The secret to maximizing your Belize vacation time? Stay at Chabil Mar, the award-winning resort in Placencia, where you’ll spend your time seeing the sites instead of shuttling to and from them!
Nomadic Matt may be young, but his travel blog is a favorite of people of all ages, especially those who complain that they can’t find time to get to the places they’ve jotted down on their “must-see” lists.
“You have more travel time than you think,” he writes, advising intrepid travelers to get their priorities straight. One of his most valuable tips? Forget going around the world in search of thrills; find them close to home. We agree. This is why the short flight to Belize makes this nation the ideal destination.
Here’s another reason Matt would approve of your decision to visit Belize: You can maximize your time thanks to this nation’s small size. At just 8,867 square miles, it’s the size of Vermont and just as easy to get around, thus your Chabil Mar Resort digs are right in the middle of the action and the place you start each of these tours.
1. Monkey River and manatee watch tour
If your passion for animals knows no bounds, Belize’s Monkey River and Manatee Watch excursions should be first on your list of “must sees” because you can do them both on the same day. Thanks to a unique mangrove ecosystem, the river and its banks are home to myriad wildlife species and opportunities to spot endangered manatee, gentle vegetarians, can be life-affirming. This awesome combo tour is conducted year-round.
2. Island hop by boat, kayak or catamaran
Belize’s coastline is magnificent, so it stands to reason that exploring it by boat, kayak or catamaran belongs on this list. See for yourself why Laughing Bird Caye and the Silk Cayes are perennial favorites for visitors, and since Chabil Mar equips you for these excursions, you can choose to pilot a craft or leave the job to someone else.
3. Attend Belize festivals
If you adore festivals and can’t attend enough of them, you’ve got to print this calendar out before you arrive. From extravagant to delightful and from delicious to heart-warming, Placencia’s annual festival schedule is always filled with delights, and getting to any or all of them is as easy as telling Chabil Mar resort staff you want to go.
4. Explore the peninsula by bicycle or golf cart
People skipping vacations because they fear that their hard-earned fitness efforts will fall by the wayside are wise to choose Chabil Mar as their resort of choice because guests can stay as active as they like courtesy of the resort’s complimentary bicycles, golf carts, and water toys. Staff can’t control what you eat but they can guarantee opportunities to work off those pounds!
5. Hike Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary (CBWS)
Few non-profits are as beloved as Belize’s Audubon Society. Round out your top 5 tour list with a visit to CBWS to see how much this group contributes to Belize wildlife initiatives. As the world’s first jaguar preserve, this park is the closest place to Eden you’ll find in today’s world. Take in magnificent waterfalls, nature trails and mountains. Spot animal tracks and observe exotic birds. Make this sanctuary your last stop before leaving and a smile will remain on your face until you deplane back home!
Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on southern 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.
