Protected rainforests, Maya ruins, Caribbean beaches and the longest barrier reef in the western hemisphere. Add English as the official language and the widely accepted U.S. dollar, and you can get a great vacation on easy mode in Belize.

“Once again, Cupid rules during the entire month of February here at Chaa Creek, where we’re offering some seductive specials and lots of loving attention,” Mr Waight said, “Belize is a lover’s playground all year round, but during February we go the extra distance to make sure our guests enjoy the most romantic getaway on the planet. We pioneered adventure romance in Belize years ago and we’re all looking forward to making February 2013 our most loving month yet,” he said.

“ATM is a relative newcomer to Belize’s Maya attractions, but word of mouth has steadily increased interest in it in recent years,” Mr Waight said, “It’s certainly one of the most captivating things I’ve experienced anywhere, and without exception our guests return from excursions to the cave completely amazed. It’s an experience that’s difficult to put into words,” he said.

With all of the expectations, speculation and anticipation for 2012 finally having come to pass, all of us here at Chaa Creek are once again inviting our many friends and family members from around the world to join us in counting our blessings and renewing our energies as we look forward to a New Year.

As anthropologist Joe Awe explained to the guests who attended the unveiling ceremony held at Chaa Creek, the ancient Maya used the carved stone monuments to record important dates and events in their various city-states spread across the vast Maya empire, which covered all of Belize and parts of Mexico, Guatemala, Honduras and El Salvador.

Travellers to Belize will find it easier to combine a Caribbean beach vacation with a rainforest and Maya temple experience, thanks to today’s launch of a new air service linking Belize’s San Ignacio Town to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, The Lodge at Chaa Creek’s marketing administrator, Larry Waight said today. According to Tropic Air, their new service will run between the Maya Flats airstrip located midway between San Ignacio Town and Benque Viejo del Carmen on the Guatemalan border, and the domestic airports at San Pedro and Belize City.

Due to unforeseen circumstances, three deluxe packages for The Lodge at Chaa Creek’s 2012 Maya Winter Solstice celebration have become available, marketing administrator Larry Waight announced today.

San Pedro is “La Isla Bonita” that Madonna made famous and is a tourist mecca that boasts great beaches and plenty of dive shops where you can enjoy the sun, sand, and sea. Placencia Peninsula is a lovely little Belizean seacoast village in Southern Belize with sixteen miles of white sandy beaches and is a favorite destination for diving and snorkeling. Caye Caulker is a small island with a rare combination of rustic, laid back charm and comfortable amenities that has very little resemblance to the more hustle and bustle Caribbean hot spots.Travelers report that it’s “not for the party animal,” and appeals especially to backpackers, painters, divers and snorkelers.

In recognition of the ancient Maya’s belief that 2013 would usher in the dawn of a new era, the Lodge at Chaa Creek will be launching a series of new tours, packages and activities throughout 2013, according to activities coordinator Bryony Bradley.

While Belize is known for many things, such as a top dive spot, for its rainforests dotted with many Maya temples and archaeological sites and a laid back lifestyle, it can also be the perfect place for a Christmas holiday, according to Denise Duran, Chaa Creek’s Guest Services Coordinator.

I am in another world, the Mayan world. Not much has changed over the last 600 years, except the passing of time. My friend Steve and I are here to celebrate this, as Dec. 21, 2012 will mark the end of the Mayan calendar and the beginning of a new age. What better place to consider the future of our planet than by spending time with the spirits of the Mayans, and their descendants today.

Belize’s first ever Black Friday vacation deal begins today Thursday 22 November with the Lodge at Chaa Creek offering 30 per cent discounts off all accommodation and 10 per cent off selected all-inclusive Belize vacation packages, according to the eco resort’s marketing administrator, Larry Waight.

In its introduction, Forbes’ photo feature states that, “Living overseas is different from just visiting. Before you retire to a foreign country, consider not just the weather and cost of living, but also healthcare; safety; tax and visa requirements; and how friendly the country is to foreigners. Here are some possibilities,” and then goes on to list fifteen of what it considers the world’s best retirement choices.

Belize would not be the Belize that we know and love if it wasn’t for the many contributions of the Garifuna, and their proud history if one of the most interesting and enduring sagas humanity has known, beginning with a fateful shipwreck off St Vincent’s Island in the Caribbean in the 1600s, when surviving African slaves made it to shore and mixed with the local Arawak, or Carib, population.

“People are fascinated by the Maya because of the mysteries that surround their culture — how they lived, their rituals, and, of course, their eventual decline,” Beardall says.

Fodor’s Travel has been one of the world’s leading sources for travel information since 1936, and currently covers over 7,500 destinations worldwide through its popular guidebooks, website and articles. The company recently released its second annual list of the world’s top 100 hotels, culled from a list of over 4,000 nominations taking in 41 different countries.

“It’s pretty ironic that while some people on the other side of the planet are promoting doomsday scenarios based on the so-called Maya prophesies surrounding 2012, those of us living in the Maya heartland are preparing for 2013, just as the ancient Maya no doubt would be,” marketing administrator Larry Waight said today.

“I received an email from a woman in the US thanking us for a holiday that she said rekindled her and her husband’s love for each other. She said that their time together here worked miracles and did more for bringing them closer together than months of expensive counselling. Later on, during a staff meeting, everyone seemed to have a similar story about couples saying they left here happier and more affectionate than they’d been in a long time.

What does next Tuesday’s US presidential debate have in common with Belize? Plenty, if you’re looking for an affordable tropical vacation in Belize, The Lodge at Chaa Creek’s Business manager, Peter Tonti said today while announcing new Super Tuesday discounts.

“It’s an exciting time here at Chaa Creek as we’re preparing for the week long 2012 Maya Winter Solstice celebrations centred on December 21. It’s our most ambitious project yet, and we want to make sure we get it right, from the educational lectures and workshops through to the grand procession to the ancient Maya temple of Tunichilen on the night of the winter solstice.