Going Places with the BTB

A couple weeks have passed since five bloggers did a week tour in Belize courtesy of the Belize Tourism Board. Everyone headed back home with smiles, memories and too many photos to count. Since then, they have been pecking away on their keyboards as they post on their experiences.

Check them out:

Almost Fearless by Christine Gilbert (@almostfearless)

• Traveling Pregnant: Hiking and Tubing the Jaguar Reserve
• Authentic, Culturally Appropriate and Unique Tourism: Does it exist?

Zen Foodist by Christine Gilbert

• The Inn at Robert’s Grove

Travels With Two by Melanie Waldman (@TravelsWithTwo)

• Images of Belize
• In the Jungle, the Mighty Jungle…the Coati Sleeps Tonight

Enduring Wanderlust by Gennaro Salamone (@EWanderlust)

• Last Night I Dreamt Of San Pedro

The Vacation Gals by Kara Williams (@karasw)

• Gal On The Go: Family-Friendly Zipline Tour at Jaguar Paw near Belmopan, Belize
• Gal On The Go: 350 Feet Above Ambergris Caye, Belize

MyKugelhopf by Kerrin Rousset (@MyKugelhopf)

There is more to come, so stay tuned! You can also follow these guys and the Belize Tourism Board (@BelizeVacation), via twitter. Search for the hash tag #belizetrip to see the buzz that’s been going on from their visit.

See you in twitter and blogger land guys!

Continuation of Blogger Press Trip – November 13th…

Bright and early Friday morning, the sun was shining as the group strolled along the beach to Blue Water Grill for a spectacular breakfast overlooking the sparkling Caribbean sea. We met our guides from Extreme Adventures who took us out to Hol Chan Marine Reserve for an hour of snorkeling among sting rays, sea turtles, tarpon, eels and hundreds of other underwater creatures. Once the group was back in the boat, it was another short ride to Shark Ray Alley where the brave bloggers jumped out to pet and swim with the large nurse sharks and sting rays. Needless to say, the bloggers agreed it was some of the best snorkeling they’ve done.

After a morning of snorkeling, the incredible lunch prepared by Elvi’s Kitchen could not have tasted better. The abundant meal included included many of Elvi’s highlights: platters of cevichè, Maya chicken, hognose grouper and a refreshing serving of frozen Key Lime Pie. The group was very happy to have an hour to explore San Pedro and walk off their lunch before returning to Extreme Adventures for an afternoon of parasailing high above the spectacular shoreline of Ambergris Caye.

Parasailing with Extreme Adventures Belize from Belize Vacation on Vimeo.

As the sun began to set, our guest bloggers returned to Phoenix Condominiums for a quick change before being whisked away to Victoria House for yet another scrumptious dinner. Some of the group’s favorites were the scallops, crab cakes, lobster tail and lemon meringue pie. Once the group had eaten all they could, everyone returned to the resort to enjoy their final evening in San Pedro. The overwhelming consensus was that the entire trip was fantastic and everyone enjoyed the opportunity to “be one with Belize”.

Blogger’s press trip continued – November 12th.

We woke early on Thursday morning, eager to get on the road to that day’s activities. On the list today, ziplining and cave tubing at Jaguar Paw. A few of the bloggers had done ziplining before however none had done it in Belize and certainly not in the middle of pristine jungle. As for cave tubing, they were not sure what to expect.

Once fitted for a harness, we were off for a short hike again towards the top of our first platform at around 80 ft. The first run is a small intro for what is to come and is meant to give visitors a chance to decide if they want to go through with the other 7 long runs. All of us did the first short run, gave the thumbs up and waited patiently for the real fun to begin.

The thrill of whizzing by tree tops and the feel of the crisp air against my face took me right back to childhood, I gave a big “wheeeee” as I pushed off the first long run. Everyone else that followed had that child’s grin on their face and wanted more.

Here are a couple videos from the morning.

Kerrin having fun with her first time ziplining at Jaguar Paw from Belize Vacation on Vimeo.

Kate on the zipline. from Belize Vacation on Vimeo.

Thursday, September 12th started off with an early morning stop at the market in San Ignacio for pictures and a look around. After a quick stop, our guest bloggers left the Cayo District for a scenic drive to Jaguar Paw Resort.

Two guides met us at the van, and we followed them through the jungle trail to the resort’s zip-lining course. The next hour and a half was spent flying from platform to platform across the forest canopy, before rappelling approximately 200 feet to the ground below.

