Belize

It is difficult to comprehend the wealth of wonders tucked inside this tiny country on the edge of the Yucatán Peninsula – and that’s just ashore. Belize also boasts the planet’s second-largest barrier reef beneath the turquoise seas that edge its lush jungles. The screech of parrots and grunts of howler monkeys echo throughout the rainforest, where jaguars and ocelots slink through a tangle of bromeliads and orchids. In addition, Belize was once the epicenter of the ancient Maya Empire and now boasts major archaeologist sites such as Xunantunich, Altun Ha, and Caracol. And when you tire of exploring – as if that were possible – the pleasures of some of the finest eco-lodges in Central America await.