Caribbean Life magazine readers vote Belize as the Caribbean’s best diving and snorkeling and says “The Caribbean’s Technicolor depths are one of its biggest draws, and no place does coral like Belize. The tiny Central American nation has prime proximity to the magnificent Mesoamerican Reef, which stretches nearly 700 miles from Mexico to northern Honduras. Grab a mask and fins and dive in”.

Belize was also a favorite pick by Luxury Living International magazine as Best of Paradise when it comes to the Reef and the overall adventure expierence. Luxury Living International also named Roberts Grove as the best resort in Belize to stay and enjoy the treasures of Belize.

I guess “Mother Natures Best Kept Secret” is getting out there!

Stunning reefs protect the Belize Shorline

I came across a magazine called Luxury Living International yesterday that has just launched an online version and we found an entertaining article on Belize. Called a “webzine”, apparently this one was originally a paper magazine. After spending some time on their sites, some unbelievable homes in the Belize real estate section as well as other places in the Caribbean, etc., I thought I’d post it. As I looked around the pages of Luxury Living International, I found it interesting that here is a magazine done with an emphasis and focus on Belize, Costa Rica, the rest of Central America and the Caribbean in both real estate and as they say “living the good life in paradise”. So, unlike most that I’ve come across, this site gives a pretty good perspective on this growing tropical region.

One thing I agree with in the story is…well…my quote!

“Placencia is the hottest Belize real estate market on mainland Belize,” says Bill Shea, with Three Palms/Coldwell Banker in Placencia. “Although the market here cooled along with everything else in the Caribbean, in the past three months we are getting traction again. The new airport coming in is one key, the charm and the best beach in Belize doesn’t hurt either.”

Yes, its true. Yours truly is now famous! Here is a link to Luxury Living International – www.luxurylivingint.com – enjoy!

Cayo Espanto – Ambergris Caye

This place is over-the-top luxury for Belize. And easily makes this list, even if it covered the whole Caribbean. If you want the ultimate place to relax, with some of the best service in the Caribbean, and the ideal trailhead for ultimate sea adventure, Cayo Espanto is for you. Did I mention it’s a small private island to boot? Adventure is moments away at Cayo Espanto when you don your scuba or snorkel gear to explore the world’s second-largest barrier-reef system. The reef is right out your back door. Three miles from San Pedro, off the coast of Belize, Cayo Espanto is truly a spectacular and private retreat with spa services too. World class snorkeling, scuba diving, amazing food, attentive staff, and massages all await you at Cayo Espanto. As a note: the whole staff meets you when you pull up to the dock…“(the plane, the plane.)”

Chabil Mar Villas – Placencia

On the Placencia Peninsula, next to the famed Turtle Inn, is the Chablis Mar Villas Resort, our pick for the place to stay in Placencia. This place is just very tastefully done, including beautiful landscaping from the front gate to the beach. Chabil offers different types of luxury villas ranging from on-the-beach oceanfront and great ocean view villas with both one and two bedrooms. They have a very cool and romantic honeymoon suite too. Almost all the villas have great sea views or views of Placencia’s whole bay. You can get spa services right on your private  balcony with a great view. This little slice of paradise also sits on the best beach on Belize’s mainland. And the staff, from the front desk gals to the in-suite waiters, are welcoming and very friendly. In-your-suite room service offers you some of the best food in Placencia without leaving your suite. Great place to stay whether you a couple or an entire family.

Turtle Inn – Placencia

Regardless of whether you think Turtle Inn is the best on this list, it’s a fact that Turtle and Francis Ford Coppola single-handedly helped make Belize tourism what it is today and put Placencia on the map. It also didn’t hurt that the resort shared both his big name and his big-name guest list. From the moment you walk into the lobby you are transformed to a different place. Belize, Bali, Thailand? Not sure but it has a great feel and totally changes your paradigm. The natural Belizean hardwoods, the front desk carving brought by Coppola from Bali, and the raised floor above a mock jungle setting is perfect. The rooms (with no air) are far eastern in their look and feel, and most sit right on the beach allowing for fresh Caribbean breezes and the gentle rolling waves off the sea. Coppola’s personal suite is available too but will set you back over a grand a night. It’s very private, with over-the-top panache and a private beachfront pool. The other rooms and suites are unique and well-appointed and all come with great Belizean service.  Two really good restaurants make this a great stay for those willing to shell out a few extra bucks…and then there is his other gem…

