The Maya Empire, centered in the tropical lowlands of what is now Guatemala, reached the peak of its power and influence around the sixth century A.D. The Maya excelled at agriculture, pottery, hieroglyph writing, calendar-making and mathematics, and left behind an astonishing amount of impressive architecture and symbolic artwork. Most of the great stone cities of the Maya were abandoned by A.D. 900, however, and since the 19th century scholars have debated what might have caused this dramatic decline.

“Walking in a winter wonderland…” That old song always conjures up memories, and for those of us born in northern climes, those memories invoke white pastoral scenes, snow laden fir trees, roaring fireplaces, red cheeks, mittens, even the odd sled or two with tinkling bells. Whether it was Peggy Lee or Dean Martin singing, the song never failed to stir something inside.

The Lodge at Chaa Creek in the Cayo District of Belize has some pretty awesome horse stables. We went riding with them on a guided trail ride tour with an awesome guide who showed us everything from local wildlife to trees and fruit. We rode to an unexcavated Maya site on top of a hill overlooking the beautiful rainforest sourrounding Chaa Creek.

Members of the tourism industry of Belize will be sponsoring a live chat on twitter today, December 2nd at 3 PM Eastern or 2PM Belize time. Use the hash tag #VisitBelize to learn more about our beautiful country and to ask questions you may have about traveling here.

Today is a very important holiday in Belize as the entire country takes time out to celebrate one of the most defining moments in our nation’s history – the arrival of the Garifuna people, or Garinagu, to the shores of Belize.

The Maya have over centuries faced encroachment on many fronts – their land, culture, spirituality, you name it. And, with world attention on all things Maya increasing in the leadup to the long awaited Winter Solsitce of December 21 2012, the preservation and respect for this august culture will become even more important. So it is with great happiness that we can report a victory while updating that sorry saga of Kellogg v the Maya.

The Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport, also known the Belize International Airport is the busiest airport in the country. It was named after an influent politician who died back in 2001 and represents the main access point to the Belize for the several hundred thousand tourists who visit this beautiful Central American country each year.

What sustained the great, expanding populations of the ancient Maya in their seemingly inhospitable tropical environment? Recent pioneering work in Belize and Guatemala is introducing a remarkable new paradigm and setting a standard of sustainability for future generations.

Andrew Zimmern: Chef, Writer, Traveler and TV Host of Bizarre Foods and Bizarre Worlds on The Travel Channel recently tweeted out that he loves Belize.

When Lonely Planet highlights a destination, it definitely becomes less lonely, but not to worry – the Belize leg of La Ruta Maya remains one of the most uncrowded, laid back and friendliest ways to explore the heartland of the fascinating ancient Maya civilisation.

The Belize Tourism Board is proud to announce its newest venture: FACEBOOK BELIZE. This November, in an effort to augment posting and comments on our Belize Vacation Facebook page, the BTB has been working harder than ever to find ways of engaging travelers to share their experiences at all points of their vacation. Travelers, who are heading home from a Belize vacation experience, now have the opportunity to post their experiences from a total of three internet stations that are located in the departure area of the Philip Goldson International Airport at Gates 1, 3 and 4. As is customary, most travelers are subjected to a layover time in the departure lounge and it is our hope that our visitors can utilize these stations to comment on their vacation in Belize prior to their departure.

The promise of a lighter footprint is everywhere, from luxury resorts (constructed from recycled materials) to Third World guest houses (running on renewable energy), from international airlines (issuing paperless tickets and testing more sustainable fuels) to overland journeys (aboard biodiesel buses). Even A-list celebs are getting in on the game. Leonardo DiCaprio, Al Gore and Bono all sing the praises of low-impact travel.

Imagine the scene. The stands are packed. The crowd is glued to every move made on the court. Elite athletes focused. A ball hurtles toward the dirt, your hero dives for it, deflecting the heavy rubber ball with his shoulder. His opponent springs into the air, and the ball comes right back. Again he dives. The ball slams into his hip. He grunts at the heavy thud of the ball against his skin. He twists and wriggles in the air, defying gravity. You watch. mezmorized as the ball sails over the opponent’s head, out of reach. The crowd erupts. Score!

Chaa Creek’s marketing administrator Larry Waight said that the eco resort has seen a rise in what it calls “romance adventure packages”, where couples opt to mix their celebrations with tropical adventures such as exploring Maya temples and archaeology sites, diving the Caribbean and Belize Barrier Reef, canoeing jungle rivers, horseback or mountain bike excursions and other activities.

Following the laidback honeymoon of Reese Witherspoon and the dramatic, high rating televised proposal by Gene Simmons to Shannon Tweed, we now have much of the world’s attention fixed on Bachelorette star DeAnna Pappas and Steve Stagliano’s honeymoon as it plays out on twitter to a legion of happy fans.

The sign on the right said The Lodge at Chaa Creek and Joe made the left turn and instantly we were on dirt road. Back to nature…love it! Travelers come from all over the world to escape from the hustle and bustle, unwind and explore living creatures like birds, wildlife and butterflies and smell the hundreds of species of plants in their natural environment.

Garifuna Settlement Day celebrates the arrival of the first Garifuna in 1832, descendants of the Black Caribbeans who were first deported from St Vincent in 1797. The day showcases their rich, unique culture with music and a staging of the arrival by the first settlers at the port.

The thought of just a seven hour window to wander around Belize was nerve wrecking and at the same time unsettling. Many questions came to mind: What if the ship leaves without us? What are we going to do if we are stuck in traffic or the van breaks down?

The Belizean icon, Pen Cayetano‘s work will be featured at our Art Gecko Rules function on Saturday October 29, 2011. Pen Cayetano is a world renowned painter, singer, songwriter, percussionist, guitarist, leading cultural revivalist and ambassador for Belize’s Garinagu. Born in 1954 in Southern Belize, Pen Cayetano grew up in Dangriga, Stann Creek – the place known as the cultural capital of the Garinagu of Belize.

We at Chaa Creek thank everyone who follows and interacts with us via the various Social Media networks, either it being you’re from Belize, the US or anywhere in the world.

For those who are current with us, you know that you can find us primarily on Facebook and Twitter under The Lodge At Chaa Creek and @chaacreek. And now you can find us on Google Plus. Add us to your Google Circles!