Four Seasons announces plans for luxury resort in Belize

SCHEDULED to open in 2021, Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts has announced plans for the development of Caye Chapel, a private island in #Belize featuring magnificent oceanfront estates, private residences and overwater bungalows. 

The 280-acre (113 hectare) island is outlined by 6 miles (9.7 kilometres) of white sand beaches and turquoise waters, and is located 16 miles (26 kilometres) from Belize City, either 30 minutes by boat or 10 minutes by flight. The island’s marina and airstrip can accommodate private boats and planes for easy access by owners and guests arriving from further afield. A destination in its own right, the island also acts as a convenient base to explore the nearby cultural and natural sites of mainland Belize and surrounding cayes.

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Picture Credit: pintrest

New for 2018 in Belize

A new resort called the Itz’ana Resort and Residences is set to open in the bustling coastal village of Placencia in #Belize. 

The resort is ideally located next to beaches, islands, rivers and the world’s second largest barrier reef, affording guests endless opportunities for adventure and exploring. 

The hotel boasts 66 luxury cottages and villas, 20 hotel ocean-view suites, a rum room, restaurant, and a salt-water pool. 

www.itzanabelize.com

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Turneffe Island Resorts relaunches

TURNEFFE Island Resort a unique private island oasis offers adventure-seekers a personalized experience with unparalleled fishing, diving and snorkeling excursions. Spread across 14 acres, this hidden gem island at the southern tip of the #Turneffe Atoll is 35 miles off the coast of #Belize City and only 30 miles from the world-famous Great Blue Hole.

The resort specializes in all-inclusive fishing, diving and snorkeling packages for avid water enthusiasts. From the lengths of the saltwater Turneffe Flats to the depths of the Great Blue Hole, guests have easy access to Caribbean waters – and seasoned guides who grew up on the water of the centuries-old Turneffe Atoll channels, lagoons and reef.

“We are delighted to unveil the new Turneffe Island Resort on our 15-year anniversary. We’ve renovated the property, as we do after each season, but we’re especially excited to make a dramatic debut for guests, both returning and new, this season,” said Deborah Finkler, sales and marketing manager, Turneffe Island Resort. “We’ve enhanced our special adventure packages and have a brand new website to allow visitors to virtually experience all the luxury and adventure that the island and surrounding Caribbean waters can offer.”

The resort is known as one of the only places in the world where one can chase the elusive “Caribbean Grand Slam”, catching a bonefish, tarpon and permit, all in one day. Guests can also fish for snapper, barracuda and jack for a truly unforgettable fish story.

The resort offers multiple dives per day with Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI)-certified guides, a weekly night dive and trips to one of the deepest dives in the world, the legendary Great Blue Hole, a collapsed 1000-year old oceanic cave, where divers head 130 feet underwater.

With direct flights from US cities Atlanta, Charlotte, Houston, Los Angeles, Miami and New York to Belize City, Turneffe Island Resort is remote, but not difficult to get to.

For more information on Turneffe Island Resort or to book your trip, please visit http://www.turnefferesort.com

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Picture Credit: By Serge Melki from Indianapolis, USA - A stop on an atoll, CC BY 2.0 commons.wikimedia.org 24321078

Under the Sea in Latin America

CENTRAL and #SouthAmerica offer some of the best dive spots in the world with the crystal clear waters rich with wildlife and coral reefs perfect for snorkelling or scuba diving. According to LATA these are the best eight places to #snorkel or #scuba dive in Latin America

Great Blue Hole, Belize - The hole was made popular by French explorer Jacques-Yves Cousteau who declared it “one of the top ten dive sites in the world.” Meet nurse sharks, reef sharks and bull sharks.

Isle Holbox, Mexico - As part of the Yum Balam Nature Reserve which is separated from the mainland by the Yalahau Lagoon, home to flamingos and pelicans and waters teeming with sea turtles and whale sharks.

Galapagos Islands, Ecuador - With unique wildlife, much of which is endemic to the archipelago you can enjoy close encounters with playful sea lion pups, turtles, sharks, rays and exotic fish.

Fernando do Noronha, Brazil - A volcanic archipelago found off Brazil's northeast coast here you can snorkel and scuba with sea turtles, rays, dolphins and reef sharks. Its largest island is a a protected national marine park and ecological sanctuary.

Little Corn, Nicaragua - Found off the eastern Caribbean coast of Nicaragua Little Corn is only 1.5 sq miles in size. There are about 20 dive sites around the island including the most popular 'Blowing Rock' commonly seen are huge reef sharks, turtles, curious eagle rays, barracuda, dog-tailed snapper.

Sea of Cortez, Mexico - A world heritage site the reason most people go here is to see the gigantic gray whales and their calves. Alternatively snorkel amongst sea lions, blue damselfish, and schools of king angelfish.

Ambergris Caye, Belize - Belize's largest island dive off the eastern shore and enjoy the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the 124m deep Great Blue Hole.

Los Roques, Venezuela - From shallow reefs to high coral walls and deep caves Los Roques has something for everybody especially its rich marine life.

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Picture Credit: Cwrgenec flickr.com/photos/25969987@N06/29821519711 Sea Turtle via photopin.com", ahisgett flickr.com/photos/37804979@N00/4386587491 Fish 4 via photopin.com, wstera2 flickr.com/photos/13836188@N04/4642337100 The Great Blue Hole via photopin.com

Up in the air . . .

AMERICAN AIRLINES is to put #Belize on the map for UK visitors. From November, Brits will be able to fly return to Belize City without an overnight stop in the US or Mexico. 

Launching on November 4, in conjunction with the start of Belize’s high visitor season, out-bound flights will operate four days a week on Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday while in-bound flights will operate daily. Both will fly all year round. 

American Airlines will introduce afternoon outbound flights from London Heathrow, with a few hours’ connection in Miami onto Belize City, plus morning and mid-day in-bound flights, again connecting for just a few hours in Miami.

In 2015, Belize had 12,650 UK visitors – an 11.4 percent increase on the 2014 total.

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5th boom year for Caribbean tourists ..

.. record numbers for the Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, and Aruba.

TOURISM to the Caribbean saw its fifth year of growth in 2014, with a record number of visitors and spend. The Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) says a record 26.3 million holidaymakers visited the islands in 2014, up 1.3 million on 2013. 

The growth was faster than the region had anticipated, and it came with a record spend of US$29.2 billion (£19.1 billion).

UK numbers were up by 12%, helped by increased flights to the region and more confidence in the economy. 

The Dominican Republic, Cuba, Jamaica, and Aruba set their own tourism records in the year (making up 45% of arrivals), while St. Lucia, Belize - from the mouth of St, Herman's cave pictured, and Haiti also posted record overnight levels.

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Picture Credit: "Hotel nacional habana". Licensed under CC BY 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons; "St Hermans Cave Belize" by Yourexhalekiss - Own work.via Wikimedia Commons.

Tourism boom for Belize

THE Caribbean Tourism Organization statistics flag up Belize coming in at second place on the list of fastest-growing tourist destinations in the region in the first quarter of 2014, behind the Turks and Caicos Islands. 

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