The gateway
Almost every trip begins in Belize City, home to the international airport and the water taxi terminals to the islands. It is the country's biggest town and its old colonial heart, with wooden houses, a swing bridge and good Creole food. Many visitors pass straight through, but a night here, or a day trip to the zoo, the baboon sanctuary or Altun Ha, is easy to add.
The cayes
Off the coast, the Belize Barrier Reef shelters hundreds of small islands. Ambergris Caye, with the town of San Pedro, is the largest and busiest, with beach resorts, restaurants and the best access to Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Caye Caulker is smaller, cheaper and famously relaxed, with sandy streets and the motto "go slow". Both are the bases for snorkelling, diving, fishing and trips to the Great Blue Hole.
Jungle and Maya ruins
Inland, San Ignacio is the friendly hub of the Cayo District. From here you can climb the temples of Xunantunich and Caracol, wade into the ATM cave, swim at Rio On Pools and stay in a jungle lodge by the Macal River. It is the best balance to a beach week.
The southern coast
Placencia sits at the tip of a long, sandy peninsula, with a gentle village, good restaurants and some of the mainland's best beaches. It is the base for whale shark season at Gladden Spit, the southern cayes and the jaguar reserve at Cockscomb Basin. The Garifuna village of Hopkins is a short drive north.
How to combine them
With a week, pick one island and Cayo. With ten days to two weeks, add Placencia or Hopkins. Use our places to visit list to choose where to eat and stay, and the free trip planner to fit it all together.