How To Make Belize Vacation Planning a Breeze

Planning a trip to Belize? Dig into the details, and you'll soon uncover an array of challenges that make visiting this Central American nation - and getting the full experience - more complicated than it seems.

Not only does Belize offer lush green jungles and endless adventure travel activities like hiking, cave tubing and zip-lining, but its tropical beaches are to die for. Add in the fact that Belize is home to the second-largest barrier reef in the world, and that the country boasts 450 different islands or "cayes" individuals can visit, and it's easy to become overwhelmed.

With visitors wanting to spend time hiking in the jungle, relaxing on mainland beaches and exploring spots like Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, trip planning quickly becomes a complex mess of road transfers, water taxis and flights.

Enter The Belize Collection, a selection of Belize resorts that offer something for everyone. With properties in beach destinations like Hopkins and Placencia and in Cayo, which is deep in the heart of the Belize jungle, this collection makes booking travel a breeze for travel agents as well as individuals planning their own getaway.

Adventure travelers and luxury seekers can start their vacation at the Sleeping Giant Rainforest Lodge, which sits in a tropical jungle next to the famed Sleeping Giant mountain landmark. This boutique resort features 32 exceptional rooms, many of which boast private plunge pools and mountain views or views of the bubbling river that flows throughout the property.

Guests here can learn about local Belize culture through cooking classes or market visits, or they can hike to a Mayan Ceremonial Cave that is home to diverse geological formations and hundreds of artifacts including Maya skeletal remains embedded in crystal, Maya tools, fire pits and pottery from thousands of years ago.

Beach lovers should also plan at least a few nights at The Lodge at Jaguar Reef, a typical beachfront resort with a focus on relaxation. This property sits on one of the best natural beaches along the Caribbean coast of Central America, and it has an on-site spa, several heated pools, a swim-up bar and a floating ceviche bar with overwater nets for guests. Several room options are available for different group sizes, including waterfront villas with private plunge pools and larger two-bedroom suites for families.