Today on the blog, we’re taking a moment to focus on the Baca Academy. One of Chabil Mar’s esteemed staff, Luis Torres, has been passionate about the Baca Academy for years, a local school that works to improve the lives of children in the villages of Placencia and Independence near the resort.

Luis Torres, beyond his outstanding abilities as a proud member of the Chabil Mar staff, has been a member of the Belize national soccer team for the last seven years. Luis has traveled around the world, visiting 11 different countries while representing Belize during soccer tournaments, guiding both youth and men’s teams.

Luis graduated high school in Independence in 2005 and later Independence Junior College in 2009, earning an Associate Degree in Tourism Hospitality and Business Management. Luis helped lead his schools to three national championships, twice with his high school and once while playing with Independence Junior College. The pinnacle of his career came in 2013 when he played for Belize’s national team during their competition in the CONCAF Gold Cup in the United States. In 2016, Luis was declared the Most Valuable Player for the regular season.

Luis has spent the past three years working full-time at Chabil Mar as a waiter and bartender. With a generous spirit and an infectious smile, Luis has shared his passion for the game of soccer with youths from the nearby villages of Placencia and Independence, helping instill an appreciation of the benefits of hard work, dedication, sportsmanship, and team values.

Luis believes that team sports like soccer play a positive role in the community, improving the health and welfare of young people in the area. Luis also admires soccer for its unifying ability, bringing large groups of people together to enjoy the athleticism and drive of the younger players. Luis has dedicated significant amounts of his time and energy working with the Baca Academy to help youngsters realize the many benefits of participating in team sports like soccer.

Although Luis and the players lack nothing when it comes to enthusiasm, the Baca Academy has struggled to provide the equipment and gear needed to help the kids properly train and participate in league matches. Baca Academy has suffered from a shortage of spare soccer balls, training cones, soccer shoes, and other equipment, which is why Luis came to us, asking if we would help spread the word.

Anyone who is interested in sponsoring or assisting the Baca Academy in purchasing equipment and supplies can contact Luis at this email address: princebacatorres@yahoo.com.

As a rising star in the world of affordable and exciting vacation adventure destinations, Belize has been working hard to promote the amazing people, landscapes, and top attractions in the country. In 1995, the Belize Tourism Industry Association (BTIA), the country’s largest association of businesses working in the tourism sector, partnered with the government’s Belize Tourism Board and several other departments to design, print, and distribute Destination Belize, the country’s premiere tourism magazine.

As times have changed, Destination Belize transformed from a solely-printed glossy magazine to one of the most beautiful and popular websites in the world to find information, prices, photos, and availability of all of the top accommodations, tours, and vacation destinations in Belize. Now a property of McNab Publishing, the Destination Belize brand has become the premiere name in promoting tourism in Belize.

As part of the partnership’s ever-evolving commitment to encourage tourists worldwide to visit Belize and enjoy the country’s spectacularly beautiful landscape, rich cultural heritage, and exciting destinations, Destination Belize has now created its own app. Elegantly configured to work on both tablets and smartphones, the new app is a dynamic 21st-century companion to the flagship magazine.

The all-new Destination Belize app will give visitors all of the information, photos, and articles of their favorite publication right on their smartphone or mobile device. The app is completely free to download and use, opening up the beautiful nation of Belize for visitors from around the world. With the official backing of both the government of Belize and the leading association of private sector tourism stakeholders, the new Destination App is the only app tourists will need to plan and enjoy a world-class vacation in Belize.

The Destination Belize app will allow users to view photos, check availability, and make reservations at all of the top hotels, lodges, and resorts in the country, including the beautiful Chabil Mar resort on the Placencia Peninsula.

The all-new Destination Belize app is now available in both the Google Play and Apple stores. Feel free to download and share!

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.

In celebration of the Chicago Cubs’ amazing World Series win that snapped a world-record 108-year drought at the pinnacle of baseball, the nation of Belize has offered Cubs player David Ross an all-expenses-paid vacation to help the catcher recover from his brilliant performance. After performing admirably for 15 seasons in the Major League, Ross capped off his career with a spectacular World Series finish that brought tens of thousands of Chicagoans into the street to celebrate the world-record victory.

