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Zoom Backgrounds

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Let your next virtual happy hour be on the beach in Belize. For those of us beginning and ending our days on Zoom calls, a background makes all the difference, keeping us uplifted and able to envision ourselves in our favorite places while at home.

We went ahead and created some Turneffe Island Resort backgrounds to make it easy for you! Simply follow the provided instructions: 

  • Download your favorite Turneffe Island Resort background below, and save it to your computer.
  • Log in to the Zoom web portal, and download the desktop app. (Sign up if you haven’t already—it’s free!)
  • In the top right corner, click the settings icon—the button that looks like a gear.
  • In the settings menu, click “Virtual Background.”
  • Click the “+” and upload your background of choice.
  • Make sure “mirror my video” is unchecked in the bottom of the window, and you’re good to go!
Turneffe Island Resort – Aerial View
Seaside Swings
Arrival Dock
Swimming Alongside Dolphins
Beach Path

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Turneffe Island Resort Represents Belize on Conde Nast Traveler’s list of “Top 10 Resorts in Central America!”

A coral island in the Turneffe Atoll off the coast of Belize called Little Cay Bokel is home to Turneffe Island Resort. It welcomes guests year-round as a private-island getaway, with beautiful tropical waters as the playground for scuba diving, adventuring, fishing, and more.

Turneffe Island Resort has received accolades for its personalized, five-star service, and has been awarded a new honor: This October, it was recognized by distinguished travel publication Condé Nast Traveler as one of the top 10 resorts in Central America as part of its Reader’s Choice Awards!

The Condé Nast Traveler’s 2019 Reader’s Choice Award is one of the longest-running distinctions in travel history. It’s based off on more than 600,000 Condé Nast readers throughout the world who have submitted responses rating their travel experiences. It’s a huge honor to be included, especially so because Turneffe Island Resort was the only resort in Belize to have made the list!

In its review, Condé Nast Traveler praised Turneffe Island Resort, calling it “a place that does what it does well” with “seafood that cannot get any fresher” and accommodations decorated with “teak and mahogany inside, water views outside”. Guests come to the 14-acre island to disconnect from technology and connect with nature – enjoying “one of diving’s holy grails,” the Great Blue Hole, among fishing for a “Grand Slam,” and enjoying Belizean cuisine made from freshly-caught seafood.

The team here at Turneffe is thankful to our guests who took the time to visit and voted for us! We love welcoming back our regulars and hosting new guests each year to enjoy the beauty of the Turneffe Atoll and our island.

Read more about Turneffe Island Resort and explore the full list of winners here.

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PHOTO CONTEST 2018!

We loved seeing all the photos and memories submitted by guests. If you’ve been a guest with us, submit your TIR vacation photos for a chance to win some epic prizes!

What to submit?
This year, there are no predetermined categories for submitted photos – we simply want to see whatever you think is the best or favorite photo. Your photo could be of the island, any excursion you went on with us, your favorite drink, island staff, or meal – let your imagination run wild!

How to enter?
We’re only accepting photo submissions via our Facebook page or on Instagram. You have two ways to submit:

To submit your photo for consideration via Facebook:

  • Make sure you follow our Facebook page – Facebook.com/turnefferesort
  • Locate our Facebook post about the photo contest (starting Sept. 10th, 2018)
  • Submit your photo by commenting on our post and uploading your photo
    • We will post about the contest weekly (posting on Sept. 10th, 17th, 24th, and Oct. 1st, 8th, 2018) giving you multiple windows to submit your photo.
    • Make sure you:
      • Include a short photo caption for your submission
      • Tag us in your comment (@turnefferesort)

To submit your photo for consideration via Instagram:

  • Make sure you follow our Instagram account – Instagram.com/turnefferesort
  • Post the photo you’d like entered into the contest from your account
  • Make sure you:
    • Use the contest hashtag in your post #takeapicTIR
    • Tag @turnefferesort in your photo
    • At-mention “@turnefferesort” in the test of your photo submission

What you’re competing for?
Across all submissions, we will be choosing 2 winners to receive 30% off their next stay. This offer cannot be combined with any other offer or promotion.
Requirements for the prize:
Cannot be combined with other promotion (such as returning guest discount). Good for travel May 2019 through the first week of November 2019 for a 7-night stay. Full payment upon booking – no refunds or date changes.

