As the 20th anniversary of the Tulum Declaration approaches, more than one million people have signed an online petition that calls on the heads of state for Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras to continue their commitment to protecting the MesoAmerican Reef System and conserve its resources and natural beauty through sustainable means.

The Mesoamerican Reef System (MRS) is the second-largest barrier reef in the world after the Australian Great Barrier Reef. Measuring more than 1,000 kilometers (620 miles) from north to south, the MRS is home to hundreds of fish species, endangered sea turtles, avian species, sharks, and a number of endangered species like the brown Pelican.

June 5, 2017, will mark the 20th anniversary of the Tulum Declaration that was signed as part of the International Year of Reef. The Tulum Declaration was the foundation for the Mesoamerican Caribbean Reef System initiative that built a multilateral framework for promoting the sustainable conversation of the reef. The online petition is designed to push the four cooperating governments to increase their commitment to protecting the reef, including preventing toxic discharges in the area, work to eliminate the destruction of mangrove forests, and address climate change impacts on the reef.

Belize, one of the original signatories of the Tulum Declaration, has made tremendous progress in preserving and protecting its stretch of the MRS, known as the Belize Barrier Reef. Belize has more than 200 miles of reef included in the larger MRS and has established several protected marine areas and national parks to control and regulate sustainable tourism and fishing practices in the area. In 1997, then Belizean Prime Minister Manuel Esquivel declared that the Tulum Declaration is proof positive of the collective will of regional governments that will allow better management of the reefs and their biodiversity.

“Belize has benefited greatly in the 20 years since the signing of the Tulum Declaration, and we strongly support the petition to continue pushing for sustainable practices all along the reef system,” said Larry France, marketing manager of Chabil Mar Villas in Placencia, Belize. “Fish and other marine species are now thriving in the Belize Barrier Reef, and a biodiverse reef is a tremendous asset for the tourism industry. Visitors will continue to visit Belize and the reef if we protect the natural environment.”

Chabil Mar is an award-winning resort located on the Caribbean coast of the Placencia Peninsula in southeastern Belize. Chabil Mar offers guests a number of Belize vacation packages and organized tour options for exploring the best that the Belize Barrier Reef has to offer, including snorkeling, sailing, fishing, and scuba diving.

Beginning on Saturday, March 11, 2017, Southwest Airlines will begin operating its brand-new non-stop route between DIA airport in Denver, Colorado, to Belize City, Belize (BZE). Southwest only has plans to operate the new route until April 22, 2017, based on rising demand from Colorado area residents to vacation in the Central American nation of Belize. In 2016, more than 13,000 passengers flew from Denver to Belize, and those numbers are expected to rise with the new non-stop Southwest flight.

Southwest will be operating its Belize route once a week on Saturday during the peak travel season. The flight will depart DIA at 10:30 AM and arrive in Belize City at 2:50 PM using one of the company’s signature Boeing 373 aircraft that can carry up to 143 passengers. The new Denver-Belize route will join Southwest’s existing service from Houston, Texas (HOU) and a new route from Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood, Florida (FLL) scheduled to begin on June 4, 2017.

Belize is a small country located near Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula that has hundreds of offshore islands, rainforests, waterfalls, and jungle in a pristine, biodiverse landscape teeming with exotic birds and wildlife. Belize is also the only country in the area where English is the official language. Once the heartland of the ancient Maya empire, Belize has more Maya sites than anywhere else, including soaring pyramids and mysterious sacred caves.

One of the best features of Belize is the ability to enjoy a fabulous reef and rainforest combination vacation. Going birding or wildlife spotting in a pristine rainforest one day and then enjoying the sea and sun of the offshore reef the next day is easy thanks to Belize’s diverse landscape and small size.

Even if you’re not traveling from Denver, it’s easier and more affordable than ever to get to Belize. Along with Southwest, American, United, and Delta operate non-stop flights from across the United States to Belize and WestJet now flies directly from Toronto’s Pearson International Airport (YYZ) in Canada.

