Although the offshore waters of Belize are home to an incredible diversity of marine flora and fauna, the presence of orcas spotted near Ranguana Caye was a rare occurrence. A large killer whale, sometimes known as an orca, was spotted on December 29, 2016, heading north with another male adult and a juvenile.

Jason Westby, a freelance tour guide who operates fishing tours in conjunction with a number of local resorts, including Chabil Mar, spotted the three orcas between 9:30 and 10:30 AM on December 29, 2016, in the vicinity of Ranguana Caye and Palm Owens Caye on the Belize Barrier Reef. Westby told local media that a school of tuna was in the area, which may account for the presence of the three orcas, apex predators who regularly consume tuna as part of their diet.

Westby was alerted to the presence of the three killer whales when he heard a large splash. Westby then signaled to his clients that a “massive” animal was present near their location, but he told local media that he originally believed the animal was a marlin. Westby became alarmed as one of the male orcas “jumped straight at him like a freight train,” causing Westby to reverse his boat’s engine. Westby estimates that the two adult males were between 30-32 feet long, far bigger than the 23-foot skiff he was operating at the time of the sighting.

When the pod of orcas turned and headed north, Westby angled his boat to follow them for approximately half a mile. Two other tour group operators in the area, Blue Reef Adventures and an unnamed company helmed by Rowland Alford, managed to capture the encounter on video.

Another giant of the ocean deeps is a more frequent visitor to the waters off of Belize. Whale sharks, the largest fish species on the planet, migrate to the Belize Barrier Reef every year between March and June to feed on enormous quantities of spawn and juvenile fish. Orcas are rarely seen in the waters off of Belize, and the last known sighting occurred in 2014 near Maugre Caye in the Turneffe Atoll region prior to the December 29, 2016, encounter.

One of the premier diving experiences in Belize is interacting with the whale sharks during their time in Belizean water. In order to protect the whale sharks, only licensed tour operators are allowed to bring divers into the area in carefully limited groups. Chabil Mar, the award-winning resort on the Placencia Peninsula, offers visitors a chance to see whale sharks up close and personal with their Belize whale shark diving package.

For information about visiting 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.

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America’s most prestigious newspaper, the New York Times, has just published a new article entitled “52 Places to Go in 2017.” Although a small country in Central America with far less publicity and prestige than more popular nearby attractions, Belize made the New York Times’s list as a place that travelers should visit in 2017.

In particular, the New York Times article focused on Placencia on the southeastern coast of Belize, home to some of the country’s most beautiful beaches. With a reference to how ecotourism is expanding in Placencia, the article describes how golf carts are the most popular form of transportation on the 16-mile peninsula and that the area is home to a variety of yoga studios, spas, and luxury resorts. The New York Times highlighted the fact that the “laid-back beach town” of Placencia (the village that serves as the capital of the peninsula) is close to many of the prime locations on the Belize Barrier Reef, including where scuba divers can swim with migrating whale sharks.

See also:10 Amazing Day Trips to Take in Placencia

One of the premier resorts on the Placencia Peninsula is Chabil Mar. Named for a Maya term meaning “beautiful sea,” Chabil Mar features luxuriously appointed villas just minutes from the village. Chabil Mar offers its guests a chance to relax in an oasis of tranquility and beauty, including a lush tropical garden, infinity pool, professional spa, and seafront pier that is a popular dining spot for enjoying gourmet meals made to order at the resort’s restaurant.

The Placencia Peninsula is rapidly becoming one of the top attractions in the country, offering visitors the opportunity to enjoy the best of the mainland as well as close access to the nearby Belize Barrier Reef. Chabil Mar offers guests organized Belize vacation packages that include tours to nearby ancient Maya cities, excursions through ceremonial caves once used by Maya priests to perform human sacrifices, and hiking tours through the Cockscomb Basin Nature Preserve, the world’s only full-time reserve dedicated to protecting and studying jaguars.

Some of the more popular annual events in and around Placencia include Lobsterfest. Held every June, the Placencia Lobsterfest celebrates the opening of the lobster fishing season, giving visitors and locals alike a chance to sample dozens of innovative dishes featuring the world’s most popular crustacean. Travelers who cannot make it to Placencia to escape winter should definitely consider visiting the peninsula in June to enjoy all the food, fun, and music of Lobsterfest.

For more information about visiting Belize or Placencia in 2017 , 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.

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On January 3, 2017, Rebecca Rath, the reigning Miss Belize, left the country en route to the Philippines where she will compete for the title of Miss Universe on January 30, 2017 in Manila. Prior to leaving Belize, Rath has been touring the country to attend events and help raise money for several charities.

Local channel 7 News Belize interviewed Rath before she departed for the Philippines. Rath spoke about the difficulty in conditioning her body and mind ahead of the prestigious competition. She spoke at length about how excited she is to represent her country.

One of the key segments of the Miss Universe contest is wearing formal evening wear. Rath revealed that two local designers, Roberto Pasos and David Matus, helped prepare all of her costumes and that Julie Mango, another Belizean, was instrumental in assembling her entire wardrobe. Rath also credited her two trainers, Enrique and Victor, in the town of San Pedro for ensuring that she is in top condition ahead of the competition.

Although Rath has departed Belize, she has many important engagements before the competition begins in Manila. Rath will spend approximately 10 days in the United States where she will complete the final touches on her make-up and wardrobe. Once in the Philippines, Rath is already scheduled to participate in a swimsuit fashion show, attend cocktail events, and enjoy a formal dinner with the President of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte.