Rules:

  1. Contest runs from September 10th through October 10th 2018. Winners will be decided by our panel of judges the week of October 15th, 2018.
  2. Submitted photos must have been taken by a Turneffe Island Resort guest during their stay at the resort or during an excursion offered.
  3. Limited one photo per person.
  4. No entries accepted via email – must be done on social media.
  5. By submitting the photo contest, you give TIR permission to use your photo on social media.

Birdwatching

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BIRDWATCHING IN BELIZE

It’s well known that Turneffe Island Resort is a mecca for activities such a snorkeling, scuba diving, and fishing but did you know Belize is also becoming well known for other activities such as birdwatching?

In fact, every year in Belize there is a Bird-a-thon hosted by the Belize Bird Conservancy where teams compete to see who can observe the highest number of different species over a one-month time period within a five-mile radius of various lodges throughout Belize. Teams and eco-lodges alike compete to have fun, enjoy nature, and raise money for research, conversation, and education work for the Belize Bird Conservancy.

This year, Turneffe Island Resort hosted Dr. Lee Jones, a biologist specializing in the environmental studies and creator and founder of the Bird-a-thon contest. We hosted Dr. Jones on the island for four nights to explore the island and the surrounding waters to document which species of birds call Turneffe Island Resort and the Atoll home. Here’s what Dr. Jones had to say:

“Turneffe Island Resort is a truly magical place. Upon arrival, we were greeted with a rare Gray Kingbird, only the third I have ever seen in Belize, and right in front of our cottage! While admiring the kingbird, White-crowned Pigeons, once heavily persecuted in Belize, darted and dashed overhead as they came into roost in the grove behind the cottages. And just beyond the dock, Double-crested Cormorants busily attended their nests in the mangroves—an unexpected find, as this species was not previously known to nest on the atoll. All this on tiny Little Caye Bokel—proof that people and birds can live together harmoniously when properly managed.” – Dr. Lee Jones

If you are looking to experience different species like North American warblers, raptors or even white crown sparrows, we recommend to visit us between October and November for their peak migration.

To learn more about birdwatching in Belize, please visit: https://belizebirdconservancy.org/ or, to learn a bit more about the species that call Turneffe Island Resort home and which birds you might encounter during your stay with us, send us a note at info@turnefferesort.com.


Meet our island puppies

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TUI AND JAX

Woof, woof! Hello from our two beloved island pups, Tui and Jax.

The duo of Golden Retrievers are brothers, born on December 9, 2017 in Northern Mexico. They arrived at their new home, Turneffe Island Resort, on January 22, 2018 at just six weeks old. Although from the same litter, their personalities are each unique.

Tui, whose name comes from the title given to the highest-ranking Chief of the Polynesian islands, spends his days running and chasing his toys around the island. When he isn’t socializing with our guests, Tui loves being pampered and taking baths.

The name Jax represents strength and character. He is a little more laid back than his brother, and enjoys swimming, sleeping, and watching Tui run around. Jax loves to be adored and has been known to climb up on our guest’s sun loungers to steal some cuddles.

Both pups were outstanding students at Pampered Paws puppy boarding school where they were learned behavioral skills. When they are not out practicing their lessons, the puppies take full advantage of roaming and exploring their big, adventurous island yard! They love chewing on ice, coconuts and seashells.

Both Tui and Jax will be there to meet you upon your boat arrival and also to see their new friends off upon departure. If you’re worried about missing your fur babies back home, Tui and Jax are always willing to fill your void with afternoon play dates!

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JOSE MIRANDAZE

When you work on a 14-acre, private island resort, the environment becomes your office. Working hard on ensuring your stay is a memorable one between the blue of the Caribbean Sea and the lush green trees is our Assistant Manager, Jose.

