I stayed at Ka’ana in early March 2013, between work commitments in San Ignacio area. What a fantastic stay! From the room to the spa to the restaurant food, everything was delightful. I have been in this area before and had exhausted most of the common tours, so the manager Jennifer was happy to find some different things for me to do. She arranged a horseback ride to unexcavated ruins (amazing!) and also a Maya cooking class with the mother and aunt of the chef at the hotel (fantastic and so fun!). The restaurant here is exceptional, really by far the best food I have eaten in Belize. Chef really knows what he is doing! The spa was lovely, I had a scrub and massage which were perfect after riding a horse and being a bit sore. Gorgeous pool, and very relaxed atmosphere. Also, great WiFi and TV connection / reception.

See the review here: http://tinyurl.com/ctvxgad

The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly 300 meters (980 ft) offshore in the north and 40 kilometers (25 mi) in the south within the country limits.  It is Belize’s top tourist destination, popular for scuba diving and snorkeling and attracting almost half of its 260,000 visitors, and is vital to its fishing industry.

Charles Darwin described it as “the most remarkable reef in the West Indies” in 1842.

The 85th Annual Holy Saturday Cross Country Cycling classic, a highlight of Easter in Belize shot off this morning. Who will take away the garland this year – Belizeans or International participants?

Easter isn’t complete in Belize without some age-old traditions. One such delight is the Cross Bun; an Easter treat that we look forward to every year.

Belize has a wonderfully diverse society, made up of a multiplicity of cultures and speaking many languages. English is the official language but Spanish is widely spoken. It stands out as the country with the largest ratio of land to people. Unlike its neighbors and other developed countries, the country is uncrowded and full of wide open spaces.

Bordered by Mexico to the north, Guatemala to the south and west, and the enchanting Caribbean sea to the east, our little jewel is only about 180 miles long and up to 68 miles wide. With a population of approximately 312,000 people (2011 census), the population density is the lowest in Central American and one of the lowest in the world making for wide open spaces to explore and discover.

Belize’s relatively undiscovered status has been one of the country’s most powerful attractants over the centuries and the inhabitants from the time of its modern history have liked it just that way. The area was the center of the vast Mayan Civilization founded about 2,000 B.C.

“Women have always been the strong ones of the world”. – Coco Chanel.

The Baron Bliss Lighthouse is a tribute to one of Belize’s greatest benefactors – Henry Edward Ernest Victor Bliss. Bliss was a baron of Portugal, born in Britain. He sailed into the Belize harbor in 1926 aboard his yacht, the ‘Sea King.’ During his time in Belizean waters, Baron Bliss became ill. He was able to see the coastline from his deck on the days he felt well enough to surface. Even though he never set foot on Belizean soil, he came in contact with Belizean fishermen, harbor officials and entertainers who came aboard his yacht during the several months that he was in harbor. He fell in love with Belize from his temporary residence on the Caribbean Sea.

Before his death, he established a trust of about $2 million for the benefit of the Belizean people. The interest from the trust is used to fund many ongoing projects, including the establishment of the Bliss Lighthouse, the Bliss Institute, the Bliss School of Nursing, and the Bliss Promenade. March 9, the day of his death, has been set as a public and bank holiday in honor of his memory. An annual regatta is held in the harbor, as per his wishes. Sailboats of all classes enter the race. The Lighthouse marks his tomb and memorial.

Literally translated – the Maya’s route, the Belize Old River, served as a major trading route, with various important centers as Xunantunich, El Pilar, Cahal Pech and Altun Ha lining its banks. Later it served as the predominant highway for transporting valuable timber and logwood for the British who settled in Belize.

Today, the race follows this historical route and occurs each year in March, coinciding with Baron Bliss Day (March 9^th). Hundreds of canoes line up to make the journey of almost 180 miles of grueling paddling down the Belize River. Teams of three per canoe start early on Friday morning vying for the station prizes along the way at the various villages they pass through, then stop to camp together each night. Every morning it’s a shotgun start and off again to conquer the next stage. The British Army keeps the official time and the standings are determined by accumulative time over four days on the river.

The first canoes enter Belize City to cheering crowds at about 10:00 am on the last day, coinciding with the Baron Bliss Day Celebrations in honor of Belize’s great benefactor Henry Victor Edward Bliss, who left a significant will to the people of Belize.

The winners of this race are world class teams but every single team is racing the other canoes around them. The paddlers in the race vary in experience levels from the world class to the novice. A great deal of canoeing experience is not required but having the heart to compete in a marathon-like event is.

The La Ruta Maya River Challenge has now become a major public and tourist attraction. It rivals other Belize Sailing events such as the Baron Bliss Harbour Regatta. The event is open to the general public and everyone is invited to enjoy fun filled days with food, live entertainment, games, prizes and of course close up of views of the action as the race passes populated areas.

See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CibtbsoBF5E

Hecktic romance in the rain … See more here.