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The southern Placencia Peninsula is a laid-back beach destination where you’ll see a little bit of every Belizean cultural group, in addition to a healthy number of expats. The village is where the action is, a main drag lined with Creole restaurants, bistros, fruit stalls, and snack stands. North of the strip, resorts occupy the Seine Bight and Maya Beach areas, ranging in scale from boutique to large, with swimming pools and water toys. Placencia is near some of the most gorgeous diving and snorkeling in Belize, including dreamy islands for day trips—such as Ranguana Caye, Laughing Bird Caye, and the Silk Cayes.

Want a better beach trip? Go when everyone else isn’t. These destinations shine in the shoulder season.

The newest members include a forest retreat in Georgia, a reef-side resort in Belize, and a Michelin-starred restaurant in Alsace.

Go ziplining or snorkeling in the land of wild jungles and coral reefs.

These locations all shine during the shoulder season.

From bright snowflakes to sunny waters, your next winter getaway can be as sparkly as you want.

Still waiting for that “new year, new you” feeling to kick in? Belize might be just the fuel you need.

Coming face-to-face with the world’s biggest fish is one of the world’s biggest thrills. They may be sharks, but these giant creatures are actually quite docile and whether you want to swim with them or simply marvel at their size, here’s where to go.

From an Argentine wine getaway to a Tesla-powered resort in Fiji, these resorts make going green even more glam.

With Hawaii leading the charge, many destinations are moving to ban reef-damaging sunscreens. Here’s the why, where, and what of the matter—plus some handy tips for picking your own eco-friendly sunscreen.

From spear fishing to relaxing on a private island, Southern Belize might just be the dreamiest destination ever.

Wandering Chef: Stephanie Izard’s Belize

Barefoot Bar is a place that’s known for just that: bare feet. Located on the shores of the Caribbean Sea, Barefoot is a Placencia staple where locals and visitors mingle, drink, and eat great Belizean food. The bar is known for the lobster grilled cheese—a huge grilled cheese sandwich stuffed with catch-of-the-day lobster. Buy two: one to eat now, and another to bring home for later. Barefoot also makes perfectly crispy salbutes, which are a great tacolike light lunch to go with your $3 drink special.

Turtle Inn is one of two upscale resort properties in Belize owned by American movie director Francis Ford Coppola. (The other is Blancaneaux.) This inn is in the town of Placencia, but despite its proximity to the town’s services, the privacy afforded by the resort makes guests feel insulated and more isolated than they actually are. The cabana-style accommodations are luxurious and spacious, with high ceilings and exceptional attention to design detail. The architecture blends in with the environment, but inside the cabanas and villas, guests will feel as if they’ve been transported to another part of the world. The decor is inspired by Bali, with hand-carved wooden wardrobes and trunks and richly embroidered textiles and tapestries. These sit alongside ultramodern amenities and conveniences, such as Delonghi espresso machines and iPod docking stations. Common areas include a triangle-shaped, infinity-edge pool and a gift shop with pricey luxury goods, including handbags and clothing.

On approach, Laughing Bird Caye is breathtaking: a narrow island, lined with multiple palm trees, with a single thatch hut where a resident park ranger awaits to welcome and inform visitors. It’s not so bad once you’ve arrived, either: brilliant white sand, iridescent turquoise water, pelicans overhead. This 10,000-acre protected marine park is more than a sight for sore eyes: It offers some of the best snorkeling in Belize, particularly on the leeward side of the island where large tropical critters thrive. Barracuda, nurse sharks, bonefish, and rays swim alongside smaller fish in colorful, healthy corals. Laughing Bird Caye, part of the Belize Barrier Reef and a designated World Heritage Site, is a popular snorkel day trip from Placencia Village, just 11 miles away.