MEET YOUR STAFF

At his happiest when amongst nature, Jose is passionate about preserving the environment and the culture of the island for guests to enjoy for years to come. Prior to joining the staff here, Jose traveled to different hotels and resorts to promote environmental-friendly practices on location like the use of biodegradable products and safer chemicals, and his knowledge in the field and concern with conserving the heritage of the tropical paradise has carried over to his role here at TIR.

Between scuba diving, snorkeling, and fishing, our guests have incredible access to water activities and Jose recommends all guests pack for all the options available. Though he’s not a diver himself, Jose believes the resorts brings guests as close to the action as possible and encourages those curious to take a plunge into the Great Blue Hole during their stay. One activity Jose recommends to all guests is the fishing since the island offers access to so many different types of fish and styles of fishing for all levels of anglers. It’s no mystery why Jose’s favorite meal on the island is fresh seafood.

While Jose is a lover of all sports, Volleyball is at the top of his list and he’s always down to join in on a beach volleyball match with guests and island staff. Jose’s affinity for wildlife carries over from work into recreation; between hiking and visiting caves, Jose loves to be close to the Belizean wildlife. Always up for a new challenge, Jose’s favorite activities highlight his exploratory spirit.

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EDDIE POLANCO

“I enjoy the wonderful colors of the ocean, the pristine reef and meeting lots of guests every year”.

MEET YOUR STAFF

At Turneffe Island Resort, your vacation is what you make of it – and our Activities Manager, Eddie, is here to make sure our guests are connected with the activities that interest them most on the island. With options from snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, and kayaking, all the way to lounging in an ocean side hammock and reading a book, Eddie will help make your stay as action-packed, or restful as you desire.

Returning guests may recognize Eddie as he previously worked for the resort for over 5 years. The wonderful colors of the ocean, the pristine reefs, and tranquil waters surrounding the resort have brought Eddie back to Turneffe Island Resort where he helps guests map out their activities during their stay.

If you ask Eddie which activity he loves the most, he’ll tell you out of all the activities the island offers, it’s impossible for him to choose. However, meeting new guests and connecting them with the adventures they want to take while on vacation is one of his favorite parts of working on the island.

Eddie encourages all guests to get involved with at least one of the activities offered – whether that’s a volleyball game on the beach, participating in the weekly hermit crab races, or simply swinging by the bar for happy hour. For guests booking a half-week stay on the island, Eddie recommends guests arrive to the island on Saturday and depart on Wednesday, so they may take advantage of the Great Blue Hole excursion run by the resort every Tuesday.

When you catch Eddie at happy hour, you can find him chatting with guests about some of the historical sites he’s visited, his most recent hiking and camping adventures, or some of the birds you may encounter during your time in Belize.

#onturneffetime

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TURNEFFE ISLAND RESORT HOSTS GUESTS FROM ALL AROUND THE GLOBE.

Our precious, 14-acre island has hosted guests from England, France, the United States, and beyond. While our guests may speak many different languages, there is one we can all use to communicate with – the language of hashtags. We are so grateful for the community of travelers who love our resort and want to share their experiences – so to help bring our beloved guests together online, an official hashtag for the island was created.

The Turneffe Island Resort community is passionate about their experiences on the island. One step onto the shore and you’re immediately on island time – better yet, our guests are on Turneffe time. So, it seemed incredibly fitting to make our official hashtag for 2018: #OnTurneffeTime.

While hashtags can seem confusing, unnecessary or you just aren’t sure how to use them, they’re an important piece of how we communicate online. Simply put, hashtags categorize content on social media. By adding a hashtag to your post, your content is made discoverable and allows you to find content from other social media users based on the common tag. We would love to discover guest photos and see how the community is engaging one another by adding the tag to their posts on social media.

Whether you’re a social media novice or consider yourself an expert, we can’t wait to see what you share online. We’ll be following the hashtag, adding it to our posts, and we hope you do the same.

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