Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort Offers Unique Cultural Experience in Belize

(I-TravelNewswire.Com, October 18, 2013 ) HOPKINS, Belize – This November, travelers can experience a unique cultural celebration at Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort in the southern coastal town of Hopkins, Belize. On November 19, Garifuna Settlement Day will celebrate the settlement of the Garifuna people in Belize. The major festivities for the holiday include parades, street music, and traditional dancing.

More than 200 years ago, the Garifuna people were deported from their homeland in St. Vincent by the British the coast of Central America. Deriving from the original 2,000 Garifuna people settling in Belize, Honduras, Guatemala and Nicaragua, their culture has remained an important part of the area’s modern history. UNESCO recognized the Garifuna Culture as a masterpiece of the oral and intangible cultural heritage of humanity. This designation means that it is an important culture that should be preserved, promoted, and celebrated.

Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort and the town of Hopkins are a stronghold of the Garifuna ethnic culture. During the holiday celebrations, the Garifuna will present a reenactment of their arrival to Belize. As the primary instrument of the Garifuna people, there will be drumming performances and competitions. Of course, as with any celebration, travelers will have the opportunity to indulge in delicious ethnic food.

At Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort guests can try local Garifuna cuisine created by the resort’s award-winning culinary masters. Chefs Sheridan Polanco and Marcia Nunez were even honored to prepare traditional Garifuna dishes for Britain’s Prince Harry on his visit to Belize in March 2012.

Cassava, fresh coconut milk, green and ripe plantains, local oregano, and freshly caught fish are just a handful of the ingredients used in Garifuna food. Hudut, a Garifuna dish, pairs fish with mashed plantains and coconut milk, basil, oregano, salt and pepper.On the sweeter side there is Garifuna cassava cake made from grated fresh cassava, coconut milk and other traditional ingredients. This pudding-like dessert has a taste that cannot be beat. To top it off, much of the produce used in these traditional meals is fresh right from Hamanasi’s lush gardens.

Adventurers visiting Belize for Garifuna Settlement Day will not be disappointed. After enjoying the festivities and taking part in authentic cultural experiences, Hamanasi guests can get some rest and relaxation in a tropical paradise. Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort is an eco-chic Belize resort where friendly, attentive staff will greet you with warm smiles and exceptional service. Travelers can stay in a spacious treehouse, beachfront room or honeymoon suite each with handcrafted hardwood furnishings, air conditioning and private porches.

At Hamanasi’s Adventure Center, guests can arrange daily reef or rainforest excursions like diving on Belize’s Barrier Reef, jungle hikes to breathtaking waterfalls, visiting the Mayan ruins and much more. Hamanasi was the first beachfront resort in Belize to receive Green Globe certification and is dedicated to being a premier provider of sustainable accommodations and eco-tourism in Central America.

For more information about Garifuna Settlement Day or Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort contact Dana Krauskopf at Dana@hamanasi.com or call 1-571-405-7664.

Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort

Hailey McDonald

970-379-9363

hailey@adventuremedianews.com

Source: EmailWire.Com