When my husband and I first started looking for places to have a destination wedding, we had a few requirements. A day of travel that didn’t actually take a full day’s time: hopefully. Warm tropical waters, and a sandy beach: a must. Thatched roofs: a priority. A plethora of activities: ABSOLUTELY!! After a lengthy search, we found Belize; it had it all, and then some.

The Portofino Beach resort in Belize was our dream come true for both our wedding and our honeymoon. Beach front, a fantastic pool, beautiful accommodations, an on site restaurant, and, yes, thatched roofs. As a small boutique resort, Portofino offers personal service and truly works with you to create your perfect wedding. Over the first several days we were there, the staff made sure our every request was met. They assisted us in planning day trips for scuba diving and snorkeling on the beautiful reef, cave tubing, ziplining, and tours of the Mayan ruins. They created a special menu for our rehearsal dinner complete with one-of-a-kind center pieces in our wedding colors, designed a beautiful bridal bouquet, and, quite frankly, took my breath away with the floral arrangements designed to be the walkway and alter. Portofino took care of everything! We even had a one-of-a-kind, made on-site wedding cake. After the ceremony, the staff even thought to provide us with a wonderful surprise, by decorating our suite with an assortment of fresh flowers. There was nothing they didn’t think of, or make happen; it was as if the word “no” was not part of their vocabulary.

During our stay at Portofino Beach Resort, we were utterly relaxed, without a care in the world. They helped me surprise my husband on his birthday, with an in suite candle light dinner, and went above and beyond to make us feel special. Over our two weeks there, the staff began to feel like our extended family; people to share a drink and a story with. We have nothing but fond memories and warm feelings for both Belize, and the Portofino Beach Resort. It is a trip we, and our families, still talk about, and one we all hope to repeat in the future.

Did Portofino Beach Resort and Belize meet our expectations and more? “You better Belize it!”
Kobrie and Brian Hodge, Fort Worth, TX

December 15th- 22nd, 2012

…If the world is going to end…

…you might as well have front row seats at Portofino Beach Resort in Belize!

Our Package includes:

*    7 Nights Accommodation in a Beach Cabana with unobstructed views of the Caribbean Sea
*    Round trip Domestic Airfare from Belize City to San Pedro
*    Meet and Greet Service at the San Pedro Airstrip
*    Round trip transfers from San Pedro Airstrip to Portofino
*    Welcome Tropical Cocktail
*    Daily Full Breakfast and Three Course Dinner (Including one night of Mayan buffet)
*    Xunantunich and Cave Tubing -
Enjoy the morning breeze as you travel along and make your way to the Haulover River. There your private van awaits to transport you along the winding Western Highway as you travel to the Cayo District enjoying all the sights of the village life.  Upon arriving at the Mopan River, your Xunantunich Mayan exploration begins by first crossing the river in your van atop a hand-cranked ferry! Xunantunich contains one of the tallest Mayan structures found in Belize. This site provides panoramic views of the hilly Cayo District and is situated just 2 miles from the Guatemalan border. After lunch, it is off to the second part of your adventure where you will tube through the Sacred Caves and enjoy the tranquility of the rainforest to your hearts content

*    Snorkeling to Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley -
Hol Chan Marne Reserve and Shark Ray Alley is approximately 4 miles south of San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. It is praised for its abundant sea life, and its beautiful coral formation, and therefore, its great snorkeling. Hol Chan means ‘Little Channel’ in Mayan and is a natural break on the barrier reef where ocean depth ranges from 5-30 feet.  Here you will enjoy seeing marine life and huge coral gardens, among which are flourishing stag horn corals and sea fans. Shark Ray Alley is a shallow water snorkel where you will enjoy swimming with harmless nurse sharks and southern stingrays.

*   Lamanai Jungle River Adventure -
Start your day as you make your way through the cayes and up the river to the Belize mainland.  Once there, you board a private van which takes you along the country side. Aboard the river boat for a leisurely tour on this unexploited wonderland of bird life, crocodiles, turtles, bats and orchids.  Arriving on the shores of the New River Lagoon and once ancient Capital of Lamanai, which is surrounded by pristine rainforest, lunch is served.  An exploration afterwards, takes you along the nature paths to various temples.

*    After your day of Mayan adventure enjoy a very tasty and traditional Mayan Buffet

US$ 2,305 per person, based on double occupancy.

