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.

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.

Whether fly fishing, diving or sailing, wealthy visitors soon hear that private islands and prime properties can be purchased in Belize from original owners for a fraction of what waterfront costs back in the U.S. and elsewhere in the Caribbean. Tiger Woods, Charlize Theron, Leonardo DiCaprio, Lennox Lewis, Harrison Ford and Francis Ford Coppola have all either visited or bought property in Belize, with Tiger going non-stop fly-fishing, snorkeling, kayaking and diving, according the San Pedro Sun.

Most visitors to the Caribbean don’t make it further afield than their cabana, and with good reason. The powder white sand and clear water make for some of the best beach bumming on the planet. Here are the top five fascinating and picturesque reasons to pry the pina colada out of your hand and explore what’s past the tiki bar.

This 214 pages paperback book, written by Barbara and Victor Bulmer-Thomas, is the first economic history of Belize covering the period from the 17th century to post-independence. It is a new title in the Belize Collection.

Avid travellers will tell you, to really get to know a place you’ve got to try the local food. In Belize, “local” food is an eclectic collection of dishes with strong influences from the country’s many diverse cultures; like the Creole; Maya;Garifuna; Mestizo offered along with Caribbean; American; Indian and Chinese cuisine. While each culture uses unique flavours and cooking techniques, they all benefit from ingredients like fresh from the nut coconut milk, garden grown herbs and spices, organic fruits and vegetables and freshly caught seafood.

“Walking in a winter wonderland…” That old song always conjures up memories, and for those of us born in northern climes, those memories invoke white pastoral scenes, snow laden fir trees, roaring fireplaces, red cheeks, mittens, even the odd sled or two with tinkling bells. Whether it was Peggy Lee or Dean Martin singing, the song never failed to stir something inside.

Today is a very important holiday in Belize as the entire country takes time out to celebrate one of the most defining moments in our nation’s history – the arrival of the Garifuna people, or Garinagu, to the shores of Belize.

The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Government of Australia recently announced a new programme of collaboration on coral reef conservation:

Australia and Caribbean Community nations today pledged to build on a growing partnership and to continue sharing experiences and expertise in addressing development challenges in the Caribbean.

Chaa Creek’s marketing administrator Larry Waight said that the eco resort has seen a rise in what it calls “romance adventure packages”, where couples opt to mix their celebrations with tropical adventures such as exploring Maya temples and archaeology sites, diving the Caribbean and Belize Barrier Reef, canoeing jungle rivers, horseback or mountain bike excursions and other activities.

The sign on the right said The Lodge at Chaa Creek and Joe made the left turn and instantly we were on dirt road. Back to nature…love it! Travelers come from all over the world to escape from the hustle and bustle, unwind and explore living creatures like birds, wildlife and butterflies and smell the hundreds of species of plants in their natural environment.

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.

The Belize Tourism Board today announces a partnership with Virtuoso® – the leading network of travel advisors offering a “Return on Life” through meaningful travel experiences – to become a Preferred Destination. The alliance with Virtuoso will provide Belize with access to over 300 travel agencies employing more than 6,000 travel specialists in 22 countries, ranging from North and South America to the Caribbean, Australia and New Zealand.

Located in Central America just south of Mexico, Belize sits along enchanting turquoise waters of the Caribbean. Every year, thousands of scuba divers from around the world visit Belize in search of the perfect dive. Belize is home to three of four atolls, – a ring-shaped formation of coral reef – located in the Western hemisphere. This makes Belize one of the best dive spots in the world. Their crystal clear and warm waters provide great visibility.

Here’s a list of the best dive locations in Belize:

Belize has a rich heritage and is filled with many vibrant cultures, which is why the Lodge at Chaa Creek is here to introduce you to see what all Belize has to offer and they always endeavored to share their love for what makes Belize so special, and the need to protect this vibrant yet fragile ecosystem.
Chaa Creek has been in existence since 1981, which has create a true jungle experience and the result is an exquisite blend of natural beauty and man-made comforts. It continues to win recognition as one of the Caribbean region’s best examples of sustainable, Green tourism.

“[Belize] recognizes that its competitive edge is its cultural and natural heritage…and has in the past 12 months, put into place a sustainable tourism development. That’s a pretty bold step you won’t see in many countries around the world.”

There’s little evidence to visitors that any part of Belize is under threat. The jungles are lush and verdant, alive with macaws, toucans, parrots and howler monkeys. The water is teeming with fish, turtles and sea mammals.

“In many respects,” says Christ, [Belize] stands as a model… It’s not a secret, but a lot of people haven’t yet discovered it.”

After spending days and nights searching for a better deal, I gave up Tahiti and turned to the Caribbean. The beach is still beautiful. Hotels, there were many that were very luxurious but they just weren’t exotic enough for my liking. I wanted palm-thatched rooms with elegant wooden floors and furniture – at least something like that, and the atmosphere that tells me “you’re in the Caribbean!” Since I didn’t know much about the Caribbean, I just googled images of “Caribbean villas.” There was one that looked “okay” in Belize. Belize? Where is that? I further researched the place through travel magazines and websites along with other places like Curacao, Turks and Caicos, etc. They all looked similar so I didn’t mind where I go as long as it had somewhere exotic for me to stay.

Placencia – Belize’s Affordable Tranquil Caribbean Paradise
One of the best and most affordable Caribbean vacation spots is a lovely little Belizean seacoast village just a few hours from the USA.
Placencia, Belize, is one of the most laid back, pretty and interesting places in the Caribbean. This friendly little village situated on the tip of a long sandy peninsula in south eastern Belize is an affordable, uncrowded little gem of a tropical paradise.
With sixteen miles of sandy beaches, the impossibly blue …