“Hamanasi Chimichanga”

February 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Are you ready for another one of our delicious recipes? The Chimichanga is among our guest favorite desserts. Let us know which one was your favorite!

Hamanasi’s Chimichanga

Ingredients:              For 1 filled Chimichanga Flour Tortilla

Flour Tortilla                 1, large

Bananas, large              3, peeled and sliced medium thick

Almonds, sliced            2 Tbsp.

Brown Sugar                  ½ cup

Butter                               1 Tbsp.

Cinnamon Powder        ½  tsp.

Raisins                              2 Tbsp.

Vanilla Extract                 ¼ tsp.

      Preparation

  • Place all ingredients in a small pot and allow to simmer  or  cook down for about 15 minutes until ingredients appear caramelized, brown and soft.
  •  Allow to cool on stove top then take one Flour Tortilla and fill.
  •  Secure tortilla closed with frilled toothpicks.
  •  Deep fry the Chimichanga in a deep pot of how oil or a deep-fryer until tortilla is golden in cooler all around.
  •  Remove from fryer and allow to drain for about a minute.
  •  Carefully cut off crunchy ends (optional), you should have 4 servings from one Chimichanga burrito.
  •  Top with vanilla ice-cream and drizzle with caramel sauce, enjoy!

 Happy Cooking & Eating

From

The Hamanasi Kitchen!

Filed Under: Belize Honeymoon & Romance, Hamanasi Hotel & Resort, Our Restaurant Tagged With: , , ,

“2012 TripAdvisor Travelers’s Choice Awards”

January 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Trip Advisor ~ World’s most trusted travel advise announced the winners of  its 2012 Travelers’ Choice® awards.

Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort was awarded 2nd for Top 25 Hotels for “Best Service” in the World and 3rd for Top 25 Hotels in the World.  Julie Cassitini-TripAdvisor says “In total, 3,943 properties globally have been recognized this year with dedicated lists featured for 30 countries and eight regions worldwide. Unlike any other hotel honors, TripAdvisor Travelers’ Choice winners are based on millions of valuable reviews and opinions from travelers around the world.”

Many other properties in Belize such as The Phoenix Resort, Xanadu Resort and Coco Plum Resort were also awarded by Travelers’ Choice 2012.

Your Hamanasi family sincerely thank you for choosing us as your vacation destination and took time to write and share your Hamanasi experience with the world.

 

 

 

 

Filed Under: Belize Honeymoon & Romance, Hamanasi Hotel & Resort, Hamanasi in the Community, Press Releases, Uncategorized Tagged With: , ,

“2011 Christmas Eve Cookie Buffet”

December 25, 2011 by Leave a Comment

The traditional Hamanasi Cookie Buffet was a slam with guest sating their sweet pallets with the popular Ginger Bread Men, Almond Bars, Peanut Butter Blossoms, Pineapple Filled Cut-outs, Sugar Cookies, Lime Drop Cookies, Chocolate Chews and last but not least our Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies.   To quench their thirst we had Shiraz Punch and the not to be forgotten our Hamanasi Eggnog.

 

Filed Under: Hamanasi Hotel & Resort, Hamanasi in the News, Our Restaurant Tagged With: , , ,

“Hamanasi Guest Book – November 2011″

December 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment

From the Hamanasi Staff & Management to all of our guests that visited this past month, thank you for coming.  We hope you had a great time, and we can’t wait to have you back! Below is a selection of comments from real guests at Hamanasi this November.

“Keep up the great work – the way ALL employees interact with the guest (remembering names, asking how we are doing) is amazing.  Thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Sara and Curtis Smith, Onancock, VA

“Best service we’ve ever had – great job!”

Greg and Jalyn Brungardt, Houston, TX

“Every0ne was friendly, professional and open.  Indeed it is the staff that makes this a 5 recommendation.  There is such a warm, friendly atmosphere at Hamanasi.  Getting my Open Water certification was a big and important step, thanks for this big success.”

Deirdre Lavrakas, Alexandria, VA

“Excellent!  Literally the beset I’ve experienced anywhere.”

Robert Lieb, Hopewell Junction, NY

“Just about perfect!  Clearly this is a very well managed and process driven business highly trained and motivated staff.  Great job!”

Charles and Molly Carey, Palm Coast, FL

“Thank you for doing your bit towards saving the planet.  Wish more were like this place.  Stay as you are.”

Rebecca and John Sanders, Dursley, England

“Really could not ask for better staff. All so wonderful.”