With the new Denver route, fares are expected to fall even further, making this year a great time to visit Belize during the four-day Easter holiday in April. May is a fabulous season for bird watching and June is when the country’s big lobster festivals are held.

The national calendar is packed with other festivals and holidays, including Independence Day in September, so there’s always something fun and exciting going on in Belize.

Where to stay in Belize

Chabil Mar

A multiple award-winning resort located just minutes from Placencia Village, Chabil Mar is an oasis of tranquility and luxury that welcomes guests with well-appointed villas, a lush tropical garden, and a gourmet restaurant where diners can enjoy their meals al fresco on a private pier.

Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information about 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.

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Wanderlust Travel Magazine has just published an article highlighting the greatest wildlife experiences in Belize. Ranging from seeing jaguars in the Rio Bravo Conservation and Management Area to watching manatees play and frolic in the waters of the South Lagoon, Belize is a country bursting with amazing opportunities to enjoy wildlife.

Some of the options recommended in Wanderlust Travel Magazine include scuba diving or snorkeling the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Located just off the coast of Ambergris Caye, the reserve allows divers and snorkelers to see a myriad of eels, turtles, dolphins, rays, and fish in their natural habitat. Other underwater adventures highlighted in the Wanderlust Travel Magazine include diving with whale sharks in Gladden Spit. Every spring, migrating schools of whale sharks arrive in Belize to feed on fish spawn, giving divers a unique chance to interact with these enormous fish that can weigh up to 12 tons.

For more traditional wildlife experiences in Belize, Wanderlust Travel Magazine recommends bird watching in the Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary. A slew of avian species that include parrots, woodpeckers, raptors, kites, kingfishers, jabiru storks, and herons proudly display their plumage in this enormous protected area. For mammals, Wanderlust Travel Magazine recommends seeing black howler monkeys at the Community Baboon Sanctuary (these monkeys are called “baboons” locally) and white-collared manakins in the Cockscomb Basin Nature Reserve.

“Once again, it is truly wonderful to see the independent press sit up and take notice of our beautiful country,” said Larry France, marketing manager of Chabil Mar. “We welcome Wanderlust Travel Magazine readers, and we look forward to helping you plan an unforgettable vacation in Belize.”

Chabil Mar is a multiple award-winning resort located on the Placencia Peninsula in southeastern Belize. Renowned for its world-class customer service and gorgeous tropical garden, the Chabil Mar resort features luxuriously appointed villas, a gourmet restaurant, and beachfront pier ideal for al fresco dining. Conveniently located close to all of the top attractions of the Belize Barrier Reef, including snorkeling, diving, fishing, and sailing, as well as to the top destinations on the mainland, Chabil Mar is named for a Maya term meaning “beautiful waters.”

Wanderlust Travel Magazine was founded in 1993 by two British travelers who were frustrated by a lack of the right mix of wildlife, activities, and cultural insights in travel publications. Dedicated to providing a community of people who are passionate about travel. Combining photographs, videos, and testimonies from fellow community members, Wanderlust Travel Magazine serves as a digital scrapbook to help travelers store planning information and discover some of the finest destinations in the world.

For information about 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.

A team of archeologists led by UC San Diego archaeologist Geoffrey Braswell has discovered a carved jade megajewel in the Maya ruins of Nim Li Punit in Belize. Measuring an enormous 7.4 by 4.1 inches, the priceless pendant was meant to be worn on the chest of the king who commissioned it more than 1,200 years ago, Janaab Ochl K’inich.

Unearthed during a 2015 expedition in the thick jungles of southern Belize, Braswell’s team compared the discovery of the jade megajewel to the Hope Diamond, a 45-carat megadiamond worth an estimated $250 million. Jade was highly coveted by the ancient Maya who believed the rare stone was charged with spiritual powers. According to Braswell, the royal pendant was fashioned with extreme skill, the ancient Maya craftsmen etching a series of 30 hieroglyphs onto a brittle slab of jade measuring just 0.3 inches thick.

