“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.”

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.

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.

Check out these ten jaw dropping photos from around Belize. Which photo is your favorite?

The natural beauty of Belize combined with its rich cultural heritage make a perfect magnet for Valentine’s lovers! Here are some fun places to explore in Belize this Valentine’s Season:

Belize has roughly 386 km of coastline and approximately 450 islands and islets that stud the Belize barrier reef – the largest in the western hemisphere. The islands are known as cayes, pronounced “keys” and the most popular ones are Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. If you are looking for a soul-stirring experience, below are eight exquisite and picturesque islands to visit in Belize:

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.

Belize, a tiny English speaking country with the world’s second largest barrier reef and a rich Maya heritage, has over the years blended a traditional North American style Thanksgiving with elements from its various cultures to create a unique holiday that continues to grow in popularity both locally and with overseas visitors, Mr Waight said.

The success of last week’s Belize tourism expo is one more indication that the growth of the Belizean travel and tourism industry is on the right track, the owner of Belize’s premier eco lodge said today.

The Microsoft search engine Bing recently featured Belize’s largest island – Ambergris Caye – one day before Belize’s Independence Day on September 21!

It is estimated that Ambergris Caye had been continually occupied by the Maya for some 2,000 years until it was abandoned around 1500 AD, with some 20,000 Maya inhabiting the site at its peak between 1200 to 1400 AD. The Maya islanders most likely engaged in fishing, trading and salt production, as Ambergris would have been strategically located on the main coastal trading route. However, due to the lack of significant structures and the paucity of artefacts, the island never received the attention the grander inland sites such as Caracol and Xunantunich did.

Like most divers, I’ve heard great things about scuba diving in Belize, but for various reasons first travelled further afield to places like Tonga, the Cook Islands and Australia. They were all superb, but what a surprise to discover that the absolute best diving to be found anywhere, and I do mean anywhere, is in the tiny little Central American country of Belize.