A. Black and C. Swain, Pacifica, CA

“Y’all did a great job.  We loved how we were “Becca and Kurt” and not room 6 or credit card #.”

Kurt and Becca Jostes, New Orleans, LA

“We say improvements each day.  I am rethinking how to be even more eco-friendly myself.   Great job!”

Johnathan & CJ Noe, Pikeville, KY

“Entire staff was exceptional and made us feel very welcome.”

Andrew and Fawn Curran, Cohasset, MA

Filed Under: Guest Book, Hamanasi Hotel & Resort, Hamanasi in the Community, Hamanasi in the News Tagged With: , , , ,

“Happy animals, thanks to the HBHS”

December 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment

In November, the Hopkins Belize Humane Society had free spay/neuter and treatment clinics with vet sisters, Dr. Linda Leavell and Dr. Lisa Kelly. In three days, the two vets performed just over 70 procedures, including spays/neuters, tumor removals, tooth extractions, and other much needed surgeries.  Plus, over 40 exams and treatments. Including house calls done by HBHS representatives, over 130 animals were cared for in the November clinics.

HBHS is a very active organization. Vets from several countries have been to Hopkins to donate their services to Belize. In 2012, HBHS will have their busiest year of free vet clinics ever, hosting several new teams to the area, and many returning to Belize for second, third, and even fourth visits!

Hamanasi is proud to be a big supporter of HBHS! Through donating room and board, tours, jewelry sales, vehicle maintenance, and many other behind the scene assistance, Hamanasi is able to provide support for the people and animals of Hopkins, and surrounding villages. We invite our guests to bring donations for HBHS when you come to visit Hopkins, or make a donation while you are here to directly benefit HBHS.



Filed Under: Belize Honeymoon & Romance, Hamanasi Hotel & Resort, Hamanasi in the Community, Hamanasi in the News, Sustainability Tagged With: , , , ,

“Dis Da Fi We” Doughnuts

August 24, 2010 by 1 Comment

doughnuts

“ Dis da fi we” DONUTS hot off the Hamanasi oven by Chef Sheridan.  Try our “Family” recipe below:


Quick Rise Yeast                                            5 tsp.

Warm Water                                                      ½ cup

All Purpose Flour                                          6 cups

Cinnamon Powder                                       ¼ tsp.

Low Fat Milk(lukewarm)                        1 ½ cups

Light Brown Sugar                                       ½ cup

Kosher Salt                                                        1 tsp.

Eggs                                                                        2

Vegetable Shortening (melt)    1/3 cup, shortening should be warm not hot

  1. 1. In small bowl mix together the yeast and warm water and allow to  sit for about 5 minutes.
  2. 2. In mixing bowl with dough hook add in the flour, milk, sugar, salt, cinnamon powder, eggs and shortening immediately followed by the yeast and water mixture.
  3. 3. Mix on low speed until dough comes together, add more flour if necessary to form dough that is soft and not sticky but not dry.
  4. 4. Place dough on lightly greased surface, cover with the same mixing bowl but lightly grease the inside of the mixing bowl in order to prevent the dough from sticking before you cover the dough.
  5. 5. Allow dough to at least double in side then roll to at least ½ inch thick on lightly greased surface.
  6. 6. With the standard hollowed out soup can, cut doughnut circles and with your index finger punch a ring in the center of the doughnut and swing it out until the ring is the size of a large marble, use both index fingers together for this process.
  7. 7. Place doughnuts on lightly greased baking sheet to rest until double in size.
  8. 8. While doughnuts rise, in a medium size deep pot add in vegetable oil half way to heat but not too high or else when frying the doughnuts they will brown too fast and not allow for the inside to completely cook evenly.
  9. 9. While oil is heating take            4 Tbsp of Butter, about 1 ½ cups of Icing Sugar, ½ tsp of Vanilla Extract and about 3 Tbsp of Hot Water then mix all together with a hand held whisk to form a Creamy Glaze.  Add more icing sugar if glaze is too thin, and add a little more hot water if glaze is too thick.
  10. 10. Add your double in size doughnuts to the pot of hot oil and allow to brown for a few seconds on one side, then flip doughnut with a fork to brown on the other side, this is a fast process.
  11. 11. Place doughnuts on a wire rack or a plate lined with parchment paper once removed from oil, immediately drizzle the Creamy Glaze on to the doughnuts and you are now done.
  12. 12. Enjoy!!!!!!!!!