Regular Payment Plan
50% Deposit Required
Balance due 60 days prior to arrival

Pay Everything Upfront
If booked in the Year:
2010: US$ 1,844
2011: US$ 1,959

Monthly Payments:
Save on our discounted monthly payment plans. Email us for details.

www.portofino.bz

www.portofinobelize.com

We hope to see you here in BELIZE!

Today I am doing something out of the ordinary and heading to Burrell Boom with Mike. We have a meeting to attend so I booked us a tacogirl special on the 7:am Tropic Air and away we go. Nothing like a plane ride over the Caribbean Sea to start your day right.

The BHA 2010 Biannual AGM was both educational and productive. Attending the meeting gave Mike and I the opportunity to meet the board members and learn more about the BHA and their mission as well as explain the new website concept to them and answer questions. The Belize Hotel Association board is composed of a strong group of people who are results driven and very focused. The board members are all local business owners who volunteers  by choice because they believe strongly in what they are doing and it shows.

Through increased yearly participation in trade shows abroad the BHA is building a strong presence for  Belize within the travel industry. I thought it was great that they have included information in  a few other languages within their Belize literature. This allows for people in other countries to learn more about Belize in their native tongue and shows a willingness of the BHA to cater to different markets.

The Belize Hotel Association has a very solid marketing plan and with their ongoing participation in Travel and Tourism trade shows and the numbers they are getting show clearly that their marketing plan is working. During the presentation BHA were able to show how tracking traffic on the BTB website showed  increased visits from a specific location as a result of being at a trade show there.

It was very inspiring to learn more about the  Belize Hotel Association’s goals and how they have been continuing to develop their relationship with the Belize Tourism Board in order to create a united vision for Belize.  The two groups have been working hard together to benefit Belize and expand our country in the tourism and travel market. The  BTB has been generously helping the BHA with ongoing funding and this shows that the BTB believes in what the  the BHA is doing and is willing to work together and build something solid.

I have always believed there is enough pie for everyone and in listening to board members of the BHA speak it is clear that they are really working hard to put themselves out there with the goal of knowing that success for any of their members is a success for the team. They have future plans to give members training so that everyone is able to understand and read their statistics and be able to qualify that the hard work is paying off in the form of visits to websites and bookings for it’s members. The saying strength in numbers holds true here and the Belize Hotel association is proof of that.

Tacogirl’s Webiste: www.tacogirl.com

BHA’s Board of Directors:

Doug Thompson (President)
Einer Gomez (Vice President)
Ali Flota (2nd Vice President)
Robin Mc Cutcheon (Treasurer)
Mike Preston (Secretary)
and Directors:
Mariam Roberson (former President)
Teresa Parkey (former President)
Elena Cuellar
Sandra van Noord
Nick Davies

Elisha and Jarrad had one of the most amazing weddings, traveled to Belize for their Honeymoon and stayed here at Portofino Beach Resort.
During their vacation they took some great pictures, and we hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
Elisha and Jarrad, it was super having you here with us and we hope to see you again soon!

Lots of warm wishes from all of us! Especially Orville!
Your Portofino Friends!

“Here’s Belize through our love smitten eyes
We had a blast!
We parasailed, went sailing, snorkeling with sharks, stingrays, and fish, kayaking, cave tubing, visited the natural Belize zoo, had massages, went hiking, and much much more! Our camera broke on Tuesday, so we didn’t get to many fun photos, but we tried to make up for it with our cell phones and disposable cams!” – says Partricia!

Thanks a lot Particia and Charlie for staying with us. We really enjoyed having you here with us!

Regards, your Portofino Friends

May 28th 2010 by Cori Sterrenberg

Located 6 miles north from the centre of San Pedro town, Ambergris Caye, lies this rustic and truly romantic resort Portofino. Nestled on stretch of 330 feet of private white sand beach, and immersed within 4.5 acres of property, Portofino offers travellers the ultimate in peace, tranquility, romance, and relaxation. Each of the 17 rustic beachfront accommodations offers thatched roof, wide plank natural hardwood floors, free WIFI ,television, dvd/cd player, AC, fridge, lush towels, soft linens, and luxurious bathrooms. The exteriors offer chairs, hammocks, and patios to relax, and enjoy the breeze. There are 6 beach cabanas, 2 Junior suites, 2 VIP suites, which offer expansive views of the caribbean sea, 1 honeymoon suite that is truly the room to book if you are wanting a romantic getaway, and if you are a large group they also offer the “mansion” which accommodates up to 10 people.

