Retire in Belize

When Colin and I got engaged, we spent months agonizing over which country to travel to for our Honeymoon. At the last minute (read: two weeks before our epic wedding) I impluse-bought us two cheap plane tickets to Belize, a country I knew very little about. It turns out, Belize was a PERFECT Honeymoon destination for us- Belize travel is easy. I???ve voyaged all over the world, including destinations that are notoriously frustrating for tourists, and I declare Belize travel a smooth joy. It???s not just that English is the official language, it???s that Belize has invested real thought and effort into its tourist industry. Signs are clear, there???s plenty of travel guidance online, and employees that we met from all levels of Belize???s tourist industry were wonderful. Which leads to the next point???

When we got stranded miles from our San Pedro hotel in a downpour, a woman and her husband who were driving by picked us up in their van and brought us to safety. When we got badly sunburned, an Ambergris Caye hotel employee (click here to see the great place we stayed) gave us his giant bottle of aloe vera, saving our skin. And whenever we were curious about a historical fact, or a type of tree, or a statistic about Belize, we were able to ask whoever was nearby and get an informed, fascinating answer. The people in Belize were also fun and friendly. More than one Belizean said to us, I???ve been to America and liked it, but the thing that upset me was that no one in your country greets each other on the street.??? In Belize, they do! Belize is quite safe. Naturally, no country is 100% crime-free, but I???ve been to 11 countries in Latin America, and I felt safest in Belize, BY FAR. I love Latin America, but there has always been a feeling of tension there for me, as people warn you of this or that attack which recently happened, and shady characters skulk around, eyeing your bags and cat-calling. In contrast, I was able to totally relax in Belize, despite being a normally paranoid traveler. There were also hardly any street vendors or tourist hasslers (a HUGE and refreshing departure from my other travels). Finally, the people in Belize are so friendly that whenever we got in a pickle, there was someone around to help us.