Blancaneaux – San Ignacio

I feel (and many others agree) this place is more amazing and I think a better experience than even Turtle Inn. Set in the Mayan Mountains at the foot of a beautiful river are a dozen amazing cabanas spread out on a lush tropical landscape that instantly puts you at-ease with nature. Although there a few different styles and sizes of these luxury thatched cabanas, each is made with rich Belizean hardwoods that just give them a rich and luxurious feeling. You have a sense of lush jungle everywhere but you’re in the middle of a pine ridge forest. Like Turtle Inn, the food is excellent and the service is very good and very personal. There are couples’ decks spread around the rocks along the river for napping or reading a great book.  It’s s-o-o-o-o quiet and so peaceful here that it makes for a truly amazing experience. Frankly you can take a dip in the river as well if napping isn’t your thing. The available adventure tours in the mountains are much different than those you’ll find out on the coast. So, step-up and get one of the larger cabanas, sit out on your deck and enjoy.

Belizean Dreams – Hopkins

If you’re in the Hopkins area there are two cool places to stay. Belizean Dreams is one of them. Here, the accommodations are well-appointed two- and three- bedroom villas, with a great second-story master suite for views of the Caribbean. Service here is personal and the small palapa restaurant by the pool and right on the beach offers really good food and drinks. They have a sister resort about a mile away offering more of the same, really nice villas on the beach including some real estate for sale within the resort. This feels more like a second home than a hotel or resort.

Jaguar Reef – Hopkins

Also in Hopkins is Jaguar Reef Lodge located next door to Belizean Dreams. Both are situated on a nice beach within easy reach of a quiet and unspoiled part of the beautiful offshore reef.  Watch the sun come up over the ocean from your room or suite and enjoy the sunset over the Mayan mountains from your back veranda. The accommodations are roomy thatched units, pleasantly rough around the edges, all surrounding a beautiful lodge with good food and friendly service. This place has one of the best menus for adventure tours in the country.

Kanantik – Stann Creek

If you want a quiet place on a very nice private beach, Kanantik is for you (last time I was there they didn’t allow kids). Feels like your own private resort. There are only 20 or so very cool, private, tasteful beach cabanas with indoor/outdoor baths. The landscape and grounds are manicured to perfection and the service and staff are perfect, too. For the most part it’s all-inclusive but don’t let that fool you.  This is a very custom experience and the food and drinks are great. Roberto, the owner, a divemaster, has one of the finest diving operations in the country with a beautiful dock system and two really nice boats. If you are looking for a beach hut but don’t want to rough it too much I highly recommend this place. Oh, and it has enough real estate for its own private airstrip.

Turneffe Island Resort

To start with this is an intimate resort on an island located off the coast of Belize situated in one of the three large atolls. It’s a pretty spectacular setting for sure. Unlike a lot of places you’d stay, this resort’s cabanas (the most desirable accommodations), ring the island so each gets a view of the white sand beach and the azure water.  The Deluxe and the Superior suites in the main house are very well-appointed and offer all the exotic feel you need to disconnect and unwind. As a diving and fishing launch point it may be the best in Belize. If isolation and white, white sand is your thing, this is paradise.

Chaa Creek – San Ignacio – Maya Mountains

A pioneer in eco-lodging, this secluded 365-acre nature reserve is perched above the banks of the Macal River in the foothills of the Maya Mountains, and offers an unspoiled ambience like few resorts in Belize. Chaa Creek caters to the traveler looking for both physical and intellectual challenges and its programs and activities revolve around the environment, culture and archaeology of Belize. The cottages and suites are mostly thatched roofed with an inviting rich jungle theme with lots of pretty hardwoods. Try the new Treetop Suites, very cool. And, don’t miss the spa here, it may be the best in the country. They also just invested in a great new pool to take the edge off at the end long day of adventure.

Victoria House, San Pedro – Ambergris Caye

Talk about casual luxury. No shoes required, great staff, great Caribbean food. The kitchen will cook your catch, the bartender will make ceviche while you shower and change for dinner (again no shoes)!  Rooms range from plantation rooms and casitas to a three-bedroom plantation house with a breathtaking oceanfront veranda. All well done and appointed. The secluded Rainforest Suite, just 50 feet away from the Caribbean, is a favorite of honeymooners featuring a wraparound front veranda, floor-to-ceiling windows and French doors.

I was hot, and impatient, and growing more so by the minute. It was June 2005 and my first time in Belize, and I was waiting at the airport for a friend who was in Belize to fly fish and look at real estate.