My partner and I came here for a little get away, and we were truly blown away by the accommodations we had. The resort is private, and tranquil and offers couples an amazing place to be together, as well as enjoy the stunning scenery of the caribbean sea. We were in the top floor honeymoon suite, and it offered unparalleled views of the reef, and the clear blue waters. The suite itself was stunning. Rustic, roomy, and sexy are for sure the adjectives that come to mind. The deck off the suite offered lounge chairs as well as a hammock, and it was the perfect way to enjoy the view, the breeze, and one another.

The resort offers a full restaurant and bar, with exceptional staff, and great food. We had a very satisfying lunch the day of our arrival. I ordered the chicken burger, which came on a house made bun, and really yummy crispy fries. I was actually still a bit tired from the night before, so ordered a bloody mary to help replenish myself. It was fantastic, spicy, hot a full of flavour, the bartender really knew how to make the ultimate cure for my “condition.”

For dinner that night we were seated at the end of the deck overlooking the stunning pool, and started with a caesar salad, and a delicately marinaded beef tenderloin strip, which was tender, and very tasty. The waitress was extremely helpful in helping me decide what to order as my main. I ended up ordering the grouper with a caper wine sauce, and my partner ordered the pork tenderloin. Both dishes were presented in a creative array, and offered a well balanced flavor. Portofino is well know on the Island for having lobster year round as well, so if you are a lobster fan, then this for sure is the place to get your fill.

The owners of the resort live onsite, which in my opinion is outstanding. Both Sandra, and Jan van Noord are there to greet you, and really make you feel welcomed. Their passion for the Island, fishing, diving, and the living the life here in San pedro is certainly refreshing especially if you are looking for some real honest direction as what else to do while you are here on your vacation. They will take care of all the bookings for diving, snorkelling, fishing trips, and also mainland trips to the zoo or the ruins. If you just feel like hanging tight at the resort, they offer a small book library, free use of snorkel equipment, canoes, and kayaks are readily available, and at no extra charge.

For the gay and lesbian traveller this would be my pick of a resort to stay at. Never did we feel uncomfortable, and the setting allows for privacy, that I would think would be hard to achieve at any other resort on the island. Even with almost a full house, we were almost always alone, with the exception of meals time, and even then the seating options are great, and the staff is truly wonderful, respectful, and welcoming.

For more information on how to get here, and how to book your stay at Portofino, please check out the accommodations page and I can help make your gay destination plans a reality.

At the moment we  have our guests Nicole and Jameson staying here with us, for their well deserved Honeymoon here at Portofino Beach Resort. Jameson is a true fishing passionate who has been a  professional fisherman for many many years.

Because Jameson’s heart is into fishing, and did a lot of research regarding Belize, he did not only come to Belize for his honeymoon but also came here to attend the “El Dorado Rodeo 2010”, which was held past Saturday, May 22nd 2010, with the official weigh in and trophy ceremony at the Holiday Hotel, located in the center of San Pedro Town.

Taking the well deserved first place with ‘The Reel Deal’ with Captain Hillyboo Lara, having his son Byron reeling in the largest 22lbs. Dorado, giving him the prize for Top Junior Angler. Not only the boat got manned by the two of them, our guests Nicole and Jameson where part of the team. The second largest Dorado 19lbs. got caught by our guest Jameson, however didn’t t got recognized as the same boat and team couldn’t makefirst and second place at the same time.

Nicole and Jameson where very happy with the results and adventure they had that day. Nicole, was great as well, as she caught herself a 20 lbs barracuda, which took her about 25 minutes, and another fish caught by Jameson during this exciting event was a 4lbs. Skip Jack.

For more information please visit:

Ambergris Today

San Pedro Sun

And the great Ambergris Caye Message Board

High Season Special:
(valid from January 6th till April 30th 2010 – 2011)
PAY for 6 nights in a Beach Cabana or the Portofino Mansion and receive the 7th night for FREE.

Low Season Special:
(valid from May 1st till December 21st 2010 – 2011)
PAY for 4 nights in a Beach Cabana or the Portofino Mansion and receive the 5th night for FREE.

Fall Special:
(valid from September 1st till October 31st 2010)
50% Discount on our listed rates for Beach Cabanas, Junior Suites and our Portofino Mansion.