Filed Under: Our Restaurant Tagged With: , ,

Hamanasi Promotes Ongoing Training for Guides

August 4, 2010 by Leave a Comment

Hamanasi ~ Green Globe Certified

Green Globe Certified Hamanasi Resort, Belize
Launches Tour Guide Training

Utilizing their many years of business experience, the owners of Hamanasi Resort, have developed a range of training and development programs for their staff and related businesses. The newest training program to be conducted will be with tour guides who service the resorts guests.

Hamanasi Resort General Manager, Mr Andrew Usher said, ‘We are pleased to be able to deliver training and workshops for the inland tour guides. Our aim is not only to enhance our guests’ experiences, but also provide a real education.’

‘We will be bringing in archeological experts to provide more in depth information on cultural ancestry and the natural history of our unique tropical location.’

‘In addition we will be focusing on the basic safety issues associated with taking guests into wilderness areas. An intensive rescue and first aid training program will also be offered to all guides.’

Green Globe Certifcation CEO, Mr Guido Bauer said, ‘Hamanasi Resort has a long reputation, of providing quality skills training. From its own service quality programs through to resort management training and now additional tour guide training; these are all substantial investments by Hamanasi delivering professional and trade skills, while adding to the enjoyment and safety for guests.’

Founded in 2000, Hamanasi is one of the few resorts in Belize and possibly the Caribbean that offers both prestigious diving locations and lush jungle for hikes. This boutique resort located on the beach south of Hopkins is nestled between the Maya Mountains and the turquoise Caribbean Sea. Hamanasi runs a full-service dive shop, restaurant, bar and pool. Being a resort with only 21 rooms spread over 20 acres of land and holding a capacity of 60-65 people, these amenities present a challenge to being eco-friendly. But Hamanasi has embraced the challenge and succeeded in becoming Green Globe Certified.

Guests planning to visit Hamanasi Resort in Fall 2010 should also be aware of the ‘Back to School Backpack Project’.  Backpacks and school supplies are donated by Hamanasi guests and visitors throughout the year. Each September, the backpacks and supplies are donated to the schools and families in Sittee River and Hopkins.  For information contact Ms Janet Neel via email: jan@hamanasi.com

About Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort

Nestled between the lush Maya Mountains and the turquoise Caribbean Sea, Hamanasi is a special place from which you can explore the best of Belize on and offshore. A secluded, intimate boutique resort located on the beach south of Hopkins, Hamanasi sits on hundreds of feet of Caribbean Sea beachfront surrounded by tropical flora on the finest stretch of beach in Belize. With a short flight from Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Houston, Miami, New York or San Salvador you may let the warm tropical breezes melt away your hectic life for the laid back pace of Belize!

Your daily adventures will begin and end in the casual elegance of Hamanasi Dive & Adventure Resort. You’ll be able to kick back and soak in the ocean air in our Great House or by the pool.  If you fancy you may take a swim in the warm Caribbean waters or enjoy a tropical cocktail at the bar.  Our friendly staff will greet you with warm smiles and attentive service.  Of course, Hamanasi’s Adventure Center, housing our dive & snorkel center will service you on premises.  We offer an exceptional, all around Belize resort! For more information, please visit www.hamanasi.com

About Green Globe Certification

Green Globe Certification is the worldwide sustainability system based on internationally accepted criteria for sustainable operation and management of travel and tourism businesses. Operating under license, Green Globe Certification is based in California, USA and is represented in over 83 countries. Green Globe is the only certification brand to be an affiliate member of the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), is partly owned by the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC) and a member of the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST) governing council. For information visit www.greenglobe.com
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Jeffrey Brailas Plein Art Paintings in Belize!

July 14, 2010 by 3 Comments

Painting Trip to Belize by Jeffrey Brailas

“We recently traveled to Belize, a country rich in wildlife with a strong commitment towards conservation. Belize is also culturally vibrant and diverse, and the Belizeans are extremely warm and welcoming hosts.

We first traveled to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, which is the world’s largest protected environment (200 sq. mi.) for jaguars. A fellow traveler spotted and photographed a gorgeous female jaguar!!! We did, however, view many species of birds with the assistance of our excellent guide, Golden, a native of the nearby town of Hopkins. Among our sightings was a wood stork and a violet saber-wing hummingbird.

We also traveled to Monkey River and Monkey Bay, where we saw crocodiles, green iguanas, howler monkeys, and manatees!!! I was the only one who saw an elusive blue morpho butterfly which served as a reminder to conserve our wild environments.

We were the guests of the Hamanasi Resort which is strongly committed to conservation. There they have reduced beach erosion by maintaining the coastal forest which is threatened by development. It was here among the coconut palms and sea grapes where I did my plein air paintings.