I’m not the most patient fellow and neither is my friend, less so if anything. A tall, hard-charging sophisticated big city guy, he’s a born salesman who loves life in the fast lane. In the four years I’d known him at that time I don’t think I’d ever seen him without silk slacks and high-dollar dress shoes.

We’d crossed signals and were late to reconnoiter, and I could imagine what kind of mood he was in; the two of us would be a real pair until we could get somewhere out of the heat and relax.

So imagine my shock when a rental car pulls up in front of me, and out steps a guy who is a dead ringer for my tall friend, except it can’t be him. The guy is wearing sunglasses, a mostly unbuttoned Tommy Bahama shirt, board shorts and flip flops.

I know Mike couldn’t possibly even own flip flops, but to my shock, he waves me over with a big, casual grin, a cheery greeting to match the smile and fresh suntan.

He’d only been there two days before me but it was enough to make my hard-charging friend looked as relaxed as if he’d stepped out of one of those Jimmy Buffet novels.

His chill vibe was contagious and I very quickly forgot about how hot and impatient I’d been.

I have come to call this transformation “The Belize Effect.” It generally goes something like this:

DAY ONE: (early in the day)…”Where’s my hotel? Damn it’s hot. Is that a mosquito? Good grief these people talk slow….

(later in the day)…”Wow. I didn’t know they have mountains here. Look at that blue water. I didn’t know that color blue existed.”

DAY TWO: (early)… “Fish, scuba dive, hike…look at real estate…we’ll never get to do it all. What are we gonna do? I gotta budget my time…”

(later)…”Man, the air here is soft. How is air soft? But it is. Must be the ocean breeze. This place is like nowhere in the Caribbean. Look at that friggin’ palm tree. Wonder if I could climb it? I wonder how tall they grow? Maybe I’ll climb it after just one more pina colada….”

DAY THREE: (early)…”Look at that sunrise, man. Why do fish have to bite so early in the day? Where the heck is that other flip flop?”….

(later)…”I came here to slay bonefish but I’m starting to think a hammock beats a boat hands down.”

DAY FOUR: (early)…”Is it bad to drink before noon on a weekday? No way, relaxing is never bad for you…”

(later)…”During the weekday? Huh. What day is it anyway? I keep asking people but no one seems to be sure…”

DAY FIVE: “I’m getting a place here.”

…to be continued

(PLACENCIA, Belize) – As Belize becomes one of the biggest boom areas of the Caribbean, affluent visitors—and more and more celebrities—soon find themselves switching from the adventures of island-hopping to the pastime of island-shopping.

Whether fly fishing, diving or sailing, wealthy visitors soon hear that private islands and prime properties can be purchased in Belize from original owners for a fraction of what waterfront costs back in the U.S. and elsewhere in the Caribbean.

While the Bahamas has been a draw for the trendy island homes of many celebs in recent decades, Belize is quickly moving into the mix for its more consistent climate, warmer water and weather, affordability, incredible barrier reef and proximity to that which the Bahamas will never have: an astonishingly bio-diverse mainland replete with stunning waterfalls, ancient ruins, jaguar jungles, mountains and rushing whitewater rivers. Not to mention super-friendly tax laws and the fact that Belize is an English-speaking member of the British Commonwealth.

Most people coming to Belize for the first time never get off Ambergris Caye. North Americans who have been here many times have discovered that the most beautiful and best places to live are on the mainland. It’s a more relaxed, non-touristy atmosphere and allows you some breathing room, yet still has great beaches and is minutes from the beautiful Mayan Mountain range.

Belize is also blessed with true tropical weather. It’s far enough south that visitors are never subjected to the chilly waters and wish-I’d-brought-a-sweater days that are the Bahamian winters. High-profile celebs who favor fly fishing and diving invariably come to Belize at some point. That’s nothing new, what with vacationers like the actress Charlize Theron, who swam in Belizean waterfalls in 2007. But while celebrity visits to Belize are practically de rigueur, more of them seem interested in getting a piece of this paradise for themselves.

Ever the eco-conscious environmental activist, former pretty boy Leonard DiCaprio has bloomed into a gritty leading man and capped off his career maturation with his own Belizean island, Blackadore Caye, which Private Islands Magazine says he bought in 2005 for just under $2 million. Huge by Belize standards, Blackadore is a rambling 104-acre island located in the prime area between mainland Belize and Ambergris Caye, close to the famous Barrier Reef. DiCaprio has stated that he hopes to make it a public destination and a model of sustainable development.

