In an effort to titillate viewers, the American television series Criminal Minds Beyond Borders recently portrayed the idyllic town of San Pedro on the island of Ambergris Caye in Belize as a den of thieves, murderers and criminals. In an episode entitled “Love Interrupted”, the peaceful island that served as the inspiration for Madonna’s 1986 hit “La Isla Bonita” was transformed into a ghetto of criminality and international intrigue.

It’s difficult to know whether the producers of the program were trying to be intentionally insulting or were just demonstrating ignorance. Aside from using a few seconds of stock footage of the real San Pedro Town, the entirety of the episode was a mishmash of incorrect information and scenes shot on a Hollywood sound stage.

The episode featured an American couple defying the laws of physics by arriving at the tiny airfield in San Pedro in a jumbo jet while showing B-roll footage of the Philip Goldson International Airport in Belize City on the mainland. The episode’s couple then further defied reality by renting a car in San Pedro, an impossibility as the only form of transportation available to the public are bicycles, scooters and electric golf carts. The hapless couple then got lost in a series of mountains that have yet to be mapped on an island that is almost entirely flat before getting chilly enough to build a fire in a tropical country where temperatures rarely drop below 70 degrees Fahrenheit.

Hollywood “creativity” then transformed the welcoming and friendly people of Belize into coldly rude hotel employees serving as foils for the kidnappers who ultimately ruined the honeymoon vacation of the protagonist couple. Adding racist insult to injury, an American actor badly mangled the Kriol dialect popularly used throughout Belize, inappropriately adding Spanish words. In the final twist, one last indignity to Belize was included when local Mayans were depicted as savage cannibals who prey on tourists.

Placencia, one of the most beautiful spots in Belize, was not featured in the show. But below are some photographs of the real Belize to contrast with the Hollywood images portrayed in the episode:

The staff of Chabil Mar applaud the prominent American television program spotlighting Belize but strongly urge producers to conduct more research before attempting to portray the country in the future.

After an exciting weekend of football in Belize, two teams remain standing and are heading to the finals in the Belize Premier League. Notably, the Placencia Assassins beat the Police United in a very heated game, and they will take on the Belmopan Bandits FC in the finals in the near future.

On Saturday, the Placencia Assassins went head to head against Police United at Norman Broaster Stadium in San Ignacio Town. The first score of the game came when Dalton Eiley of the Assassins took advantage of a penalty opportunity, and the excitement built up as Byron Usher answered the call and tied the game with a penalty shot for the Assassins. Harrison Roches scored a second point for the Police, but it was not enough. Both Kareem Haylock and Gilbert Swazo scored for the Assassins, but the game when into overtime. With no additional goals scored during overtime, a penalty shootout answered the question of who would win this showdown. Both teams scored equal goals initially, but it was Police United who missed their penalty shot in the shootout.

The Assassins will meet the Belmopan Bandits FC in the finals. The Bandits beat BDF FC on Sunday at the MCC stadium in Belize City. In this game, the first score of the game took place in the first half by Elroy Smith of the Bandits during a penalty shot. The only other score of the game was by Leon Cadle of the BDF team. This tied the game at 1-1, which was the game ending score. This tie was all that was needed to move the Bandits FC into the finals to meet the Assassins.

The Assassins worked hard all season to reach this incredible accomplishment, and this includes the intense work by Prince Baca. Prince Baca is a long-time employee and server at Chabil Mar and the resort wishes to congratulate him and the entire Placencia Assassins team on their accomplishment.

Chabil Mar boasts a fabulous location in the heart of Placencia and is widely known as one of the top resorts in Belize for both adventure-minded travelers and visitors who are interested in kicking back and relaxing on their vacation.

One of the most exciting cultural events in music is set to kick off this Friday in New Orleans, Louisiana. The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival will be held in the Cultural Exchange Pavilion at the Louisiana State Fair Grounds, and this year will feature a strong focus on the nation of Belize.

First founded in 1970 after a spontaneous meeting between gospel legend Mahalia Jackson and jazz great Duke Ellington, the New Orleans Jazz Festival has since blossomed to become one of the premiere musical festivals held in the United States. Every year, the festival includes a spotlight on a specific nation, with Belize holding this special honor in 2016.

Attendees will see a special demonstration of the music, culture and history of the Central American nation of Belize, showcasing its unique heritage of Maya, Creole, East Indian, British, Mestizo, Garifuna, Lebanese, Mennonite, Caribbean and Chinese history. Long a British colony, today Belize is an independent nation and the only country in Central America with English as its official language.

See also: 4 Ways to Experience Belizean Culture Around Belize

At this year’s Jazz and Heritage Festival, Belizean local Florencio Mess, a master craftsman of the traditional Mayan K’ekhchi harp, will give both musical demonstrations as well as workshops on how he and his son make the centuries-old instrument. Belizean storyteller Natividad Obando will present a traditional Day of the Dead altar at the festival for Belizean musicians while basketweaver Marta Chiac will give a workshop on how to make Mayan jippi jappa baskets from materials sourced from the rainforest.

Daid Matus, the award-winning costume designer, will have an exhibition to showcase some of the many Carnival costumes he’s created over the past 18 years. Artist Elmer Panti will hold demonstrations on how to carve slate according to traditional Mayan techniques and the Talla Walla Vibrations band will give a performance of Creole Sambai and Garifuna drum music.

The staff and management of Chabil Mar support all the artists and craftspeople who will be giving demonstrations and performances at the festival and thank the organizers for this special opportunity to promote the music, history and culture of Belize.

Lan Sluder, an accomplished writer who has contributed articles to publications like Fodor’s, The New York Times and the Chicago Tribune, as well as writing more than a dozen books on Belize, has recently named Chabil Mar as a top 10 beach resort in Belize. Having widely traveled and explored the nation of Belize, he brings unique insight into all of the best places to stay, see and eat in the country.

Chabil Mar offers accommodations in the form of villas with either one or two bedrooms. The resort is set right on the beach and features two pools with a panoramic view of the Caribbean Sea. The beachside restaurant serves up a tasty range of both local Belizean fare and American favorites. Just a short beach stroll or golf cart ride from the village, Chabil Mar provides outstanding concierge services as well as free use of kayaks and bicycles for its guests.

“Many travel writers have published articles on Belize but Lan Sluder is widely recognized as the leading authority on this country,” said Larry France, marketing manager of Chabil Mar. “It is truly an honor to have our resort named as one of the top 10 best beach resorts in the country by Lan Sluder. We welcome everyone to come visit us and see why Mr. Sluder named us as one of the best beachfront hotels in the country.”

The gated resort just 10 minutes on foot from Placencia Village was recognized by Lan Sluder as “one of the most upscale places to stay” on the peninsula in southeastern Belize. The award-winning beach resort has repeatedly been chosen by TripAdvisor and other leading global travel sites for its outstanding accommodations, beautiful location and unparalleled dedication to guest services based on glowing feedback from travelers and guests.

Translated from the Mayan language, the name Chabil Mar means “beautiful sea”, an honor that the resort earns for its gorgeous location right on the Caribbean Sea. Each villa in the resort has its own unique decor and style and contains a kitchen, air-conditioning and a washer and dryer.

For more information about Chabil Mar, feel free to chat with the Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact the Reservations Manager at:reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.