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Family fun in Belize

Just a few hours’ flying time from the United States, Belize is increasingly becoming a popular destination for families wanting to experience an unforgettable vacation. With a stable, peaceful democratic government and English as its official language, families can enjoy the time of their lives in Belize as they explore ancient lost cities, see wildlife up close and in person, splash in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean and enjoy plenty of fun in the sun.

Belize has a large network of wildlife sanctuaries and national parks that provide animal lovers of all ages a chance to see a colorful array of birds, plants and animals. Families can see the endangered black howler monkey at the Community Baboon Sanctuary, big cats like pumas and jaguars at the Belize Zoo (an animal sanctuary), or hike through Cockscomb Basin Reserve to see Baird’s tapir, Belize’s national animal.

When it’s time for adventure, families can explore one of the many Maya ruins, enormous cities occupied for thousands of years until they were abandoned and reclaimed by the jungle. For cooler and shadier thrills, exploring one of Belize’s many caves is an excellent opportunity to learn about geology as well as witness artifacts left behind by Maya priests who conducted solemn ritual rites therein.

Offshore, the islands of Belize and the enormous barrier reef offer a chance for the entire family to don snorkeling or diving equipment and witness some of the most ecologically-diverse environments on the planet. Whether it’s just a few feet offshore or at the bottom of the famous Belize Blue Hole, you and your family will be enthralled by swimming with nurse sharks, rays, sea turtles and large schools of fish. The islands are also a great chance to unwind as motor vehicles are largely prohibited and everyone gets around by bicycle or electric golf cart.

Chabil Mar

From a Maya term meaning “beautiful sea”, the resort of Chabil Mar on Placencia Peninsula offers family-friendly modern luxury in a beautiful beachfront setting just a few minutes’ walk from Placencia Village.

The resort of Chabil Mar is an ideal base of operations for exploring the most exciting destinations in Belize. You and your family can experience the best sites in Belize with Chabil Mar’s family fun vacation packages that include trips to Maya ruins, a boat tour up the Monkey River, a hike through Cockscomb Nature Preserve, and plenty of time to relax and enjoy the wonderful weather, food, and rich cultural heritage of Belize.

For more information about visiting Belize or traveling to Belize with kids, 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.

In honor of their service and patriotic duty, Chabil Mar resort in Placencia is offering a 15% price reduction on lodgings for active-duty or retired military personnel and their families from the United States, Canada and Belize.

In the past year, Belize has strengthened its relationship with the United States and Canada as part of the “Southern Partnership” and “New Horizons” programs. American and Canadian military personnel are now graciously providing medical and dental care in a number of villages and health clinics throughout Belize. In honor of their service and in recognition that they have only a limited amount of free time to relax in Belize, Chabil Mar now offers these military personnel and their families 15% off all accommodations at the resort.

Chabil Mar, a tropical Belize Caribbean-front resort is located on a private stretch of the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize. Located just a five-minute walk from Placencia Village, the Belizean-style resort has 19 luxuriously appointed villas and 1 honeymoon suite with an oceanfront view, an onsite restaurant and bar, powerful multi-zone air conditioning and a full range of complimentary services including high-speed wireless internet and bicycle, paddle board and sea kayak rentals.

With the summer season about to begin, now is the time to make your reservation. To obtain the military discount, please contact the resort’s reservations manager. For early reservations, a special offer of one free night is available when you book four nights.

Chabil Mar also offers a number of Belize vacation packages to enjoy the best mainland and offshore adventures that Belize has to offer. Whether you’re interested in visiting mysterious Maya ruins, exploring the rainforest, bird watching or enjoying a leisurely inner tube ride through a series of caves, there’s plenty to do nearby on the mainland. And just a few miles offshore from Placencia is the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO protected site renowned for its rich abundance of colorful marine flora and fauna, the perfect place to dive, snorkel, fish or simply enjoy a spectacular sunset. The staff of Chabil Mar can arrange for a customized tour of land and/or sea sites, including equipment.

To take advantage of these amazing vacation packages and enjoy the 15% military discount, make your reservation today.

It’s understandable that a country as small as Belize (about the same size as Massachusetts) and as young (it only became fully independent in 1981) is not especially well-known outside of Central America. Recently, when the American television program Criminal Minds Beyond Borders decided to base an entire episode (“Love Interrupted”) in the country, locals and resident expats were thrilled to see international attention given to Belize.

Unfortunately, it became evident that the writers of Criminal Minds Beyond Borders had little real knowledge of the people, customs and geography of Belize. As such, we warmly welcome the cast and crew of this prominent American television show to come and see the “real” Belize.

Located between Mexico and Guatemala, the tropical country of Belize is widely known as one of the friendliest, most welcoming places on Earth. A melting pot nation harmoniously blending indigenous peoples like the Maya, Creoles, Mestizos, Garifuna, Lebanese, Mennonites, Chinese, and North American expats, Belize is a mostly rural, friendly country where sipping on beachfront pina coladas and barefoot dining on fresh-caught lobster describe an ideal day on the mainland.