People come to paradise first for the palm trees, year round tropical air and clear blue waters. That’s how most of us define the ultimate escape. The mainland of Belize has all that—miles and miles of pristine oceanfront, in fact—but also offers up access to much more diverse adventure opportunities that appeal to someone who is looking for more than just a few days in the sun.

The Mayan ruins, whitewater rafting, mountain hiking and biking, and so many other activities are just something you are not going to conveniently find from one of the islands.

Projects like The Peninsula Club near Placencia are cropping up on the mainland. The Peninsula Club has the country’s first marina, and is located right next to one famous celeb’s long-time escape. Belize is a special place, something Francis Ford Coppola figured out a long time ago. Coppola first went to Belize while filming the groundbreaking Apocalypse Now and quickly wanted a piece of this lush little country for himself. The iconic director now owns two resorts in Belize (Turtle Inn and Blancaneaux Lodge) and one across the border in nearby Guatemala.

Travel and Leisure magazine touts his Blancaneaux Lodge highly in multiple annual reviews, for its forest scenery, remote setting and unique architecture. Hey, in Belize, all you have to do is not get in the way of the scenery, and Blancaneaux is situated near the Mayan ruins of Caracol.

Of Blancaneaux, T&L writes: “Spot rare howler monkeys and iguanas from the safety of an idyllic, horseshoe-shaped tub designed by Oscar-winning production designer Dean Tavoularis at Francis Ford Coppola’s Blancaneaux Lodge. Made from thousands of pieces of local granite and built by local stone craftsmen, it sits in a hillside amid the same kind of lush jungle paradise Coppola fell in love with while filming Apocalypse Now.”

The Turtle Inn, Coppola’s first creation in the region, also gets high marks for style and intimacy without exorbitant expense. Three restaurants, a pavilion home, eight villas and 17 cottages that are a stone’s throw from the beach create a powerful draw, along with proximity to the charming town of Placencia—full of friendly cafés and guesthouses—and the nearby Monkey River, where fantastic jungle eco-tours are offered.

Top it off with relaxing Bali-inspired architecture and décor, and The Turtle Inn is a great illustration of what Belize is all about.

Why Belize Now?

The answer is simple. You know Mark Twain’s famous quote “buy land, there not making it any more”? Well, they’re is a lot of truth to that especially in Belize. Keep in mind this little English-speaking speck on the map is only 170 miles long and 60 miles wide, barely. It’s just not very big to begin with, and much of it is rainforest and jungle that fortunately can never be disturbed by development. And frankly, the northern section above Belize City is not exactly the paradise most want own a vacation home or to retire to. Flat, a bit barren and hot.

Belize is less than half the size of Costa Rica yet has all that has made that country a famous destination, and a bit more. Don’t get me wrong I love Costa Rica, but I can’t speak Spanish (or read the Spanish contracts), it’s a longer flight to C.R., the beaches and snorkeling are OK at best, it doesn’t have the second longest barrier reef in the world (doesn’t have one at all), and the weather is not as good year-round as Belize. Dry season in Belize is very green, C.R. very hot and brown (at least in Northeast Guanacaste) and both have beautiful rainforests. But as far as real estate is concerned Belize is at least a 30 to 40 percent cheaper if you’re comparing apples to apples.

So when clients ask me to compare living in Belize to Costa or other Caribbean islands, I just say “dollar for dollar, adventure to adventure, easy to easy, Belize is a runaway winner.” And don’t tell anyone, but we sell in Costa Rica too. The value and fun for the buck is definitely in Belize. But what you’ll quickly see when you come down here and get to know the lay of the land, is that the best places to hang your hat and flip flops and hammock in Belize are going to be gone within the next two or three years as each year more people find out about just how cool this place is. The good stuff will never be cheaper than it is today.

You know as much as I love the Caribbean Sea and the wonders of the reef and living on the beach, each time I go into the mountains of Belize my paradigm begins to shift. Maybe it has permanently. Don’t get me wrong, I love to head out to bang the shallows for bonefish and permit or dive a new cut in the reef or hang out on a little Gilligan’s Island type retreat (there are hundreds) but for me the Mayan Mountains are just as amazing and strikingly beautiful as it gets. Steep green tropical peaks meeting the powder blue sky give such an amazing contrast of colors it’s breathtaking. Staring off at the sea just doesn’t have that same striking visual impact that the mountains of Belize do.