We toured nearby villages and developed an deeper understanding of Belize. We also were enjoyed a dance and drumming performance given by a group from Dangriga. They were outstanding!!! I am currently researching Belizean folklore as subjects for studio painting.

I will be posting my Belizean plein air paintings soon.”
Filed Under: Belize Vacation Stories Tagged With: , , ,

Belize International Film Festival 2010

July 8, 2010 by 1 Comment

Belize Film Festival 2010

THE SILENT ARMY will open Belize’s 5th International Film Festival…

A Carnival like excitement is growing across the country as the BELIZE INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL’S Red Carpet Opening Night Gala set for Friday, July 16th at the Bliss Centre draws near. International celebrities like Daryl “Chill” Mitchell and Anthony Anderson are confirming their attendance and so are the BelAms, with comedienne Lauren Burgess leading the bunch returning home to be a part of this glamorous JULY SUMMER EVENT being promoted by NICH and its many partners in the tourism sector. The Festival will open with red carpet events in Belize City at the Bliss on the 16th, San Pedro at the Reef Village Resort Paradise Theatre on the 17th and San Ignacio’s Ka’ana Boutique Resort on the 21st of this month.

The real heart of this festival, however, is its wide diversity of films, industry workshops and seminars. And the long awaited list of selected films was revealed. A sneak peak, however, reveals that The Silent Army, a Dutch film, has been selected to open Belize’s Festival this year.

Filed Under: Around Belize Tagged With: , , ,

National Geographic Daily News

July 2, 2010 by 2 Comments

National Geographic Daily News

Underwater Mayan World

Why is this diver burrowing into the bottom of this mini-lake? She’s literally disappearing into the sand and gravel of the water’s floor.  Only debris and the occasional bubbles from her breathing tank are visible.

She’s part of a project, largely funded by National Geographic, to dive into the sacred pools of the ancient Maya.

SOUNDBITE: Patricia Beddows, Northwest University, Hydrologist & Geochemist: “Our exploration team discovered this upwelling. It’s an underwater spring upwelling. And it provides this magical experience because it’s located at the bottom of a very large crater. And you can come down, down, down, down into this large crater, and in the bottom is this boiling mass of sediment that’s actually being rolled and boiled. It’s almost like a natural lava lamp. Went in over the lip of the crater, descended down into the bottom, and I didn’t want to have any interference with the water already in the pool. And so it required a little bit of digging, and frankly it was extremely low visibility down there but below the actual base of sediment, there’s about one and a half meters more space. The water coming out of the bottom of this spring, is chemically quite distinct from the water in the pool.”

But this is just the beginning. The dives also revealed clues to past life here, and a first for the country of Belize.

Scientists discovered several fossil beds around 60-to-90 feet below the surface, including femur bones the size of a bowling ball. They also found tusks and pelvic bones. These are the first recorded fossils ever found in Belize.

SOUNDBITE: Lisa Lucero, Archaeologist, Project Leader: “We left those in place. We only removed a few small fossils so we can determine, are they fossilized? Or bone? They are definitely fossilized, so we know they have to be of a certain age. But were they here , were these megafauna present during occupation by humans 20,000, 15,000 years ago? Or are they much older?”

The dives were made in several pools in central Belize earlier this year in an area known as Cara Blanca. The researchers found evidence that the eight pools of the 25 they studied are likely connected through underground passages.

Principal Investigator Lisa Lucero says the major goal is to look for archaeological remains underwater.

SOUNDBITE: Lisa Lucero, Archaeologist, Project Leader: “Because the Maya considered openings in the earth – caves, water bodies – as portals to the underworld of Xibalba. And because the thousands of caves that have been found have offerings, ancient Maya offerings , we just knew there’d be offerings at the bottom of the pool. So we came with the goal of trying to dive to look for these offerings.”

Though they didn’t find offerings on the first dives, they did find ceramic sherds in a pool near remains of Maya buildings, constructed around 1100 to 1300 years ago. Lucero says there is no indication this area had many residences, but rather was likely a pilgrimage site, with Maya traveling here from hundreds of miles away.

Because at least one of the pools was found to be around 200 feet deep, and littered with trees and silt, more sophisticated diving equipment is needed for future dives. And Lucero believes there are more significant Maya offerings at these depths.

The research is being conducted under the auspices of the Belize Institute of Archaeology, and the scientists plan to return for more exploration.

Filed Under: Around Belize Tagged With: , , ,
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