With hundreds of contestants, being crowned Miss Universe would be a tremendous accomplishment for Rath. Displaying her trademark optimism and exuberance for representing her country, Rath stated that she will consider her involvement in the Miss Universe pageant a success as long as the people of Belize are proud of what she has accomplished. Already, Rath’s optimism about her chances for winning the crown have been boosted by her being selected as a top 20 candidate by a pre-eminent pageant website.

Asked about any advice that she might have for future Miss Belize winners, Rath recommended that contestants be cognizant of the tremendous amount of work and time the position entails. Rath warned that the glare of the spotlight can be nerve-wracking, including attention from critics. Rath’s advice was to do one’s best and always keep focused on the fact that the number one priority of the job is to represent Belize.

“We’re very proud of everything that Rebecca Rath has accomplished so far,” said Larry France, Marketing Manager of Chabil Mar. “On behalf of the entire staff at Chabil Mar, we wish her the best of luck at the Miss Universe competition.”

The Miss Universe pageant will be broadcast live on Channel 7 in Belize beginning on January 29, 2017.

Lonely Planet, the world’s leading publisher of travel guides, has just published their 2017 report of their top 10 global budget travel recommendations for the upcoming year. Entitled “Best in Travel 2017 – Best Value, Travel bargains for the budget-conscious,” the report highlights a mix of both well-known and less famous cities and countries to visit, including Nepal, the city of Porto in Portugal, and the Central American nation of Belize.

Coming in at number six on their list, Belize was Lonely Planet’s highest-ranking destination in the Western Hemisphere, the other being the Upper Peninsula of Michigan in the United States (ranked #10). Decrying misconceptions about the cost of vacationing in Belize, the Lonely Planet report highlighted the country as a top destination to dive or snorkel “as though you’re in the Caribbean,” perhaps somewhat confused about the fact that all the world-class sailing, fishing, scuba diving, and snorkeling that draws in so many tourists to Belize every year actually does occur in the Caribbean Sea.

The Lonely Planet report also recommended combining offshore activities with mainland activities like visiting ancient Maya sites such as Caracol (misspelled “Caraco” in the original report) deep in the “wildlife-packed” jungle. One special highlight in the Lonely Planet report about about Belize was the quality and affordability of the street food scene, a key factor for travelers on a budget.

“We warmly welcome Lonely Planet’s recommendation to come visit Belize,” said Larry France, Marketing Manager of Chabil Mar in Placencia. “As one of the hottest travel destinations in the world, Belize is now garnering ever more attention from leading travel authorities and publications, and we look forward to introducing new visitors to this fabulous country.”

The Lonely Planet report contrasted the more upscale and luxurious options available at top tourist destinations in Belize like Ambergris Caye with more affordable and laid-back options in the country’s south, particularly the village of Hopkins and the Placencia Peninsula on the Caribbean coast.

By volume, Lonely Planet is the number one travel guide book publisher in the world. Founded in the 1970s by a married couple who loved to travel, their first publication was entitled “Across Asia on the Cheap” and was hand-printed. Originally focusing just on Asia, Lonely Planet soon rose to become one of the premiere publishers of guide books in the world, selling 30 million copies by 1999. Today, Lonely Planet is a division of NC2 Media and is headquartered in Franklin, Tennessee.

For more information about visiting Belize or Placencia in 2017 , 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.

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With more and more people looking for hidden getaways and exciting travel destinations off the beaten path, it’s no wonder that Belize has garnered a strong focus lately.

A recent travel article on a Canadian news site highlights a number of exotic attractions and destinations to visit in Belize in 2017.

A lush and pristine country, Belize is one of the last remaining corners of the earth where visitors can marvel at an abundance of wildlife both on land and on the offshore Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest coral barrier reef in the world.

The barrier reef is also home to the Blue Hole rated by Jacques Cousteau as one of his top 10 favorite diving spots.

Although Belize is a relatively small country, approximately the same size as the American state of Vermont, it is an oasis of misty mountains, green hills, tumbling waterfalls, gorgeous beaches, and wild wetlands meet the sapphire waters of the Caribbean. Visitors can choose between exploring the endless bounds of nature or investigating ancient Maya ruins such as Xunantunich, Altun Ha, and Caracol, built more than a thousand years ago. Other attractions include visiting the lively market in Belmopan, the capital of Belize.

One of the best places that travelers can get introduced to the local plants and animals that inhabit the country is at the Belize Zoo. Less of a traditional zoo and more of an educational center, the Belize Zoo was started as a wildlife refuge for animals that were abandoned or mistreated. Today, all of the more than 100 residents of the zoo are native species to Belize, and the Belize Zoo is the country’s first completely handicap-accessible facility open to the public.

Chabil Mar

Located on the sunny shores of the Placencia Peninsula in southeastern Belize, Chabil Mar is an award-winning resort featuring luxurious villas, a lush tropical garden, and an onsite gourmet restaurant in a location just steps away from Placencia Village. Chabil Mar offers guests Belize jungle & sea packages so that travelers can experience the best of both worlds in Belize.

“With WestJet now offering non-stop service from Toronto to Belize, we look forward to welcoming more Canadians to explore the beauty and nature of Belize,” said Larry France, Marketing Manager at Chabil Mar. “We’re also very pleased to see Canadian  news programs that feature Belize as a top travel trend in 2017.”

In response to the growing number of Canadians who were traveling to Belize, WestJet began offering non-stop service from Toronto’s Pearson Airport (YYZ) to Belize City (BZE) in October 2016.

WestJet joins Delta, American Airlines, United, and Southwest in offering non-stop service from top cities in North America to the largest city in Belize.

Visit our website chabilmarvillas.com for more information on  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.