Fox News’ recent pick of The Lodge at Chaa Creek as a one of the world’s most outstanding jungle and rainforest retreats marks the third time the Belize eco resort has been featured by the US news agency this year, and is further proof that the tiny Caribbean country is coming into its own as a premier travel destination, marketing administrator Larry Waight said today.

Belize is a sanctuary for birds because of its extensive protected forests, varied wetland habitat and strategic location on a major migratory route. Over 587 birds have been recorded in the country, of these approximately 20% are migrants from North America.

Chaa Creek naturalist guide and Natural History Centre assistant manager Brion Young said that several people had recently called his attention to an April 2013 article in Travel + Leisure magazine, and that this highlights the importance of celebrity endorsement of local conservation efforts.

Mr Waight explained that the Summer of Love program was conceived as a way to encourage more people to spend more time with their loved ones over the summer by taking part in a range of exciting yet affordable adventure activities.

“As a small developing country, Belize never had a marketing budget to match any of the world’s more popular destinations, which is one of the reasons why the Belize Tourism Board always referred to the country as ‘Mother Nature’s Best Kept Secret’. However, as we see on a daily basis at Chaa Creek, visitors are always taken with the incredible natural beauty and warm, friendly people we’re blessed with, so it was only a matter of time before word got out.”

Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, known by her stage name Lady Gage has just tweeted about Belize. The tweet was on a blog post entitled “Ambergris Caye Wins Top Trip Advisor Travelers Choice Award” which was published on our travel blog on March 27th 2013.

Located in the north of Belize and visible from the southeastern shore of Ambergris, the country’s largest caye, Hol Chan and Shark-Ray Alley may be Belize’s most popular dive and snorkel spots. Crowds can be problematic, but at a mere 30 meters deep and with Finding Nemo-esque underwater views, the positives outweigh the negatives, especially for diving newbies and snorkelers.

It’s a great time to focus on the good things in life, count our blessings and realise that yes, the Sun reappears every day, the world keeps turning, and humankind continues to reach out, explore and come up with new ideas. No wonder hope never goes out of fashion…

“Over the years we’ve seen an increase in bookings for Belize family vacation packages to celebrate birthdays, wedding anniversaries, graduations and other significant events. A few years ago one family asked if Mother’s Day was celebrated in Belize, and if we could do something special for their mother.

It’s a country of freedom-seekers. The pirates came to ply their pirate trading out of view. The Mennonites came from Germany and the Netherlands so they could be Mennonites without anyone bothering them. The British came to do their banking in private. And the folks from the surrounding countries have made their way across Belize’s borders over the decades in search of safety.

Ambergris Caye hovers in a vacation sweet spot: just enough amenities to make it exciting, but not so overdeveloped that you’re tripping over flip-flopped tourists. A mangrove swamp is the eye of this white beach island, the largest in Belize, and golf carts are the main form of transportation along the sandy roads.

The term coconut can refer to the entire coconut palm, the seed, or fruit which botanically is a drupe not a nut. According to Wikipedia, the spelling cocoanut is an archaic of the word and is derived from the 16th century Portuguese and Spanish “coco” meaning head or skull from the three small holes on the coconut shell that resemble human facial features.

Tikal is one of the largest ancient Maya cities in Mesoamerica and is located in Guatemala about 50 miles northwest of its border with Belize. According to Archaeologists, the Maya began building Tikal around 600 BC and at its peak some 1500 years ago, Tikal was a wealthy metropolis and home to 100,000 Maya as well as a crucial center for religion, science and politics.

With the easterly breeze and the calm waters, conditions on Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye are perfect for wind and kite surfing. There are schools on both islands offering lessons and rentals. For the serious surfers, it is possible to windsurf the 12 miles between Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye and back, although a pit stop is recommended!

Over twenty years ago the United Nations recognized March 22 as the first World Water Day. This year’s theme is water cooperation. As the following photographs show, the need for cooperation on this precious resource is great, as some enjoy plenty while others suffer drought.

With so many hotels around the world, sure, there are lots of choices to decide on. From the simplest hotel to the most luxurious and – the weirdest accommodation, travelers will never find it hard looking for a place to stay.

Belizeans looking for an exotic location combined with rainforest activities, fine dining, an enchanting setting and luxurious accommodations need look no further. Chaa Creek offers the perfect staff retreat option for the discerning professional.

Funded by the National Cancer Institute in New York, Rosita Arvigo is in a race against time, scouring the tropical rain-forests of Central America in search of cures for many deadly diseases like AIDS and Cancer, before they are wiped out by deforestation.

Marinate the lamb shanks with the garlic, oregano, pepper, all spice seeds and rum and allow marinating for at least 24 hours. Peel the sweet potatoes and cut in slices of 1/8 inch. Season the potato slices with the diced garlic and chopped oregano.

If you are looking for a holiday destination that is small and friendly, plan a trip to Belize. This beautiful country is often overlooked by those searching for a Caribbean paradise, but their loss is your gain because if you take a trip to Belize you will soon discover paradise on earth. And there is more than enough to keep you occupied 24 hours a day as you will see from the following list of the 25 things you can do on a Belize vacation.