Before I even arrived in Belize I was in love with the place. Why? On sale at the airport was Goss chocolate (‘Taste the Tropics! 100% natural organically grown on the shores of the Caribbean Sea’). Oh yeah! I’m not just here for the diving, you know.

Wiping the delicious brown evidence from my upper lip, I phoned Mark from Splash, a well-run dive centre at my first Belizean destination, Placencia. Nitrox? Check. Wetsuit? ‘Oh, I dive in nothing,’ he solemnly informed me. ‘That sounds very exciting!’ I marveled. ‘No! No, I mean…!’ The man would have to get used to my sense of humour.

See also: Belize Scuba Diving Packages

Placencia lies at the bottom of a long, narrow peninsular in southern Belize. I would have been happy to camp on the beach, but my digs turned out to be opulent – the upmarket Chabil Mar Villas is a beachside property set in lush, tropical gardens. And my fridge was stocked with local chocolate, so breakfast was taken care of. At 8.30am I reported to Splash where I met the warm and accommodating owner Patty Ramirez, and an associate called Marco whom she described as ‘a troublemaker’. Hah! I was going to get on with these people.

This was confirmed when boat captain Lennox told me he enjoyed a local dance called the punta. ‘What does that involve?’ I asked another crew member. ‘Oh, rubbing on each other in time to the music,’ he replied without a hint of embarrassment. ‘You try to cum the girl and she tries to cum you.’ This was a fascinating piece of education for a psychologist/ sex therapist – the word ‘cum’ actually being used as a transitive verb! I must confess I looked forward to being introduced to this dance. So let’s see: chocolate, sex and dancing already, and I haven’t even gotten wet yet (insert joke here). Belize could be my all-time favorite dive destination.

See also: Dive the Great Blue Hole of Belize

Belize lies in the Caribbean Sea, bordered by Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south. Well-known for whale shark sightings, Belize boasts the longest coral reef in the northern hemisphere (185 miles), which draws more than 200,000 divers every year. The reef is home to more than 70 types of hard coral and around 500 species of fish. On my first morning, we headed out to Silk Caye North Wall. The light rain, typical for this time of year, was abating. ‘Any current?’ I asked. ‘Unlikely!’ was Mark’s reassuring reply. Not that I’ve got anything against currents; I was just a little chocolate-logged.

Read more: http://divemagazine.co.uk

If you are looking to escape to a private island then go to Laughing Bird Caye

If you are looking to immerse yourself in nature then check out Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary

If you are a cave enthusiast, then go explore Actun Tunichil Muknal, one of the most popular Maya caves on the planet

If you are into street foot, then check out Brenda’s Food Shack in Placencia Belize

If you want to see a howler monkey in the wild, then go on the Monkey River Tour. Chabil Mar Concierge can book that tour for you!

If you want to go on an amazing scuba diving expedition, then go dive the great blue hole – one of the largest sink holes in the world. I am not kidding!

If you are in western Belize, check out Xunantunich Maya Site – one of the most visited Maya ruins in Belize. You won’t be disappointed!

Photo: AARP.org

The Management and Staff of Chabil Mar Resort is pleased to welcome the new United States Ambassador, his Excellency Carlos Moreno to Belize.

Prior to becoming appointed US Ambassador to Belize by President Barack Obama, Moreno served more than 20 years on both the federal and state benches in California leaving a “legacy of decency” in the words of the California Bar Journal (CBJ). According to the CBJ, Moreno is a well accomplished jurist who also authored some of California’s key gay rights opinions and helped spark recent changes in the foster care system.

While he is a native Spanish speaker he may not need his mother tongue on the job, as Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language.

The new ambassador arrived on June 21 to Belize and succeeds Vinai Thummalapally.

On behalf of Chabil Mar Management and Staff, we want to welcome his Excellency Carlos Moreno to Belize and we would also like to take this opportunity to invite him to visit us in Placencia.