With the world’s second largest barrier reef (some say the world’s longest living barrier reef), huge tracts of unspoiled rainforests surrounding ancient Maya cities and temples, pristine rivers, waterfalls, hundreds of lovely little islands and a stunning Caribbean coast, what’s not to be happy about? Oh yes, then there’s the people. Nowhere on the planet will you find a more multicultural mix of happy souls who have long ago worked out how to live in harmony. Just about everyone who comes to Belize remarks on the natural, easy going friendliness and warmth of Belizeans. And it’s infectious – after a few days even the most harried travellers notice a spring in the step and a propensity towards smiling. It just grows on you…

Chaa Creek has announced a new “Family and Friends Summer Refresher” Belize vacation package that is surprisingly affordable alternative to staying home this summer.

In Belize you don’t need to go hunting for wildlife – sooner or later it will come to you. Case in point is earlier this month, May 23 to be exact, when we had both a crocodile and jaguar go roaming – all in one day. In Belize City, a crocodile was causing mischief when it left a storm drain to visit the neighborhood. The same day, a jaguar decided to take a walk – much to the concern of the authorities.

Our long time neighbour Rosita Arvigo, who is well-known for her apprenticeship with the late Don Elijio Panti, Belize’s most revered Maya healer, was recently the subject of an article in the Chicago Reader.

The Director of Tourism, Laura Esquivel Hampton, said that this is the first part of a project aimed at maximising the experience of visitors to all of Belize’s Maya sites while making sure that nearby communities benefit from tourism, so it sounds like good news all around.

Hi my name is Bianca Narvaez I am ten years old and I am going to tell you why I like to protect the environment! I like to protect the environment because it is really special to me, we live in the environment and we need to make sure we keep it clean and safe.

I have almost always wanted to grow something. It did not matter what when I was younger I would plant a lot of seeds that I found. I also would like going around and asking my mom if she could spare a carrot top or a potato’s eye or a sweet peppers seed. I would plant everything that I got and I would check them every morning, I would water the small plants but most all of my attempts failed. I still want to grow plants. Another thing is trees I mean if you look at a tree closely there are so many different ants and bugs on it and almost every single one has a home in that same tree.

Mr Choco recently said, “One of the issues guides constantly face is water. Visitors need constant supplies of fresh drinking water, but at the same time, plastic water bottles are becoming an environmental nightmare all around the world.

Throughout history humankind has made some grievous errors in regards to the environment, but as we see, there have also been tremendous efforts to rectify these mistakes and even go further in preserving the environment. Let’s keep working toward the latter.

Did you know that the Belize Black Howler Monkey is one of the top 10 loudest animals in the world? This is one of many things we learned and experienced at Chaa Creek.

Brion Young, who is also a naturalist guide at The Lodge at Chaa Creek, which sponsors the NHC, said he believes that education is the key to preserving Belize’s rich Maya heritage.

We Need to save the earth! Our environment is precious and without it we wouldn’t be alive. Plants and animals need us and we need them. We have an ecological relationship with each other.

“Who in their right mind would deliberately destroy a structure that was created thousands of years ago, using the most primitive tools to build something of such complexity and beauty? This is a part of not only Belize’s, but the world’s cultural heritage, and it has been demolished for road fill. And in a country where we have no end of suitable material just laying around,” he said.

“Curse of the Xtabai.” an 80 minute film billed by its producers as a jungle thriller-comedy with “the distinction of being the first major movie fully produced with Belizean talent,” has a Maya theme and makes use of Belize’s rich tradition of folklore and storytelling.

Given the enthusiastic response during this week’s launch of a new book of stories, poems and drama at the Leo Bradley Library in Belize City, literature continues to thrive in Belize.

We think it’s a great idea that at least one Sunday a year we take time out to pay extra attention to that special someone who brought us into the world and introduced us to love.

First of all, I’ve done the math, and I don’t think I’d save any money by holidaying up here. We did it the year before last, and after the gas, admissions to parks and other attractions, eating out and everything else, we spent a lot more than we’d budgeted for.

What do Australia and Belize and have in common? More than you might think, actually, and not the least of which is a pressing need to protect their stunning great barrier reefs; the world’s largest and second largest, respectively.

One of the things Chaa Creek prides itself on is providing an informal learning experience for our guests by stimulating interest in Belize’s fascinating history, natural environment and culture, and then providing the tools to follow up that interest. For example, guests can wander up to the Belize Natural History Centre (NHC) and get a glimpse into the local ecology, Maya culture, flora and wildlife at their own pace, and then feel free to ask our knowledgeable licenced naturalist guides questions.

In order to survive in the increasingly competitive tourism industry, even the most remote resorts must pay careful attention to their kitchens as travellers are placing greater emphasis on a quality dining experience, the food and beverage manager of a popular Belizean eco resort advises. Bryony Fleming Bradley, of The Lodge at Chaa Creek in western Belize, said that the days of adventurous travellers being satisfied with food that was simply hot and palatable are over. ”Some years back, our guests would always comment at how happily surprised they were with the quality of the food we served, as it usually exceeded their expectations of what would be found in such a pristine location.