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

We figured anyone would like the cabanas and the view. But what would posh people think about the composting toilets? The sand floor in the dining hall? We dared not mention Zoey, the pet rabbit who decided to stake his territory one morning by peeing on my yoga mat. (I had been unaware of Zoey's approach, lost in the serenity of yoga while watching a pelican dive for his breakfast.)

We did tell the Ambergris tourists that we loved washing with water from a rain barrel — washing in a roofless, thatch-walled shower, surrounded by sunshine and birdsong. (Of course the folks who were at Long Caye the week before we were, when it rained a lot, were less enthusiastic. They longed for a dry towel.)

And we told them about the snorkeling. We can go on and on about the water around Long Caye, describing lobsters and eels and sharks and all the colorful species — from the yellow grunts to the parrotfish.

There's a dive school on the island where you can get certified for open water. But if you don't dive, no worries. There are equal delights for snorkelers, sea kayakers, wind-surfers and wave surfers.

The island is run like a summer camp — minus the arts and crafts and with yummy food. (A tub of oranges sits next to an industrial press so you can squeeze your own juice whenever the craving strikes.) You get lessons on how to use the various kayaks and windsurfers. After you are trained, you can paddle or surf whenever you wish. In addition, there are guided trips so you can snorkel a new reef every day.

Or you can just put on your fins and snorkel around the island. You'll see fewer fish than if you paddled out to the coral, but I got my best view a barracuda just yards offshore. Another guest saw three nurse sharks offshore, as well.

Every night on Long Caye we had a nature lecture — about coral, or plate tectonics or sea life. One day we paddled sea kayaks to a nearby island, owned by the Wildlife Conservation Society, where researchers from around the world come to study coral.

Hammocks abound on Long Caye, as do books. The library features fiction, nature guides and histories.

A women's history offered some insight into local culture. According to sociologist Irma McClaurin, who published "Women of Belize" in 1996, Belizean men often make a will that leaves their property to their mothers — even if they have a wife and children. If a man dies without a will, his mother may end up with his stuff anyway. Apparently many Belizean couples never marry, and if they do the courts may assume a young mother will find another man and doesn't need anything from the father of her children.

Later, we contrasted McClaurin's research with comments made by tour guides and hotel staff. We overheard a political debate on the streets of Belize City. We had a long conversation with a beautician who was 26 and pregnant with her seventh child.