We’re always happy whenever we make a list of top vacation spots, and that happens a lot (here, here, here and here), but we get extra happy about being singled out for our surfing.

Matt Thompson, founder of surf site Wavecation, wrote a great article for The Inertia listing us second in his top five all-time favorite family friendly surfing vacations.

The reasons we made his family friendly surfing vacations list:

1. Contrary to the widely held perception that Belize has zero surfing spots, it in fact does have at least one – the Long Caye Break on Glover’s Reef.
2. The island is ideal for families wanting to live their own version of Castaway while catching a few waves on the side.
3. The surf wave is located close to the shore so it’s quick to get out and back in and you can keep any eye on the kids.
4. Our eco resort is off the grid powered by solar and wind.
5. Guests get their own cabana with no distracting TV or telephones.
6. When not surfing there are plenty of other water sports to do: kiteboarding, windsurfing, surfing, SUP, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, kayaking.
7. The virgin reefs easily accessible.

We could add a few more reasons why we’re on his family friendly surf vacations list:

• We offer special rates for kids 11 and under
• Kids also get additional discounts when combined with our Belize holiday packages for an extended stay.
• The memory of a vacation a special as this will live with kids their whole lives.
• For the really young members of your family, we have babysitters available if you make arrangements ahead of time.
• Kids have many activities they can participate in, even scuba diving (scuba activities are limited based on age).

We love having kids and families on the island. And the kids love being there. However there are certain limitations family need to be aware of before booking family friendly surfing vacations on Long Caye. There is plenty for kids to do right on shore if they are too young to paddle. Kids love exploring the new environment and playing on the beach. However, we do not have guided activities or sport equipment specifically for kids, and each staff member has a full roster of duties on each trip. Our client to guide ratio is between 2 to 1 and 7 to 1, depending on the group size. This does not allow for guides to assist in the supervision that children require. Although Slickrock accepts children at a discount on trips, parents must be fully responsible for all aspects of monitoring their children. Due to safety concerns, we have set supervision procedures that parents are required to follow.

On Long Caye (our private island on Glover’s Reef, Belize) we have so many water sports to choose from it might seem incredible that we would ever have time for pursuing crafts. And yet, we do (can’t spend all our time in the water). Witness the latest crafting craze to hit the island – palm weaving.

Our new kite instructor, Laia from Spain, recently took some time along with some of our other guests to explore some palm weaving ideas from our new book on the subject which Lucy brought back from Hawaii. Laia and Annelies wove some interesting hanging baskets which are fashioned from a single palm frond.

These would make excellent Christmas gifts, if you prefer giving something more personal than a gift ordered from an online store.

Other palm weaving projects that would make great Christmas gifts

• How to Make a Christmas Wreath From Palm Fronds
• How to Make a Basket From a Palm Tree
• How to Make an Umbrella With Palm Tree Leaves
• How to Make a Thatched Umbrella

Once in a while we get this question: Is there a good eco friendly sunscreen that doesn’t harm the coral reef ecology? The answer isn’t as simple as we’d like.

Here’s how we replied to a recent inquiry about eco friendly sunscreen. This person had been asking us about recent problems in Cancun:

Because many people buy their sunscreen in Belize, and Belize does not offer environmentally-sensitive products, we do not have a specific recommendation. The reason sunscreen is a problem in places like Cancun is because there the coral is literally overrun with people. Glover’s Reef is pristine and seldom visited. We have not seen damage to coral from  sunscreen or other man-made products.

So, part of the answer has to do with which coral reef you’re referring to. Where are you swimming? If you are swimming with 5,000 other tourists, odds are, the reef is going to be getting hammered in a number of ways, sunscreen being one.

Another part of the answer has to do with where are you shopping? If you’re shopping for any environmentally-benign product — whether eco friendly sunscreen or biodegradable paper plates — odds are long on finding them in many developing countries like Belize.

But here in the US and Canada, eco friendly sunscreen is easily purchased at many retailers. But before you buy, take a moment to learn a little more about what qualifies something to earn that eco friendly sunscreen name?

Whenever looking for info on the environmental impact of a product, a good starting point is Earth 911, a compendium of short, helpful articles on everything from It’s Time for an All-Natural Watch to 7 Ways to Reuse an Aluminum Pie Pan. I don’t think they sell things. It’s mostly a blog with articles by a number of different authors. Most of them have to do with “upcycling” – taking things that are headed for the dump and turning them into a new, useful product.

In our case, they happen to have a great article about eco friendly sunscreen.

Eco-Friendly Sunscreens for Summer

Sunscreen is essential for all that summer fun outdoors, but some SPF products may contain chemical additives that can be harmful not only for you, but also for the environment you enjoy on summer travels.

When sunscreen washes off in oceans, lakes and rivers, it can leave chemical residues behind that may be harmful to marine life, particularly coral reefs – a concept supported by a 2008 study published in the peer-reviewed journal Environmental Health Perspectives.

So, with a little help from the Environmental Working Group’sSkinDeep database, Earth911 rounded up eight safe, nontoxic and eco-friendly sunscreens that are as easy on your skin as they are on the environment. Read on to find your new fave.

Topping their list was Honest Sunscreen from The Honest Company.

This biodegradable, reef-friendly sunscreen boasts EWG’s lowest toxicity score – meaning it’s free of any chemical ingredients that may be harmful to you or the planet.

Offering non-greasy application and broad spectrum UVA and UVB protection, this pick is also water-resistant and safe for use on children under six months, making it a perfect beach formula for the whole family.