**Please note that these Specials cannot be combined with any other specials or packages**

For more information, please feel free to email our Reservations Manager at info@portofinobelize.com

From: The Sunday Times, UK published on March 7, 2010

Life too stressed? Holidays too hectic? Get a taste of the Caribbean in English-speaking Belize, Central America
By: Bernard Lyall

In the words of Fyodor Dostoevsky, I find myself in some difficulty: on the one hand, I feel professionally compelled to lift myself from this wooden bench-seat, leave this tiny open bar, with its wooden jetty reaching out into the tranquil, turquoise sea, and head off down the sandy street in search of the essential Belize.

On the other, I feel personally compelled to have another beer. This place seems to have that effect.

Belize sits below Mexico, to the right of Guatemala and to the left of the Caribbean, which here, now, is a balmy 26C and contains one of the most glorious sets of islands and atolls in the western hemisphere. It’s a former British colony, it’s the only Central American country that officially speaks English and, of course, it’s where Lord Ashcroft may, or may not, be domiciled.

So far, so Wikipedia; what’s harder to explain is why so few people in the UK know it, or why so many of those who do — often ex-servicemen or diplomats who’ve been stationed there — have a habit of making it their home. Okay, so there’s the white coral sand, the tropical jungle, the sea life — but there’s something about Belize they really like.

First off, it’s not large. The vogue for describing land areas in terms of Wales works perfectly here: it’s about the size of Wales. Yet the population is only that of Cardiff, so a lot of the country has nobody in it. Culturally and ecologically, it’s both Central American and Caribbean, so, given its diminutive size, there’s a great variety of easily accessible experiences on offer, from the rainforests, caves and Mayan remains inland to the coast and islands in the east.

The great inescapable presence off shore is the magnificent coral reef, the largest in the world except, you know, that Australian one, and it’s peppered with hundreds of islands (or cayes, pronounced “keys”). Only one has what you could respectably call a town, and that’s Ambergris Caye, for many their first stop in the country.

San Pedro sprawls along the reef side of the caye and is reached from Belize City by a short ride in a small boat or a shorter ride in a smaller plane. Both are a blast.

The plane deposits you on a scrubby airstrip that is both at the edge of town and 500yd from the centre (get the picture?). At this point, you’d be well advised to do what I would have, had I known — march straight out of the airport and into Limey’s Bar, across the road.

Sharon and Tracey, who run it, seem to know everyone in San Pedro, and everything about having a good time there, perhaps because Limey’s is also a tour centre and can arrange anything from diving, snorkelling, fishing, sailing and mainland excursions to accommodation, local transport and golf-cart rental.

Yes, golf carts — the main mode of powered transport in San Pedro, and not just for tourists: you can tell a local-owned one because it’s travelling at twice (or in Sharon’s case three times) the speed of the others.

Personally, I didn’t bother: nothing here is more than walking distance away, and if you find yourself in a hurry to do anything, you’re seriously missing the point. But keep an eye out — being mown down by a golf cart is not something you want to have to explain to your mates.

What is there to do here? Well, San Pedro is trying hard to catch up with the rest of the Caribbean, with bars and nightclubs along its beach and all three of its main drags — they do have names, but everyone calls them Front, Middle and Back streets. But it’s still all about the sea: being on, under or above it, gazing at it or eating things that until recently called it home.

If you dive, you’ve arrived: I went out with Ecologic Divers, and, although I’d never met sharks before, after one morning I was getting blasé about them. And the rays, the groupers, the morays… and that wasn’t even at a marine reserve site such as Hol Chan.

If you snorkel, the water is warm and clear, and you can expect to see similar things — Shark Ray Alley is exactly what it suggests, and only 8ft deep.

Though Ambergris Caye is fringed with sand, the beach is narrow, and busy near town, so swimming is usually off resort jetties or on nearby islands — Goff’s Caye, for example, provides a manatee-watching snorkel site and a beautiful sandy beach. For a unique view of the Caye, Toucan Fly, at the airstrip, will take you up in a microlight for an unforgettable wind-in-the-teeth experience.

The next largest island, Caye Caulker, is another short boat or plane ride away. Twenty years ago, when I first came here, it was so quiet that, after a week, I got itchy for burgers, freeways and someone to get annoyed with.

Now, the northern end of the island is aiming to become a mini San Pedro, and where once nothing moved on wheels, there are now a few golf carts — even more pointlessly, as it takes all of 20 minutes to walk the populated part of the island.

