Belize
For another "Two Days in Paradise" PGA TOUR SUNDAY travel reporter Stina Sternberg headed to Belize, a small country in Central America located between Mexico and Guatemala.
ABOUT BELIZE
Belize has long been known as one of the best dive destinations in the world but has yet to make its mark as a true golfing destination. However, Stina found the one and only golf resort in the country and it just happens to be located on its own private island.
FEATURED RESORT
Cayo Espanto
The trip to paradise from New York isn't exactly an easy one. In fact, it took Stina two commercial planes, a prop plane, cab ride and boat ride to reach her own private island nestled near Ambergris Caye.
But once she arrived at the luxurious resort of Cayo Espanto, she knew it was more than worth the trip. Greeted on the docks by every staff member was just the start to a once-in-a-lifetime experience. The house manager showed Stina to her own two-story, two-bedroom villa called Casa Estrella.
She then was given a walkie-talkie which connected her to a 'house boy' who could (and did) take care of her every need while on the island, 24-hours a day. Add to that custom gourmet meals prepared by executive chef Patrick Houghton and it was clear two days on this unique island resort would never be enough.
GOLF
Caye Chapel Golf Resort (pronounced 'Key' Chapel) limits the number of guests on the entire island to only 40 people, per day. But on the day Stina played this beautiful course, she was the only golfer, which made for a truly unique experience. The course includes a secluded resort, elegant clubhouse, a marina, pool complex and a long sandy beach. Most important to Stina, it has 18 holes of golf that you can play all day long, if you so desire. There are no tee times, no snack carts and no limit to the amount of golf you can play in one day.
FEATURED OFF-COURSE ACTIVITIES
DIVING
Belize has 185 miles of coastline and the United Nations has designated the Belize Barrier Reef as one of Belize's seven world heritage sights. Belize has the longest barrier reef in the Western and Northern hemispheres (second only to Australia's Great Barrier Reef). The water temperature hovers at about 80-degrees and underwater visibility can be as high as 150 feet.
Stina chose to dive in an area called Shark Ray Alley and what she encountered was unforgettable. For several years, local fishermen often cleaned their catch in this area, located just inside the reef, to the south of Ambergris Caye. When fishermen noticed that their activity had attracted Nurse Sharks and several Southern Sting Rays, the area was named "Shark-Ray Alley" and quickly became a very popular dive site.
LOST WORLD OF THE MAYA
At the height of the Mayan empire, Belize had a population approaching one million people, four times the population of the country today.
Belize offers exemplary Mayan Ruins, these ancient Mayan Temples were once Cities, Towns, Religious Temples and major trade posts for the ancient Mayan civilization. Altun Ha is the most extensively-excavated Maya site in Belize. The core site includes 13 structures clustered within two Classic period plazas. The excavated site consists of 13 major temples and structures grouped around two main plazas. The site is reasonably compact and can easily be seen in a couple of hours.
