Years ago most vacationers literally had to pick up the phone or leave a message on the reservations requesting for a certain seat. Even so, there were no guarantees that you will get what you have requested.

However, internet has changed it all. Now you can get seat information in minutes and know exactly which seat you want. For example, for an American Airlines flight from Dallas to Belize City, enter the flight AA2193 that you have reserved and your departure and arrival destinations.

My job as Global Ambassador is to help Belize to shine on the world stage of tourism, to assist BTB in reaching its strategic marketing goals, and to position Belize as a leader among tourism destinations worldwide. Ladies and gentlemen, Belize is “Nature’s Best Kept Secret,” and it is time to let that secret out! Let the world to discover this country’s treasures, along with Belize’s sustainable tourism leadership in protecting these treasures for future generations of Belizeans and travelers who come to enjoy this wonderful country.

This new and beautifully appointed, fresh water swimming pool adds to the numerous activities that Chaa Creek offers and combines to make Chaa Creek an extra special holiday destination. Its bi-level configuration allows for swimming and paddling pools, as well as generous lounging space for dining, sun bathing and relaxation.

While many things are important to consider when going on a camping trip such as apparel, entertainment, and other camping accessories, food should be at the top of every list, especially for those who have integrated a healthier way of eating into their nutritional lifestyle. Combining well-balanced organic meals with an outdoor atmosphere is what amenities vacation resorts like Chaa Creek in Belize offer to people who enjoy spending time in nature.

Belize’s well-traveled Cayo District is loaded with outdoor adventures – cave tubing, zip lining, mountain biking, jungle hiking, horseback riding, river canoeing, bird watching, temple exploration, and the list goes on. What we really liked about staying at Chaa Creek was that we could do most activities within the nature reserve.

With inland rivers, lagoons, mangroves, hundreds of square miles of flats, together with over 160 miles of barrier reef just offshore, Belize boasts some of the world’s most exciting fishing. A major attraction is the opportunity to do the “grand slam” of tarpon, bonefish, permit and snook on the shallow flats. In the deep sea, wahoo, marlin, baracuda and tuna are in abundance.

The Garifuna Collective (featuring Umalali) from Belize performs on the World Stage at the 2011 Smithsonian Folklife Festival.

We eventually arrived at Chaa Creek, where we parted ways with Joe Awe and our fellow tourists. We were shown to our room. For lack of a better word, it was incredible. The bathroom was huge, with a double shower. We had a second shower that was outside, with large stone walls for privacy. Our bed was massive, with more than enough room for the both of us, and placed casually in the middle of the foot of the bed was an elephant. It was designed from several small hand-towels. We set down our bags, for we had finally arrived.

When I first heard that my friend was going to visit Belize, I thought that she was referring to a small and unknown local restaurant. I had never heard of this tiny country before, which is located in the heart of Central America. Due to a family emergency, my friend was unable to go on her journey as originally scheduled; however, she was smart enough to purchase travel insurance.

Belize is blessed with one of the best climates in the world. The yearly temperature is around 84° F (29°C) without much fluctuation between seasons. During even the hottest summer months, coastal sea breezes and Belize’s large tracts of jungle and rainforests provide cooling relief. Instead of four seasons, Belize really only has two – the wet and the dry. And while they both have their charms, I like the wet, which runs roughly from June through December – things are greener, the jungles more lush and the typically short summer afternoon rains are refreshing.

Back at our cottage The Daily Jungle Journal was waiting to be perused, with information including the Evening Dinner Menu, the upcoming weather forecast, the Chef’s Corner, the on-site activities schedule, for that evening and the following day, and more.

Over the last two months BBC Travel with Lonely Planet placed Belize (along with the Seychelles Islands) at the top of “The five best getaways for a royal honeymoon” for Prince William and Kate, USA Today reported that Belize is “coming on strong” as a top international honeymoon spot, and this week we noticed another happy couple arriving here to celebrate their honeymoon.

Just because many of us are now parents and grandparents doesn’t mean that we gave up our love of a good time or an appreciation of nature, togetherness and family. What we want to do this summer at Chaa Creek is make it that much easier and affordable to keep on rockin’ with those we love.

The Lodge at Chaa Creek was given another nod from USA Today by topping the popular publication’s recent list of Belize Rainforest Luxury Vacations. Chaa Creek was previously singled out by USA Today in February as being one of the world’s top family vacation spots for Spring break

I feel as if I’m dreaming again. Beneath a brilliantly blue, cloudless sky, I’m swimming in warm, turquoise waters drenched in tropical marine life. Sharks, eels and rainbow-coloured fish dart past me. Octopuses, turtles and rays glide along the seabed.

We didn’t encounter a single human in our half-hour walk on shady trails from the park entrance to majestic Temple IV, one of Tikal’s major attractions. Armando was highly attuned to the sounds and movement of the jungle, walking ahead of us with his head cocked at an angle, listening hard. His familiarity with the calls of indigenous birds, the hiding places of insects, and which species were likely rustling the branches enabled us to spot inhabitants of Tikal that we never would’ve known were there—and in some cases, wish we hadn’t.

It seems like every week I have one more friend or acquaintance ask me some question about Belize. I guess the Jewel, as Belizeans fondly refer to their home, is becoming more popular, even though it’s still the most uncrowded earthly paradise I’ve been to.This month I’ve had a couple of questions about spending Christmas in Belize, and since this 10 reasons format keeps me from rambling on about my favourite home-away-from-home, here we go with:

Condé Nast’s Brides Magazine has declared Belize holidays to be the perfect choice for a perfect honeymoon. After polling over 60,000 travel agents, the monthly magazine, read by more than 6.5 million prospective brides around the world, found that the Central American country was the fastest emerging destination for honeymoons. This was largely due to the strenuous efforts of the Belize Tourism Board (BTB), which has been promoting its Belize in Love campaign for nearly two years, marketing to young lovers and brides-to-be.

Maya archeology in Belize continues to reveal more insights into this fascinating, enigmatic culture, and discoveries at sites such as the huge metropolis of Caracol, in Belize’s Chiquibul National Forest promise to keep adding to our knowledge of ancient Maya civilisation and cosmology.

Jungle hiking, beach lounging, museum visiting – there are plenty of ways to get to know Belize, but none with the unique mix of excitement and relaxation that you get with cave tubing. Part lazy river, part jungle exploration, cave tubing is an adventure sport for adventure beginners; a theme park ride in the wild.