But if, when you get off the wooden jetty, you turn south, or left rather than right, within a few paces strange things happen: your pace slows, you squint into the sun, you see a bar and, before you know it, you’re getting round a beer, watching pelicans diving for fish, or kids throwing themselves off the jetty, and falling into conversation with someone who seems to want nothing more from life than to do the same. Hours may pass.

While visitors have undeniably had an impact in some places (including the Placencia peninsula, further south), in others they seem to have had almost none.

Staying at Hamanasi resort, just south of Dangriga, I found everything the well-heeled holidaymaker could desire. But cycle down the, er, charmingly rural road to Hopkins village and it’s as if none of the resorts existed: clapboard houses, derelict cars and excellent food in simple surroundings. Fancy lobster at £10? Go to Iris’s. Beer, stew and drumming? King Cassava. Just ask.

That’s how I eventually found Driftwood, an excellent pizza bar on the beach, run by Ollie from Manchester. I passed it twice before I asked someone, who pointed to a building 50 yards away. I mentioned to Ollie that a sign might have helped, and he pointed to one behind the bar: “I’ve been meaning to put it out for a while now.” He’s only been here for a few months, but it’s happening already…

The resorts here, as in San Pedro, will organise any activity for you — or, for less money, you can ask in Hopkins where you see a sign. Either way, do it: inland, there’s river kayaking, “tubing” (floating through the rainforest in an inner tube), caves, ruins and hiking through nature reserves with a guide. Off shore, there’s diving, snorkelling, kayaking, sailing and fishing. And some of the cayes are idyllic, for day trips or longer:

Tobacco Caye is a tiny patch of palm-covered sand and simple cabins, right on the reef. Many of the cabins are partly over the water, and if the idea of chilling out, getting wet and eating and drinking under palms, in perfect peace and for £27 a day does it for you, look no further.

Of course, this may not be your thing — you might be from Mars or something — or you may want more luxury, in which case check out the equally idyllic Southwater Caye, St George’s Caye or some of the atolls further out — Turneffe, Lighthouse or Glover’s Reef.

There’s a range of accommodation, from posh to primitive, and reputedly awesome sea and bird life. The Smithsonian Institute has an island base nearby, where a handful of scientists conduct research into, ooh, lots of really important things that leave them very little time for relaxing on the sand between cooling dips or sipping beer while watching the sunset.

So it’s hard to believe there’s not something here for you. But even that’s not the point. I’m not sure quite what is, though, because, whenever I settle down to work it out, within a minute I’m wondering whether a palm tree bending in the breeze is the most evocative sight I know; or how seagulls feel about being pushed off their perches by pelicans (although it makes me laugh every time); or whether I prefer grouper or lobster, either on my plate or in the sea. Maybe another beer will help…

Travel Brief

Getting there: there are no direct flights to Belize from the UK or Ireland, but Continental (continental.com), American Airlines (020 7365 0777, americanairlines.co.uk) and Delta (delta.com) have flights via their American-hub airports. Returns start at about £700; allow extra for an airport hotel on the way out because of the connection times.

Where to stay: in San Pedro, Portofino (portofinobelize.com) is calm and beautiful, with beach cabanas from about £150. Like most resorts, it’s a short boat ride out of town. At Banana Beach (bananabeach.com), doubles start at £63.

On Caye Caulker, try the impeccable Tree Tops Guesthouse (00 501-226 0240, treetopsbelize.com), which has doubles from £33. Around Hopkins, the excellent Hamanasi (520 7073, hamanasi.com) has doubles from £130. On Tobacco Caye, the prettiest rooms are at Tobacco Caye Paradise (520 2742; doubles from £51).

For more options, visit travelbelize.org.

Tour operators: several specialist firms can organise a tailor-made trip to see the country’s highlights, ending with a beach break. Journey Latin America (020 8747 8315, journeylatinamerica.co.uk) has nine days in Belize, staying at the Hamanasi, in Dangriga, and the Portofino, on Ambergris Caye, from £1,868pp, B&B, including flights from London, domestic flights and transfers. Or try Reef & Rainforest (01803 866965, reefandrainforest.co.uk) or Veloso Tours (020 8762 0616, veloso.com).

When to go: the high season is December to April, which is drier and cooler, although the temperature still ranges between 28C and 35C.

Bernard Lyall travelled as a guest of Journey Latin America