Once everyone was back on the ground, the group took off on a short trek through the woods to the Caves Branch river system. After all group members were secured into life jackets and inflatable tubes,  we linked up and floated into the cave system. Our guide pointed out stalactites, stalagmites, waterfalls and bats as we floated along the river through caves that are over 1000 years old.

Needless to say, the group had worked up an appetite, so everyone was thrilled to see our classic Belizean lunch of chicken served with rice and beans. The meal was quickly devoured before we hopped back into a Yute Expeditions van, bound for the Belize City Municipal Airport. Since we had some time to kill during the wait for our Tropic Air  flight to San Pedro, JC of Naturalight was kind enough to spend some time teaching Creole to the bloggers. “Weh we gwein?”

After a breath-taking flight the group arrived on sunny Ambergris Caye in time to check into our rooms at the Phoenix Condominiums and have some time to explore the beachfront before dinner. That evening, the group enjoyed a spectacular meal at Red Ginger, where the molten chocolate cake was a huge hit. Shortly after dinner the group dispersed to their rooms in order to rest-up for a full day of fun in the sun  on Friday.

After our arrival and tour of Ka’ana and the delicious lunch prepared by Chef Kuylen, we were picked up and driven by Yute Expeditiions to the archaeological site of Xunantunich.

Xunantunich is located in the Cayo District and to access the site, you need to cross a hand cranked ferry. After we got across, our tour began. We were all eager to start our climb to the top of the tallest structure, El Castillo, to see the view everyone talks about. Our guide stopped along the way to tell us the rich history of Xunantunich while pointing out the different friezes the archaeological site had to offer.

We finally made it to the top, and the bloggers that were scared of heights (including myself), kept away from the edge but still got to appreciate the vista of the view from the top of El Castillo. The 360 degree view with Guatemala on one side, the layout of the rest of the archaeological site, the small village of Benque in the distance, and the endless rolling hills of Cayo. After our group shot, we headed back down, having felt that we once stood in a place where only the elite Maya stood.

We got back to Ka’ana, tired and hungry but giddy with excitement after the climbing to what felt like the top of Belize.

We left The Inn at Robert’s Grove yesterday morning and headed to Ka’ana Boutique Resort in San Ignacio. Everyone was looking forward to the scenic drive on the Hummingbird Highway.

Mother nature blessed us with blue skies, puffy white clouds and a cool breeze for the trip. The bloggers couldn’t help but gaze out their windows and admire the hues of green with views of orchard trees and rolling hills.

Pomona Valley, Hummingbird Highway from Belize Vacation on Vimeo.

Along the way we stopped to buy cacao from a roadside vendor. We all tried the cacao seeds while David from Toadal Adventure, our driver, told us how the seeds are used to make chocolate.

Further up the Hummingbird, I pointed out the entrance to Five Blues Lake National Park, the Sleeping Giant as well as the entrance to the Blue Hole National Park.  Even for a Belizean like me, it is always a pleasure to drive the Hummingbird Highway.

Hummingbird Highway, Stann Creek, Belize from Belize Vacation on Vimeo.

We arrived in Belmopan for a short stop and headed towards San Ignacio, anticipating the culinary skills of Chef Kuylen from Ka’ana and a guided tour of Xunantunich later on that afternoon.

Wednesday morning marked our bloggers’ departure from the Inn at Robert’s Grove to the Cayo District. With the morning sun shining down on us, it was tough to convince the group that the next three hours would be well worth the drive.

As we headed west from the beaches of Placencia towards the Maya Mountains along Hummingbird Highway, everyone’s attention was quickly absorbed by the scenic surroundings. The diversity of hills, valleys and substantial broadleaf jungle made for some fantastic photography along the way.

J.C. from Naturalight Productions was nice enough to share his knowledge of the area and point out scenic highlights along the way. Our guests also had the opportunity to sample fresh Cacao beans from a roadside vendor. Despite the warning, one blogger even decided to bite into the bean instead of just tasting the exterior of the seed.

At about 12:30 p.m. we passed through San Ignacio and arrived at our next overnight destination, Ka’ana Boutique Resort. We were immediately greeted by an attentive staff to assist with luggage and facilitate the check-in process. Our guest bloggers’ faces immediately lit up when they were offered a refreshing peppermint spritz, cold towel and tasty lime drink. It was clear that Ka’ana definitely understood that small gestures like this matter greatly.

As we enjoyed a delicious gourmet lunch, best described as “Belizean with a twist”, our host Ian Lizarraga explained the vision behind the property. The resort was founded with the goal of immersing guests in luxury treatment while still representing Belizean culture, food and environmental responsibility.