The text carved on the pendant describes the rise of King Janaab Ohl K’inich to the throne in the year 672 and describes his royal lineage, linking him to other powerful Maya city states in the west. But it is the fact that the jade megajewel was found not buried with an ancient ruler but with a collection of sacrificial offerings that has historians excited. According to an article published in the Journal of Field Archeology, the location of the megajewel in a tomb along with 25 ceramic vessels and a stone idol of the Maya god of wind some 200 years after the death of King Janaab Ohl K’inich tells a tragic tale. The pendant was probably a desperate sacrifice to the god of wind and rain in a time when climate change and civil unrest led to the collapse of Maya civilization and the abandonment of cities like Nim Li Punit.

“This unexpected windfall of historical importance is one more reason why visiting ancient Maya sites is a great choice for people on vacation in Belize,” said Larry France, marketing manager of the Chabil Mar resort in Placencia, Belize. “Finds like the jade megajewel are helping us develop a fuller understanding of Maya history.”

Chabil Mar is a multiple award-winning luxury resort located on Belize’s sunny Placencia Peninsula. With luxuriously appointed villas, a gourmet restaurant, and a lush tropical garden, Chabil Mar offers guests tailored vacations to all of the best attractions in the country, including visiting ancient Maya ruins, exploring the rainforest, and enjoying world-class sailing, fishing, scuba diving, and snorkeling on the Belize Barrier Reef.

Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information about 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.

A new article published by Destinations Travel magazine has highlighted the many exotic wonders available for travelers in Belize. If you’ve ever wanted to explore a long-lost city deep in the jungle, Destinations Magazine recommends that you visit Belize, an exotic land just a short flight from the United States where you can live out all of your Indiana Jones fantasies while exploring the ancient world of the Maya.

For thousands of years, the ancient Maya ruled over Central America with a vast empire stretching from El Salvador in the south to Mexico in the north. The modern day nation of Belize formed the heartland of the ancient Maya civilization. Dozens of impressive cities were built by the Maya in Belize, including Altun Ha, Xunantunich, and Caracol where lofty pyramids and imposing temples were built deep within the jungle. Today, visitors can explore these unique historical landmarks to marvel at the architectural prowess of a long-vanished civilization that had no access to wheels, draft animals, or modern technology.

Belize is an adventure traveler’s paradise. Whether you’re interested in sunning yourself on a tropical island beach or spotting wildlife deep within a pristine rainforest, Belize has it all. The Belize Barrier Reef is home to a kaleidoscope of colorful marine fauna and flora, including dolphins, whale sharks, sea turtles, and hundreds of species of fish. And Belize’s mainland has plenty to offer as well, including nature reserves where endangered native species like brown pelicans, jaguars, and margays (a big cat similar to a puma) frolic and play in the jungles, savannahs, and rainforests.

“This year has gotten off to a great start for Belize,” said Larry France, marketing manager of the Chabil Mar resort. “This new article from Destinations Magazine is a great introduction to all of the wonderful sights and activities in Belize, and we look forward to welcoming Destinations Travel readers to our home.”

The best way to relax after a full day’s adventure of fun in the sun is by staying at a Belize beach resort. Offering luxurious accommodations right on the beach and world-class hospitality, gourmet food, and customer service, resorts like Chabil Mar on the Placencia Peninsula, and a stroll along the beach to center of Placencia Village, are an oasis of tranquility conveniently located close to all of the top attractions both on the mainland and the offshore reef and islands.

Valentine’s February Special

Make your reservations during February and you’ll get substantial savings on your summer vacation. Book now and reserve your villa at Chabil Mar between May 1 and September 30, 2017, for a six-night stay and you’ll get one additional free night (Pay for six, Stay for seven). To qualify for this special offer, you must make your reservation on or before February 28, 2017.

For more information about our specials or Chabil Mar, 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.