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Belize Becoming Mecca for Family Edu-cations

Five reasons why the destination is a top choice for family fun while learning

Belize City, Belize – June 22, 2009 – As one of the world's only Caribbean destinations rich in natural beauty both on land and at sea, Belize is quickly becoming known as one of the hottest places for family edu-cations. This new travel trend highlights getaways for families that offer unique learning experiences, embedded in the destination's rich culture and everyday life. From the cultural center of Punta Gorda, where Maya life is still alive and well, to the animal sanctuaries and expeditions of the central and northern regions, Belize offers distinctive learning opportunities sure to astound parents and children alike. The following is a list of the top five family edu-cations found in Belize:

Ancient Civilizations Brought Back to Life
The Maya Village Homestay program offers travelers the opportunity to stay with a Maya family and learn the customs of the ancient Maya culture. Visitors who take advantage of this cultural exchange program experience harvesting corn, working in the fields, making tortillas and cleaning laundry in the creek. Currently, there are over 20 families participating in the program, scattered throughout three local villages near Punta Gorda in Belize's southern region.

Be One With Belize's Butterflies and Iguanas
The lush tropical forests of San Ignacio house animal sanctuaries unlike any other destination. Nestled on the grounds of the Chaa Creek Resort in the Cayo District, the Blue Morpho Butterfly Farm allows visitors to tour and observe every stage of a butterfly's life cycle, offering an unmatched interactive learning experience. Nearby at the San Ignacio Resort Hotel , the Green Iguana Project aids and creates awareness for the threatened green iguana. Local and visiting families have the opportunity to interact with the resident iguanas before they are released back into the wild, in an effort to repopulate the riverbanks of Belize.

Play Tag with a Crocodile
Families looking for a thrilling nighttime adventure will find just that in Lamanai Outpost Lodge's Crocodile Encounter . A two-hour guided tour after sunset allows families to cruise by airboat across the New River and experience crocodile catching and tagging with local researchers. The skilled guides even allow guests to assist with the data collection, used to expand our knowledge of the Morelet crocodile.

Explore Under the Surface
In Belize, exotic habitats found in the Caribbean Sea are never more than moments away. The Southwater Caye Marine Park is an ideal snorkeling and scuba diving location due to its close proximity to the mainland and incredible biodiversity that awaits explorers. Studied by the Smithsonian Institute for the past 30 years, the park covers approximately 62 square miles of blue Caribbean Sea and vibrant barrier reef. Families can scuba dive or snorkel along the unbroken stretch of the reef, which includes 10 major cayes, stalagmites, stalactites and a wealth of marine life and colorful coral wherever they turn.

Enjoy a Chocolate Experience Unlike Any Other
Cotton Tree Lodge provides a hands-on workshop designed to give families a practical education on processing cacao to make chocolate. Children and parents can work their way through the entire process of making their favorite sweets, from scratch, starting with the cacao fruit on the tree and ending with the chocolate in their mouths. If families would like to turn this into a weeklong event, the lodge also offers a package that revolves around the Cacao festival in Toledo, during which visitors will learn local Mayan chocolate preparation techniques, attend lectures on the history and politics of chocolate, meet members of the Toledo Cacao Grower's Association and attend a chocolate making workshop.

About Belize
As one of the last unspoiled places on earth, Belize offers travelers the richly rewarding authenticity they seek in a Caribbean getaway. With direct flights from the U.S. and Canada, this tropical paradise is nestled between Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south. For generations, the English-speaking people of Belize have demonstrated a commitment to preserving the country's unique charms. Belize offers a land rich in natural beauty and steep in the history and culture of its Maya past. Renowned for having the second largest barrier reef in the world, Belize's pristine waters, exotic marine and wildlife, lush unspoiled landscapes and superb diving truly make it Mother Nature's Best Kept Secret. For more information on how you can be one with Belize, visit www.travelbelize.org .