After a quick lunch we headed to the Maya archaeological site of Xunantunich. As we crossed the Mopan River via a hand-cranked ferry, we were all eagerly anticipating what we were about to see. Our guide from Yute Expeditions educated us on the historical and cultural significance of the site. The breathtaking views atop “El Castillo” were the perfect way to wrap up the tour.

Our guests returned to Ka’ana to rest and write about their day before heading to the resort’s restaurant, La Ceiba, for dinner. After such an impressive lunch, we all were anxious to see what the night would offer, and the creativity of Chef Sean Kuylen and his team did not disappoint. It was an impressive culinary adventure using local ingredients, distinct flavors and a thoughtful presentation.

As if a fabulous dinner wasn’t enough, Chef Kuylen impressed us all with his drumming skills to wrap up the night. It was a long day. But as one of our guests stated, “we’ll sleep when the trip is over.”

Stay tuned for photos and video from the trip.

After an exceptional dinner and restful night on Monday at The Inn at Robert’s Grove, our guest bloggers headed to Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary Tuesday morning for an adventure-filled day of hiking, tubing and river chuting.

Our tour guide for the day was David Vernon of Toadal Adventures. The weather was a bit overcast in the morning…perfect for keeping it cool for the hike through the jungle.

A quick stop at the entrance to the sanctuary, Mayan Centre Village, and we were off to start the hike. David was a wealth of knowledge and provided our guests with a better understanding of the symbiotic relationship among the flora and fauna of the preserve. Naturally, no luck in spotting the elusive jaguar in the middle of the day, but we were able to see a variety of plants, birds and even a tapir hoof print.

Another highlight of the day was the river tubing on South Stann Creek River. The cool water was a refreshing break from the heat and humidity of the hike. In addition to taking in the stunning scenery, the group enjoyed some laughs as they traversed down the river trying to avoid the obstacles along the way.

Just when we thought it couldn’t get more exciting, David announced that we would be climbing Ben’s Bluff to swim under a magnificent waterfall and heading back down to the base for lunch. Oh, and the route back would be via the river…not the trail. Little did we know that this included sliding down river chutes and jumping into pools of water. It was definitely an experience that won’t be forgotten by our guest bloggers.

After a quick lunch at the park, we headed back to Roberts Grove for a bit of rest, relaxation, blogging and tweets. After another night of delicious dinners, our weary travelers headed back to their rooms to pack for a morning departure to Ka’ana via the scenic Hummingbird Highway.

A sincere thanks to David Vernon from Toadal Adventures and our hospitable host Elena Cuellar and the entire staff at The Inn at Roberts Grove.

The BTB is hosting five bloggers in Belize this week. Our first stop is at Robert’s Grove in Placencia. Everyone has arrived safely and the “ooh’s” and “aah’s” have began as they take in the view of the beach and sun kissed coconut trees.

The five bloggers are:

Kara Williams, The Vacation Gals

Kerrin Rousset, MyKugelhopf

Melanie Waldman, Travels With Two

Gennaro Salamone, Enduring Wanderlust

Christine Gilbert, Almost Fearless

Accompanied by the BTB’s Lorena Martinez and JC Cuellar from Naturalight Productions – BTB’s Internet Marketing Team.

Tomorrow we go hiking in the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, something everyone is looking forward to. Keep track of the trip by checking back daily on this blog or following Belize @BelizeVacation on Twitter or from the posts the above bloggers will be making.

We will be posting photos and videos of our adventure and experiences as we seek to Be One With Belize.

When it comes to making travel decisions, consumers have always trusted the opinions of friends, family and other travelers. Word of mouth is nothing new, but the Internet and social media allows us to easily connect with people on a global scale. Just look at the success of websites like Trip Advisor. Most people don’t even book a hotel without looking there first.

You all have likely heard or read about the impact of social media on the tourism industry. Many have even recognized the opportunity to connect with travelers via your own Facebook or Twitter account. This is exactly the type of change needed to keep us close to our customers and their network of friends.

Some of you may be wary of social media because it means you won’t have full control of the message. But the reality is consumers are already talking about Belize, our hotels and businesses in the social media space. We can let it take place without us or join in on the conversation and have a productive dialogue with our customers and prospective guests.

That’s exactly why the BTB has a presence on social media sites like Twitter and Facebook. It’s also why we’re expanding our efforts further with travel blogger outreach efforts in order to bring these influential travel enthusiasts to our wonderful country and share their experience with their followers.