The mountains along the Hummingbird Highway from Belmopan almost to Dangriga looks just like parts of Hawaii. Lush, tall, Jurassic-Park-style mountains. You don’t have to travel far (unless you’re on Ambergris Caye) to drive to a totally a different Belize, a more beautiful Belize. One with 3,000-foot mountains carpeted in huge palm trees with wildlife and birds everywhere. First-time visitors to Belize who ride with me to Placencia from the International airport—friends or clients alike—are all amazed at the beauty in the mountains of Belize.

And the tropical pine ridge forests outside of San Ignacio are very cool too, filled with tons of eco-activity options and vast views. No wonder Copolla built Blancaneaux Lodge, it’s a different Belize than Turtle Inn in Placencia. The waterfalls of Belize, and there are hundreds of them, are equally beautiful, including Big Falls, 1,000 Foot Falls and the ones in Cockscomb Jaguar Preserve. They are a must see (and swim).

There are view places in the world you can dive a barrier reef and cast a fly rod for bonefish before lunch and then hike into a rainforest, swim in a crystal clear pool below a 50-foot waterfall and still have time to shower and hit the deck for adult beverages for the sunset.

Anyway, don’t come to Belize and miss the tropical paradise hidden in the rainforest. It will change your paradigm too.

Not only are Hollywood stars drawn to holiday in Belize, but the likes of Leonardo di Caprio and Francis Ford Coppola already own celebrity property in the nation – and if you buy in, you could literally be rubbing shoulders with the rich and famous.

As stated, the actor Leonardo di Caprio has real estate in Belize – in fact, he owns an island off the nation’s shore called Blackadore Caye where he’s currently planning the construction of a luxurious hotel and eco property based project that will be operated by the Four Seasons group. As the island cost a mere $1.75 million dollars for over 100 acres of prime, tropical land in the Caribbean Sea, you can see that relatively speaking land and property in Belize are affordable or even cheap.

Of course, you may not be in the market for an island, but even if you ‘only’ want a modest home in Belize you will be buying in a nation where the rich and famous love to holiday in style yet also anonymously. Not well known as a playground for the rich and famous, the country is absolutely the perfect hideaway for those who like to get away from it all – which was precisely the driving factor behind Francis Ford Coppola’s decision to buy real estate in Belize too.

Other reasons that may sway your decision include the fact that Belize is one of the most beautiful countries in the whole world. It is blessed with white sandy beaches, with topical rainforests, dramatic mountain peaks, rare yet abundant flora and fauna and stunning ocean views. Thanks to these reasons the country is growing as a tourism destination and growing slowly wealthier as a result. This has the knock on effect of infrastructure and amenity improvements that benefits those with properties that they reside in or let out in Belize.

Belize has been protected ecologically speaking and environmentally so it remains a pristine paradise. The celebrities who have bought in such as di Caprio are working with the nation to ensure this status remains the same. The tax status in Belize makes it very attractive, as does the fact it is an affordable place to buy, it has a stable currency, is a democracy and has a legal system based on the British.

In addition to all of these favorable factors supporting the purchase of a property in Belize, you have the fact that Belize is highly accessible from the US, the US is highly accessible from the UK, and the British pound still goes quite a long way in Belize’s real estate market. So, if you want to find a home in paradise in 2009, take a closer look at the property landscape in Belize and join the celebrities buying homes in this beautiful Central American country.

The bottom line: If you are thinking about living and playing in Belize, you would be well advised to do it while the market is flat. The Celebs and a better economy will make this place very pricing very soon. But for now, deals in paradise.

But don’t look past Moon Belize (Moon Handbooks) written by former Belize resident Joshua Berman. He’s delivers a guide to some of the best experiences in Belize, from hiking waterfall, jungle horse-rides and diving the reefs. The guide covers the ground well and will give you all the tools and insight you need to experience the best of Belize.

The Rough Guide to Belize 4 (Rough Guide Travel Guides) is a comprehensive guide to the country and covers all the top attractions. The book also takes a detailed look at the region’s history, cuisine, environment and diverse culture and comes complete with maps and plans for the entire country.

Interested in diving while in Belize? Lonely Planet’s Diving & Snorkeling Belize explores 82 of the best dive sites off Belize, with full-color photos and easy-to-read maps throughout. Belize is home to the world’s second-largest barrier reef and three of the Western Hemisphere’s four coral atolls. Shallow reefs ring the more than 450 cayes and islets, while towering walls plunge into the sea. More than 400 fish species and a host of corals and invertebrates shelter in the warm Caribbean waters.

For more info or questions please email us at blog@threepalmsbelize.com