OK I have a confession: as a form of relaxation I plan vacations I want to take but usually never take. I plan them down to every last detail. My latest obsession is Belize. The trip I planned included a stay at Chaa Creek and a trip to the reef’s of Belize. I researched every Eco lodge in Belize (and many in Costa Rica) and Chaa Creek came up at the very top. Not many seem to have the mix of amenities with on-sight activities that Chaa Creek has. I am into bird watching and the birding seems great. My husband is drawn to the kayaking. We both are drawn to the Mayan ruin tours.

I enjoy having adventures, especially with my fiancé along side me. Belize embodies that sprit from its vast rainforests, to the Mayan Ruins, to world class diving and cave exploring. And coming from upstate New York where 85 degrees is considered a heat wave, I can’t wait to experience is the sunny hot days that Belize has to offer. The Belizean coast is a place I could see spending an entire afternoon, just sitting on the beach with uninterrupted ocean in front of us and a rainforest behind us.

My problem, although not really a problem, would be how to fit in everything I want to see and do in the time that I have. The medicinal trail, creatures of the night, Mountain Pine Ridge, ATM, morning birding, horseback, Tikal overnight, natural history center, butterfly farm, canoe, biking are just a few of the things on my must do list! Uh-oh, I might have to make a 2nd trip, or 3rd .

Belize has everything for a perfect vacation. It is a warm place where we can find Nature reserves and a magnificent barrier reef. As I am fond of outdoor activities I find the countryside more attractive than the city and I am eager to go in this amazing country with beautiful surroundings. I also plan to relax in the spa during this stay and eat healthy organic food. I would also like my family to join me if I win to make them aware of what is meant by paradise.

Our adventure began almost four years ago now when we went on our first date. He disguised it as a Christmas present, “in case it didn’t go well.” We have been dating ever since, and are getting an apartment together next month. This past June, he completely surprised me while on a trip to Philadelphia, PA when he pulled out the engagement ring he had been hiding in his room at home for about a month. We are currently planning a fall wedding, October 8, 2011.

After spending days and nights searching for a better deal, I gave up Tahiti and turned to the Caribbean. The beach is still beautiful. Hotels, there were many that were very luxurious but they just weren’t exotic enough for my liking. I wanted palm-thatched rooms with elegant wooden floors and furniture – at least something like that, and the atmosphere that tells me “you’re in the Caribbean!” Since I didn’t know much about the Caribbean, I just googled images of “Caribbean villas.” There was one that looked “okay” in Belize. Belize? Where is that? I further researched the place through travel magazines and websites along with other places like Curacao, Turks and Caicos, etc. They all looked similar so I didn’t mind where I go as long as it had somewhere exotic for me to stay.

Some of the things we are really looking forward to are: diving and snorkeling in the Belize Barrier Reef, exploring the ancient Maya historical sites, sampling the best local restaurants, white water rafting through the jungles, and meeting many new and interesting people along the way! I actually have a keen interest in photography and so I’m looking forward to toting my big DSLR camera and zoom lens and capturing as much of the country as possible… More than just hitting the routine tourist destinations and then hopping on a plane back to the States, I hope to really get a chance to intermingle with the local culture and people and get to know them on a more personal level.

Belize is clearly a diving mecca, but there is so much above sea level to explore. With 2012 right around the corner, I’m really hoping to explore the Mayan temple sites and the Sacred Caves. I would love to do some bird watching. I lost my mom to cancer just two years ago, and she seems to follow me and appear in that form now. Of course, I also look forward to the diving and snorkeling possibilities as well.

Last spring break I went on an alternative spring break trip to San Ignacio, Belize with twelve other members from my school for a writing class. We came and volunteered at ProWorld for two weeks. The experience I had in those two weeks put my college years to shame. It’s different going from hopping from party to party to hopping from waterfall to river to Mayan ruin. I can tell you one thing for sure, sitting on top of Xunantunich was the most I’ve ever felt alive. An emotional void had been filled in me, and I knew that’s where my heart would reside.