Offshore, divers and snorkelers from around the world enjoy some of the most vibrant, diverse marine ecosystems in the world. The Belize Barrier Reef is home to thousands of colorful tropical species, including anemones, sharks, stingrays, sea turtles, snapper, dolphins and the largest fish species in the ocean, the whale shark. The largest coral reef in the Western Hemisphere, the Belize Barrier Reef is home to half a dozen of coral species, tiny creatures whose calcium excretions form the backbone of this unique biosphere.

Placencia

Should the cast and crew of Criminal Minds Beyond Borders take us up on our invitation to come see and explore Belize, we highly recommend a trip to the beautiful Placencia Peninsula in the southeast of the country. With 16 miles of gorgeous coastline along the Caribbean and miles of lush mangrove lagoons, there’s plenty to see and enjoy. We also recommend a trip to Placencia Village at the southern tip of the peninsula, home to some of the most friendly people in the country.

For the ultimate experience in Belizean hospitality and luxury, a stay at Chabil Mar is highly recommended. With its own stretch of private beach, the guests in the 19 well-appointed villas can enjoy a full range of modern amenities as well as fine dining at the on-site beach front restaurant.

Belize is much more than a great destination to enjoy beautiful beaches, explore ancient Maya ruins, and scuba dive the rich waters around coral reefs; it is also a superb location to study arthropods. With a large and complex ecosystem of pristine rainforests and jungles, Belize has been attracting biologists and environmental scientists for decades who come to the country to study the varied forms of arthropods which include thousands of species of crustaceans at sea and insects on land.

More than 80% of all non-plant species on the planet are arthropods, including species like butterflies, crabs, lobsters and shrimp. Defined as animals with no interior bones and relying on an exterior hard shell or segmented body (called an exoskeleton), arthropods have over a million known species. Arthropods are sensitive to pollution so scientists from around the world come to Belize to study these important creatures in a setting where they thrive.

Recently, students enrolled at the New Mexico State University College of Agricultural, Consumer and Environmental Sciences visited Belize for a 10-day expedition to study the Central American nation’s ecology. The students came to Belize because of the wide diversity of arthropods found in the local jungles and forests. Thanks to strong conservation efforts by the government of Belize, arthropods are able to flourish in their natural habitats.

If you are traveling to Belize to enjoy more traditional attractions like the Belize Barrier Reef, the miles of gorgeous beaches or the dozens of Mayan ruins, you might also enjoy learning more about the country’s diverse ecology and its abundance of arthropods.

For close access to both the Belize Barrier Reef offshore and pristine rainforests and jungles on the mainland, Chabil Mar features luxury accommodations in a charming and unique setting. A guest exclusive resort located on the Placencia Peninsula in Southern Belize, Chabil Mar offers excursions to see all of the best ancient Mayan cities, as well as snorkeling and diving tours to the reef. The resort can also arrange expeditions to witness nature in the Cockscomb Basin Preserve and along the banks of the Monkey River, two of the best places in the country where you can learn more about Belize’s unique flora and fauna.

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.

Last year, the world’s attention focused on American actor and presenter Steve Harvey after he unintentionally announced the wrong winner at the Miss Universe pageant. Despite facing a withering storm of outrage on the internet, Steve Harvey maintained strong support from some quarters, including the Belize Tourism Board (BTB) which took the proactive step of inviting Mr. Harvey to come host the country’s 2016 edition of the Costa Maya beauty pageant held in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.

This week, Harvey surprised his radio listeners by stating that he just might take up the BTB’s invitation and host this year’s Costa Maya pageant. Broadcasting from the Cayman Islands, Steve Harvey was in the midst of interviewing Monyque Brooks, currently Miss Cayman, when he stated, “I am hosting the [Costa Maya] pageant this year and it’s going to be in Belize”. Mr. Harvey further added that he looks forward to visiting the country.

The audio clip from Harvey’s show caused a lot of excitement in Belize. In an attempt to confirm that Mr. Harvey will indeed be hosting the 2016 Costa Maya pageant, journalists contacted BTB Director Karen Bevans who stated that she is currently in the United States and that her staff is currently in negotiations with Mr. Harvey’s people for the popular comedian and actor to host the event.

On December 21, 2015, after the world learned of Harvey’s misstep during the Miss Universe pageant, BTB tweeted to Harvey, “We all make mistakes. You handled yours with class. Would you host our next pageant?” and subsequently received a “like” from Mr. Harvey.

After the Pageant

To unwind from all the excitement of hosting the pageant, Steve Harvey is heartily encouraged to enjoy all of the wonderful sights in Belize. One of the most beautiful spots in the country is the Placencia Peninsula in southern Belize. With easy access to a wide variety of mainland adventures and just a few miles from the pristine Barrier Reef, Placencia is an ideal place to experience the best of Belize.

One of the finest resorts in Placencia is Chabil Mar. A luxury destination with its own private beach, Chabil Mar is an oasis of modern amenities with close access to both marine and mainland excursions in southern Belize. After Harvey’s faux pas at the end of 2015, Chabil Mar’s marketing manager Larry France heartily recommended that the celebrity host and presenter come visit Placencia and enjoy a delicious cocktail at the resort.