many of Belize’s top attractions as rated by TripAdvisor, including, the ancient Maya sites of Xunantunich (number four in Belize), the ruins of Caracol (number eight in Belize), and the ruins of Cahal Pech (number nine in Belize). Chabil Mar is also just a few miles from the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and first-class destination for snorkeling, swimming, sailing, fishing, and sea kayaking, while benefiting from a stroll along the beach to the traditional fishing Village of Placencia where guests enjoy the daily culture and life of Belize.

TripAdvisor is the world’s most popular website for travel information, customer reviews and opinions, accommodation bookings, and other travel-related content. Since its founding in February 2000, TripAdvisor has grown to 315 million members and has recorded more than half a billion reviews, opinions, and ratings.

The Travelers’ Choice award is TripAdvisor’s highest honor and is presented every year to the top 1% of businesses on the site as determined by user rankings.

Placencia, a Gorgeous Location for a Belize Destination Wedding

Posted on January 24, 2018

If you’ve been searching for an amazingly gorgeous setting for your wedding, look no further than the Placencia Peninsula in Belize.

Located on the Caribbean coast of southern Belize, the Placencia Peninsula is a small slice of paradise. Golf carts and bicycles are the main form of transportation, and small cafes, boutique shops, and yoga studios can be found along a small sidewalk that serves as the local “main street.”

Chabil Mar Resort in Placencia is the perfect place for a destination wedding. With over 10 years of experience in organizing weddings, Chabil Mar is the name to trust. Chabil Mar can assist you with every aspect of your nuptials, including the marriage license, officiating pastor, flowers, cake, food, drinks, and photography and video services.

Even if both parties are not from Belize, it is still very easy to get married in Belize. All that is required is that the couple be present three days before the ceremony in order to file the paperwork necessary for the license. Once married, the marriage certificate is valid internationally, including the United States. And because Belize is an English-speaking country, all documents are in English.

Chabil Mar is an award-winning luxury resort offering a full range of five-star comfort, amenities, and customer service. Featuring elegant villas, the resort is also home to two freshwater swimming pools, a lush tropical garden, and a gourmet restaurant that offers open-air dining on the resort’s private seafront pier.

Chabil Mar is also conveniently located close to all of the most popular attractions in Belize, including all the fun of the offshore islands and cayes where activities like snorkeling, scuba diving, sea kayaking, fishing, and sailing can be enjoyed.

Chabil Mar’s location on the coast is also close to top destinations on the mainland such as the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (where more than 200 jaguars roam), boat tours of the well-named Monkey River, and tours of ancient Maya sites replete with pyramids, palaces, enormous carved stelae, and ball courts where the losing team was sacrificed to the Maya Gods.

“Our entire group was treated like royalty for the duration of our stay. The location and landscape is breathtaking, and the honeymoon suite is incredible. I can’t recommend Chabil Mar enough for a beautiful destination wedding or vacation. Will definitely return!”

-TripAdvisor review

If you’d like to get married in a gorgeously beautiful Caribbean beach location, book your event with the Chabil Mar resort in Placencia, Belize.

Belize Makes Another Top 10 Winter Destination

Posted on January 17, 2018

The Financial Express recently published a list of their Top 10 Winter Destinations, and Belize received high praise. Recommended for its lovely warm climate during the winter months, the Financial Express described Belize as a small country full of amazing attractions, including bird watching, exploring ancient Maya ruins, and snorkeling and scuba diving on its pristine barrier reef.

The latest article from Financial Express is just one of many from popular publications that have recommended visiting Belize in 2018. In the last few months, Fodor’s, CBC, Lonely Planet, Rough Guides, and National Geographic have all listed Belize as a must-see destination in 2018.

The best place in Belize to enjoy both the beauty of the beach and offshore reef, as well as all of the exotic nature on the mainland, is the Placencia Peninsula on the southeastern coast of Belize. Often called the “Caye (Island) You Can Walk To,” Placencia is connected to the mainland by a narrow strip of land less than half a mile across but has more than 16 miles of golden sand beaches along the Caribbean.

At the southern tip of the peninsula is Placencia Village, a Guinness Book of World Records holder for having the smallest main street in the world, actually a four-foot wide sidewalk that is off-limits to vehicular traffic. This “main street” is where Placencia hosts an annual Sidewalk Art Festival every February that transforms the passageway into a gauntlet of booths selling artwork, furniture, food, drinks, and handmade items.

Other popular things to do and see in and around Placencia include snorkeling and diving on the reef, celebrating Lobsterfest in June, visiting whale sharks during the springtime, and exploring the vast Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the world’s only jaguar conservation program.

“We are happily surprised to see the Financial Express join the growing list of travel publications that recommend visiting Belize,” said Larry France, Marketing Manager of Chabil Mar. “We look forward to sharing authentic Belizean hospitality to visitors from around the world.”

The best place to stay on the Placencia Peninsula is Chabil Mar. Located right on the beach just a five-minute walk from Placencia Village, Chabil Mar has luxuriously appointed villas, a gourmet restaurant, two freshwater swimming pools, and a full complement of services and conveniences.

Chabil Mar is an excellent place for honeymoons, weddings, family vacations, and adventure travelers and has a number of Belize vacation packages available that include the best that both the jungle and sea in Belize have to offer.

For more information about Belize or 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.

Belize Ends Oil Activity in Its Ocean Waters

Posted on January 16, 2018

A recent bill approved by the Belizean legislature has banned all petroleum extraction and exploration in the country’s offshore waters. Hailed by domestic and international conservation groups, the move by Belize to completely freeze all petroleum activity in its offshore waters will serve as a beacon of inspiration to nearby countries.

“Today is truly a wonderful day for Belize,” said Nadia Bood, a scientist working in Belize on behalf of the World Wildlife Fund. “Last year, the reef was in danger from oil exploration, and now Belize has stepped up to make protecting the environment a priority.”

Although Belize does not have substantial petroleum deposits, a number of international corporations have identified areas on the reef where drilling for oil could potentially be profitable. At issue is the practice of exploratory drilling that sends out shockwaves through the reef, putting much of the reef’s marine life in peril.

It is estimated that Belize’s offshore reef brings more than $200 million dollars in revenue to the economy, primarily in the form of tourism and domestic fisheries. Belize is home to hundreds of endangered animals, birds, and plants that thrive on the reef, all of which could be endangered by drilling practices and potential oil spills such as the Deepwater Horizon incident in 2010 that took place in the nearby Gulf of Mexico.

“We heartily applaud the government of Belize for putting the long-term health of the reef ahead of short-term profits from petroleum companies,” said Larry France, Manager Manager for Chabil Mar Resort in Placencia, Belize. “The reef is both a vital source of revenue in the form of tourism dollars and a natural heritage for our children and our children’s children.”

Chabil Mar is an award-winning luxury resort located on the Caribbean coast of southeastern Belize. Chabil Mar is dedicated to sustainable tourism practices and environmental conservation and is proud to employ locals on its staff and encourages guests to spend money at the nearby Placencia Village in order to sustainably develop the region.

Chabil Mar offers guests a number of Belize vacation packages that include guided tours to pristine areas like the Monkey River, the Belize Barrier Reef, and the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary as part of its commitment to sustainable tourism practices.

Chabil Mar also offers jungle and sea packages so that travelers can have the opportunity to explore the unique, natural beauty of Belize and learn more about the vital role that the animals and plants in the region play in maintaining the country’s thriving ecosystem.

Follow Us!

Archives