“2012 is a year of huge significance for the Maya, and we want visitors to learn the real story about it from the people themselves, and while exploring Maya history and culture throughout Belize. We’re committed to putting this important epoch in its proper perspective while providing an in-depth, authentic Maya experience,” Chaa Creek GM Lucy Fleming said at a recent Maya workshop.

BELMOPAN – Belize today celebrates the 29th anniversary of its independence with a national fiesta that includes a military parade, cultural events, catering fairs and sport events throughout September.

The Central American country’s territory is 22,960 sq. km. and is bounded on the north by Mexico, on the west by Guatemala and on the east by the Caribbean sea, where it boasts the longest coral reef in the western hemisphere.

I have just started benefiting from Maya Abdominal Massage that began in Belize with the ancient Mayan Culture. I have been taking herbs collected from the rainforests of Belize before they are destroyed and have seen amazing and magical results. Rosita Arvigo holds workshops at The Lodge at Chaa Creek and I would love to visit there one day and take one of her courses.

Belize is a nature lover’s paradise. Beautiful scenery, rainforests and beaches. Amazing native birds and animals. The climate of Belize is near perfect. Belize is home to wildlife reserves and sanctuaries, rivers, herbal trails, massive Mayan ruins and ancient pyramids that are still among the tallest structures in the country today, and a massive system of subterranean caves. With approximately 40 per cent of land classified as protected, the forests support a vast range of wildlife including five large cat species – margay, jaguarundi, ocelot, puma and jaguar. Bird life is also abundant with over 500 species recorded.

The story of Belizean Independence is as colourful as the country itself. From the first nomadic peoples who settled to establish the incredible Maya civilisation beginning in 1800 BC, to the legendary Baymen and the pirates, slaves, adventurers, explorers and other settlers who followed, Belize has grown with a certain rugged independence and sense of fair play. It was only natural that even with many obstacles to overcome, the people would, without resorting to violence or warfare, demand and receive their independence. This sense of victory is very still fresh and very much alive in Belize today, and is at no time more apparent than during September.

I had chosen the
former British Honduras for a research project to enhance my teaching
style and resources as an elementary teacher in Chesterfield County,
Virginia. And what a success it was!

After reviewing your website, I cannot say it any better than your list of 10 Reasons Why Families Should Travel To Belize .  I have added my own thoughts so this covers it all!
1. Belize is mind bogglingly beautiful. A nature lover and photographers paradise.  Beautiful scenery, rainforests and beaches.  Amazing native birds and  animals.
2. Belize is affordable. With the current US economy, affordability is a top priority.
3. There is plenty to do for the entire family. A family …

As we bumped along a stretch of road through a savannah that was once a shallow sea, Miguel pointed to Spanish Lookout in the distance. There, he told us, was a Mennonite farming community, in its 50th year of providing Belizeans with beans, corn, chicken and eggs. This morsel of information was the first in a series of surprises Belize had in store for us.

Nothing feels quite as magical as being in the warm embrace of your true love in one of the most alluring places on earth. Belize’s azure sea, sand beaches, lush jungle, mystic Maya temples, tropical weather and affordable luxuries, make it the perfect place to get away with your loved one.

As a Guide at Chaa Creek we are well aware of many things necessary for tourism and development to work – ecology, the environment, and historical, sociopolitical and socioeconomic circumstances of our country Belize. We also know that tourism is a vital main vein that leads to the life of the entire economy. On the other hand, we also know that educating ourselves, friends, guests and neighbors of the importance of this phenomenon of travel, we will help in the advancement of the country responsibly. We also know that we must have fun doing it!

Last year my husband and I were in Mexico and visited Chichen Itza where I became fascinated with the very advanced Mayan civilization. While in Belize I can further my study of the Mayans. Being from America I will also be interested in the influences of the expedition of Columbus into Belize and the colonial influences in the 1800′s. The historical influences are endless!