We’re very excited to celebrate a new era – our twins becoming teenagers and the Mayan Solstice – in Belize! Participating in Chaa Chaa Creek’s festivities would be a magically memorable, lifetime learning, and fabulously fun experience (note: we are already booked for the 4-day Christmas package but would truly jump for joy if we had the chance to extend our too-short-stay experience and/or invite the kids’ 82 year old Chinese grandmother).

Just as the fall of Rome didn’t meant the end of Romans, the decline of great Maya metropolises, such as Guatemala’s Tikal, which reached its apex in the ninth century, doesn’t mean the indigenous people have vanished. About 40 percent of Guatemala’s 14 million people are Maya, and southern Mexico and the Yucatán Peninsula are home to many more predominantly Maya regions.

Other uses include the production of paper, clothing, bedding, mosquito nets and dance masks as well as plastering walls. Bark beaters were made of limestone, wood, ground stone, and even sea shells and their size and shape vary depending on their use. Some bark beaters had long handles and others had an encircling groove around the sides so that they would fit in one hand. This simple, multi-use utilitarian tool was not exclusively invented or used by the Maya since many civilizations and people around the globe and over time have used similar tools. Bark beaters were however important to the Maya for daily use and in present times are important for archaeologists to better understand the great Maya civilization.

Today’s Belize Photo of the Day is the Maya Harp. The Maya Harp is beautifully hand crafted and was an integral part of the Maya society since it was used for religious and healing ceremonies and for cultural and entertainment purposes.

With the long awaited arrival of 2012, there is growing interest in the ancient Maya civilisation, and this is a double edged sword. On one hand, it is good to see this rich, highly advanced ancient culture finally getting the attention it deserves. Hopefully, this attention will turn into greater research opportunities leading to a better understanding of this enigmatic civilisation.

Yesterday December 21st 2011 was winter solstice – the shortest day of the year and at Chaa Creek it was celebrated with a full day of Maya cultural presentations, workshops, and traditional Maya feastings to commemorate the long awaited and much debated Maya Winter Solstice of 2012.

Join us as we thank the Maya for some of the most incredible foods that have moulded our cultures throughout the times. Here’s a list of 10 Maya foods that changed the world’s eating habits

Last year my husband and I were in Mexico and visited Chichen Itza where I became fascinated with the very advanced Mayan civilization. While in Belize I can further my study of the Mayans. Being from America I will also be interested in the influences of the expedition of Columbus into Belize and the colonial influences in the 1800′s. The historical influences are endless!

Chaa Creek:A Dream Vacation of a Lifetime
Belize has been a fantasy of mine to visit ever since I saw a postcard of the “Big Blue Hole”. My love for nature and the outdoors has carried itself from my youth into adulthood, and made me the free spirited woman I am today. Only when I am outdoors do I truly feel liberated and like my true self. This connection to nature and my quest to be uninhibited has taken me up …

Archaeologists estimate that at their peak, 1 to 2 million Mayans lived within the borders of present day Belize.

Mighty Maya cities such as Caracol, Xunantunich and Lamanai dotted the landscape, with small agricultural communities farming the land between. The Maya civilization is divided into the Pre-Classic (1000 BC to AD 300), the Classic (AD 300 to 900) when the civilization reached its height of development, and the Post-Classic (AD 1000 to 1500) when the civilization fell apart and disappeared.
No one …

The Chaa Creek Natural History Museum was established in 1993 to become the first one of its kind in Belize, Central America.  The centre was created with the hope of providing a much needed natural and cultural history resource for Belizeans and international visitors, as well.  The exhibits within the Centre cover a wide range of topics from anthropology to zoology and were designed and individually constructed by our staff of experienced naturalist guides.  The Centre showcases the wonders of Belize’s …

Tikal Maya Temple was once one of the greatest cities in the world. In its heyday it was the capital of a vast Mayan empire. Today, the site is one of Guatemala’s premier tourist attractions. Its unspoiled jungle setting makes it special for discerning travelers, particularly naturalists and bird watchers.
The mystery of their demise and the magnificence of their achievements both perplex and intrigue visitors. As you explore the temples, with your local guide, you will see panoramas of the city, read about …

Explore the Maya ruins and culture from any angle: Remarkably grand and majestic, their stone Maya temples protrude above the large expanse of green canopy in the tropical Belize Rainforest. The architecture is astounding. Maya Temples like Caracol, Xunantunich, Cuello, Lamanai and Lubantun are just a few of many ancient ceremonial sites that represent the legacy of a highly advanced civilization that once flourished in Belize – The Maya.
The Mayas were direct descendants of nomadic people, who came from Asia …