At the southern tip of the atoll, the fanciest of the Turneffe resorts offers gorgeous cabañas with screened porches, wooden floorboards, and indoor and outdoor showers, all set amid coconut palms just yards from the beach. There's world-class diving within minutes of the resort, and it has even established its own timezone, allowing guests to capitalize on daylight hours.

　　In short, Hemingway would have approved, particularly because some of Belize's best tarpon fishing is also a three-minute boat ride away.

　　Another untold highlight is the camaraderie that tends to develop among guests, as the resort offers prime opportunities for the guests to bond over the day's activities at an intimate tiki bar and over delicious, communal meals.