San Pedro is "La Isla Bonita" that Madonna made famous. Now it's a tourist mecca, but still boasts great beaches and plenty of dive shops so you can enjoy the sun, sand, and sea. Plan a side trip to Caye Caulker while you're here; it is less developed and more laid back, and has its own splendid swimming areas.

Smaller and more intimate than popular resort areas such as San Ignacio and Belize City, the modest capital of Belmopan is nonetheless a vibrant city surrounded by stunning scenery and wildlife. Next to the bustling Market Square, Independence Plaza is home to the prime minister's offices, various pedestrian pathways and the National Assembly Building, designed to resemble a Mayan temple. Outside the city lay the spectacular Guancaste Park as well as the astonishing Hummingbird Highway.

Ambergris Caye hovers in a holiday sweet spot: just enough amenities to make it exciting, but not so overdeveloped that you’re tripping over flip-flopped tourists. A mangrove swamp is the eye of this white beach island, the largest in Belize, and golf carts are the main form of transportation along the sandy roads. Reef divers drool over the Belize Barrier Reef and the Blue Hole, a 400-feet deep circle of limestone that teems with angelfish, elkhorn coral, cleaner shrimp and stalactites.

Love culture, not crowds? Leave the bustle of Belize City for quieter Dangriga, at the end of the Hummingbird Highway. The town is a suitable base for exploring the Stann Creek district: visit the Maya centre and the world's first jaguar preserve, explore the beach and try snorkeling at the reef a few miles out.

Located near the Mexico-Belize border, a true paradise awaits travellers in Bacalar. The town sits on the Lagoon of Seven Colours, a lake nicknamed for its beautifully coloured water, which makes it the perfect place for stunning sunsets, fresh seafood, and cenote swimming.