“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.

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 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.

Destination Belize is the flagship magazine for Belize’s tourism industry. It’s what guests find in their hotel rooms and it’s what Belize’s tourism promoters and vendors hand out at travel agencies and trade shows worldwide, basically to say: “This is Belize.” But this year, there’s a change. The 2011 edition was a home grown effort. Since it was launched 15 years ago, the magazine has been published by Ulrich Communications, a US based company. But this year, the BTIA wanted a fresh feel and approach so they brought in Idea Lab studios to give them that fresh look and feel with an international flair.

The former British Honduras will satisfy those who feel the need for the perfect beach. Take a water taxi from the West Indian flavoured Belize City and head out to the diving paradise of Ambergris Key. There are no large hotels on the island and barely any paved roads, but everyone has a boat, which comes quite handy because the Caribbean’s best diving reef is just off the coast. The locals speak English as their official language, so ordering that lobster at sunset from your favourite beach shack won’t be a problem. Perhaps that was one of the reasons why Ambergis Key was voted one of the best islands in the world by Islands Magazine. Fly into Belize city for less with Vayama’s deals to Central America and the Caribbean.

beautifully designed accomodations, great staff and lots of activities plus a new pool make for a great lodge. the rooms are large, decorated with handicrafts, have huge bathrooms and set far enough apart to give privacy. The staff was friendly, well-trained and knowledgeable. The food is ‘continental’ and only ok with leisurely service (a bit too much so for tired kids). There are lots of activities on the lodge property: bird watching, nature museum, horseback riding, canoeing as well as …