Belize is the pick-and-mix starter destination for visitors to Central America. A small country, it's carved out of the tangled Guatemalan rainforest to the west, and shares its ridiculously picturesque coconut-fringed beaches, deep cream sand and warm Caribbean sea with Mexico's Yucatan peninsula to the north.
The 2000-year old tottering stone temples of Altun Ha and Xunantunich, once bustling with all manner of mystical Mayan activity, are now hallowed and atmospheric reminders of the region's most civilised heyday.
Today's well-developed tourism industry means there are more guides, jeeps and sea captains than you can shake a stick at, so culture, wildlife and beach bars can all be packed into a short break itinerary.
After an hour or so among the peeling clapboard stilt houses in Belize City, you'll feel the strong urge to head out for the string of islands - cayes - scattered along the western hemisphere's longest barrier reef.
Snorkel at Hol Chan, dive at Lighthouse Reef, or stay on shore and lie in a hammock with a trashy book and a rum and coke at Ambergris.
At Placencia and Dangriga back on the mainland, you have the sea to explore by boat in front of you, and wildlife reserves jam-packed with jaguars and parrots to explore by foot or dugout behind you.
The linguistically-challenged will appreciate the fact that, as a former British colony, English is spoken everywhere, albeit with a laidback Caribbean lilt.
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