U N-BEL I ZE-A B L E! Diving into Central American culture W R I T T E N B Y : D A V E K E L LY
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lorida’s southern coastline is one of the most incredible on earth. Folks come from around the globe to experience world-class fishing and diving in the pristine waters and coral reefs in the Florida Keys. But did you know that there is a magnificent reef twice the size of ours that is virtually at our doorstep? And it is nothing less than … un-Belize-able! Welcome to Belize. Located just south of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula on the sparkling Caribbean Sea, this English-speaking Central American country is home to the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System that runs over six hundred miles along its eastern shoreline, making it the largest in the Western Hemisphere. Incredibly, the edge of this reef often begins less than a mile from the Belizean shoreline, making it instantly
accessible for daytrip pursuits such as snorkeling and near-shore, deep-sea fishing. Sound enticing? It sure did to me, so I called my daughter Delaney, an avid diver and fishing fanatic, and we made our plans for Belize.
FIRST THINGS FIRST
The first order of business was to contact our friend Karolina Guilcapi, owner of Sated Ventures Tours and Travel in Palm Coast, Florida. As the go-to expert in the concierge travel business, Karolina’s knowledge of the area and local relationships are second to none, so she can handle virtually all aspects of a trip. She recommended that we base our travel experience out of Ramon’s Village Resort, a laid-back tropical sanctuary just outside the city of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, the country’s largest island off the eastern coast. She
Ramon's Village Resort facilitates snorkel, SCUBA, and fishing trips from its private on site dock.
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