Belize: World-class diving attracts adventurers, but that's not all there is to do

LONG CAYE, Belize — When you walk into the cabana you see two narrow beds, a plank floor and a ceiling made of palms. The windows have shutters — but no glass or screens. Your first impression is "Scout Camp."

But by the next day you are thinking "Heaven." You've realized why people come to Belize. They come here so they can fall asleep to the sound of waves and wake up to the sun shining pink on the mangrove trees.

Tourists come to Belize for the diving, too, of course. The world's second largest barrier reef can be found off the coast. The Caribbean ocean is turquoise, here, and the breeze is warm and soft.

Tourists also come for the jungle. It's replete with exotic birds and animals and Mayan ruins. And there are more reasons to visit. For one: Belize is a place of good cooks and abundant produce.

Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce is the most famous local product. She seems to have inspired every Belizean to come up with a signature sauce or dessert or soup.

At dinner the night we arrived, my husband and I discovered a pepper potato soup. Later, we sampled a squash we'd never seen before as well as some tomato jam and a uniquely delicious fish taco. Even the oatmeal cookies tasted a bit exotic, spicier maybe.

Belize is especially easy to visit because everyone speaks English. And it is especially intriguing because of the second languages — Creole, Garifuna, several Mayan dialects, Spanish, Chinese — and the various cultures those languages represent.

We spent the main part of our vacation beyond the barrier reef. We stayed on a tiny privately owned island called Long Caye, in the Glover's Reef Atoll. (Only after we made our reservations did we discover that the island belongs to a Utah company, Slickrock Adventures, out of Moab.)

The atoll, which is a lagoon dotted with small islands and surrounded by coral, is named for a British pirate, John Glover, who sailed these waters in the 17th century. He was the scourge of Spain. Today the atoll that bears his name has been set aside as a 127-square-mile marine reserve.

After we left Long Caye we heard some New Englanders talking about a more well-known island, Ambergris Caye. These travelers said they'd vacationed in Belize for years but now were finding Ambergris a bit crowded. Hesitatingly, we recommended Long Caye.

We hesitated because we had just finished a very "green" vacation on Long Caye. We loved it. But would they?