The hook
The second-largest barrier reef in the world, a wonderland of coral, turtles, and rays off a string of laid-back palm-fringed cayes, guarding one of diving's most iconic sights: a perfect deep-blue circle in the sea.
01Why it's worth it
Belize is small, but its coast is extraordinary: it fronts the Belize Barrier Reef, the largest in the northern hemisphere and second only to Australia's, a nearly-unbroken wall of coral running the length of the country and protecting a shallow lagoon of turquoise water dotted with hundreds of cayes (small sandy islands). The snorkelling and diving are world-class and remarkably accessible, with coral gardens, turtles, nurse sharks, rays, and, seasonally, whale sharks, all easily reached from mellow island bases like car-free Caye Caulker (whose motto is "go slow") and Ambergris Caye. Its most famous feature is the Great Blue Hole, a huge, almost perfectly circular marine sinkhole, a collapsed cave system now a deep-blue abyss in the reef, made famous by Jacques Cousteau and a bucket-list dive into a world of stalactites and sharks. Above water, the English-speaking, Caribbean-Creole-Maya-mestizo culture is friendly and easygoing. For reef life, island relaxation, and one of the planet's iconic dive sites, the Belize cayes are a gem.
02How to experience it
Base on a caye like laid-back Caye Caulker or Ambergris Caye and fill your days snorkelling or diving the reef, with day trips to spots like Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley; certified divers can make the trip out to the Great Blue Hole. Go in the drier months for the best conditions, and embrace the island's "go slow" pace.