Although a five-hour flight from the Windy City, the nation of Belize has been a staunch supporter of the Chicago Cubs. Upon gaining independence in 1981, Belize latched onto the hapless Chicago baseball team as a symbol of overcoming adversity through hard work and dedication. Superstation WGN out of Chicago was once the only American television channel available nationwide in Belize, a major source of the country’s motivation for rooting for the perennial underdog baseball team.

Born in 1977, David Ross demonstrated his skill early on, playing college baseball for both the University of Florida and Auburn University before signing on with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2002. A veteran journeyman, Ross played for a series of teams, including the Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, San Diego Padres, Pittsburgh Pirates, and the Boston Red Sox where he helped power the team to a World Series victory in 2013. In 2014, Ross joined the Chicago Cubs where he expanded his baseball prowess by appearing as a pitcher for the first time in his professional career. Ross hit a home run on his final major league game, Game 7 of the 2016 World Series, helping the Cubs to clinch the pennant while becoming the oldest player in Major League Baseball history to hit a home room in Game 7 of a World Series.

The award-winning resort of Chabil Mar on Belize’s golden Placencia Peninsula warmly invites superstar athlete David Ross to stay at the their luxurious oasis of beauty and modern conveniences. With elegantly-appointed villas, a lush tropical garden, swimming pools, and a gourmet restaurant, Chabil Mar is the ideal place for hard-working pros like David Ross to relax, unwind, and recharge.

Chabil Mar is conveniently located just a few minutes’ walk from Placencia Village, the economic, nightlife, and social hub of the peninsula and an excellent place to base an expedition to the nearby Belize Barrier Reef. The Placencia Peninsula is conveniently located close to all of the top attractions on the Belize mainland, including the Cockscomb Basin Nature Reserve, home to the only full-time jaguar reserve in the world, tours of the Monkey River, and excursions to popular Maya ruin sites like Xunantunich, and Cahal Pech.

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.

Photo courtesy of http://www.fox32chicago.com/

November is one of the best times to visit Belize thanks to all of the exciting festivals and events happening throughout the month.

Garifuna Settlement Day

The Garifuna represent just 4% of modern Belize’s population, but November 19 is the day when the entire country celebrates the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the Garifuna people.

Descended from African slaves who intermarried with native Carib islanders, the Garifuna arrived on the shores of Belize more than 200 years ago, bringing their unique language, musical heritage, and foods with them. Garifuna Settlement Day is a great chance to hear traditional Garifuna drumming, and enjoy Garifuna foods like cassava bread and hudut (a fish stew made with plaintains and coconut).

Garifuna Settlement Day is celebrated nationwide but the best place to enjoy the holiday is in towns and villages with a large Garifuna population like Seine Bight on the Placencia Peninsula, Hopkins, and Dangriga.

The Food Fete

Starting at 8:00 PM on November 11, 2016, the Toledo Community College in Punta Gorda will host the Taste of Garifuna cooking competition where local chefs battle it out to prepare the very best interpretations of traditional Garifuna dishes like hudut, tapou, and cassava pudding. The celebration continues until 3:00 AM the next day, with lots of delicious food to try, plenty of drinks, and live cultural performances.

The Battle of the Drums

The town of Punta Gorda will rock through the night to the rhythms of Garifuna percussion instruments during the annual Battle of the Drums. Starting at 7:30 PM on November 12, 2016, local bands will compete to get the crowds on the dance floor, demonstrating their skill in local musical styles like Chumba, Wanaragua, Punta, Hungu and Paranda.

The festival continues on the following night with an impressive display of musical stamina as the very best bands demonstrate their prowess with energetic bouts of drumming that are scheduled to last until 6:00 AM the following morning. Enthusiastic dancing is most definitely welcomed!

Chabil Mar

The multiple award-winning resort of Chabil Mar on the Placencia Peninsula is an oasis of luxury and beauty. With well-appointed villas ideal for families, honeymooners, or adventure travelers, the resort is located just a short distance away from all the excitement of Garifuna Settlement Day, the Food Fete, and the Battle of the Drums competition.

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  in November.