Chaa Creek’s 40th Birthday, Happy Thanksgiving

Table of Contents

  1. Thanksgiving at Chaa Creek

The party’s in full swing!  And, along with Chaa Creek’s November – long 40th Birthday festivities, we’re also celebrating another one of our favorite traditions:

Thanksgiving at Chaa Creek

belize thanksgiving vacation family and friends chaa creek

Thanksgiving has been celebrated every November at Chaa Creek, ever since its first successful year as a working farm, when Mick and Lucy Fleming invited their neighbours over for a harvest dinner to thank them for their help and friendship during that challenging first year.

In true Belizean style, everyone brought something, and it turned into a memorable feast that reflected everything Thanksgiving stands for.

chaa creek staff posing smiling for thanksgiving

Every year since then, Thanksgiving has been celebrated at Chaa Creek with gratitude and gusto, feasting and fun, and, in more recent years, as the theme for Belize all-inclusive vacation packages.

And we continue to count our blessings.  

This year, just in time for Chaa Creek’s 40th birthday, global travel began opening up, air service to Belize resumed, and no less a travel authority than National Geographic declared Belize to be one of the world’s best “Six places to rediscover nature for 2022 and beyond.”

Belize land under protected areas maya mountains
Belize’s Maya Mountain Range in Southern Belize

For a Belizean jungle lodge passionate about nature-based tourism, this was music to our ears.

And there’s more…

Lonely Planet also named Belize as one of its top ten countries in their “2022 Best in Travel” book, and the popular Travel Triangle blog included Belize as one of their top countries to visit in 2022.

aerial photo of the great belize blue hole
Aerial view of Belize’s Great Blue Hole

Amid all this praise comes increased air service to Belize, making it easier than ever for travellers to luxuriate in pristine nature and explore one of the world’s most colourful, and harmonious, mix of cultures. 

For example, Alaska Airlinesjust inaugurated nonstop service to Belize City from Seattle (SEA) and Los Angeles (LAX), with return flights departing the next morning. The service operates four times a week to and from LA, with the Seattle run occurring twice weekly.

With this announcement, Alaska Airlines joins:

  • American Airlines: (Miami, Dallas, Charlotte and Los Angeles)
  • Delta Airlines: (Atlanta)
  • United Airlines: (Houston, Denver, Chicago, Newark, Los Angeles)
  • Southwest Airlines: (Houston, Denver)
  • WestJet: (Toronto, Calgary)
  • COPA Airlines: (Panama City)
  • Frontier Airlines: (Orlando, Denver)
  • Sun Country Airlines: (Minneapolis)
  • Tropic Air: (Cancun, Flores, Roatan)
Alaska airlines first flight to belize Philip goldson international airport
Inaugural Alaska airlines flight to Belize – photo courtesy of tropicair.com

Having so many airlines vying to carry passengers to Belize is a vote of confidence, and one more thing we’re grateful for.

In the 40 years since Chaa Creek took its first steps towards becoming Belize’s first jungle eco-lodge, we’ve seen a lot of changes, weathered our share of challenges, and we’re still as humbled and grateful as we were during that first Thanksgiving.

first cottage built at char creek resort in belize in 1981
The first Chaa Creek cottage in 1981 – photo courtesy of guest Ms Katharina Wieneke

And this year, with visitors returning, our friendly staff full of smiles as they bustle about, guides currying horses and sprucing up the canoes, with those wonderful aromas emanating from the kitchen, we feel like we’re enjoying the best birthday ever.

Emil a naturalist guide at Chaa Creek posing with a horse
Emil, an expert naturalist at Chaa Creek on a horseback riding experience around Chaa Creek’s 400-acre reserve

Just like describing the taste of chocolate or falling in love, the vibe around Chaa Creek is almost impossible to put into words.

But if you come join us, we bet you’ll see what we mean.

tripadvisor travellers choice top 21 small hotels central america 2021 chaa creek resort aerial

Speak with your favourite travel agent, or chat with one of our smiling vacation planners. They’ll be happy to offer expert advice about Belize, answer questions, and work with you to plan a bespoke vacation that suits your interests, schedule, and budgets.

It’s a very happy time, and we look forward to seeing you!

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