Enchanted Belize: The Land Where Fairy Tales Come True!
With more airlines bringing increased service to Belize, being transported from the frozen north to tropical sunshine is no longer in the realm of make-believe
Hans Christian Anderson with a tropical twist?
Sometimes we can’t help but think of that delightful Dane’s fairy tale in relation to Belize. You know the story – the little runt that no one seemed to care about is transformed over time into a beautiful swan that’s the envy of the flock.
The beginning of the Ugly Duckling reflects how some of us felt when Belizean tourism was a newly hatched, shy little industry living in the shadow of its larger, more popular and successful brothers and sisters. Gee, we’ll never be as big, beautiful and desirable as those others…
However, just as the fairy tale’s eponymous little character grew into a beauty who became the envy of all, Belizean tourism evolved into one of the planet’s most “must visit” travel destinations, and Belize is now happily being courted by airlines vying to bring an increasing number of visitors to her shores.
Most recently, and after just hearing about AeroMéxico’s new direct flights from Mexico City to Belize City last month, the news of nonstop service from Minneapolis to Belize just landed on our desk.
A media release (and not a fax folded into a paper airplane, as some wags would have you believe) from Sun Country Airlines announced that “Sun Country will offer the first ever seasonal nonstop service between Minneapolis/St Paul and Belize,” with weekly service from 22 December 2018 to 20 April 2019 with round trips on Saturdays.
While this is good news for Belizean tourism, imagine how much it lifts the spirits of our friends from the frigid north, who will now be able to, in one easy, direct flight, escape Minneapolis’ average December temperatures of between minus 3°F to -11°F (-19° -to -24° C ) to luxuriate in Belize’s December average of 71°F to 80°F (22°C to 27°C).
Yes – that’s minus 3°F – 11°F. And let’s not forget the wind chill factor…
And we’re not exaggerating when we say luxuriate, either.
With the widest range of eco-luxe accommodations in Belize – from the rustic Macal River Camp to personal butler-serviced Ix Chel Rainforest Villas – and delightful amenities that include farm-to-table dining and the internationally recognised Hilltop Spa, combined with exhilarating activities that include swimming, canoeing, horseback riding and more, casual luxury abounds at Chaa Creek.
Imagine…you wake up on a snowy Minnesota morning, arrive half frozen to the MSP airport, knock the ice off your shoes, board your flight, and before you know it, you’re at the pool, barefoot and sipping a Piña Colada or enjoying a swim just in time for a delicious lunch at Chaa Creek’s Mariposa restaurant.
Back in the days when Belize was a virtually unknown little Caribbean backwater serviced by two less-than-regular flights a week out of New Orleans or Miami, such a scenario would have been laughable.
But who’s laughing now, asked the former little duckling?
Proving, once again, that in Belize, fairy tales can come true…