A newer resort just off of Mexico in the Gulf.  

A great tropical sailing destination, it's a relatively short distance from home.  This former British colony is a viable charter option any time of year, late Feb through May is the ideal sailing season.  Because the second largest barrier reef in the world fringes this tiny Central American nation, serious divers have been flocking here for decades.  But very few cruising sailors pass that way, and the number of bareboats on site is still relatively minimal.  There is plenty of elbow room in the serene anchorages here. A string of small islands run in a north-south line inside the barrier reef, forming an area ideal for short-hoop cruising.  Sea conditions are mild, winds are rarely strong and, as you might image, the snorkeling and scuba diving are superb.  Highlights along the way include Stingray Alley near San Pedro island where locals hand feed stingrays and nurse sharks, and Victoria Channel, where manatees are sometimes sighted.   Best times to sail:  Mid Feb to mid June Moorings is the only alternative for bareboat charters, with an all-catamaran fleet since the waters are quite shallow.   (This changed in 2004 when a reduced draft 40 foot sloop was offered).  Click here for more info from Moorings.

Although visiting sailors tend to head straight for the islands, the Belize mainland holds fascinating attractions for side trips.  Having been a center of Mayan civilization centuries before shipwrecked British sailors established a settlement here in 1683, many Mayan temples and other ancient structures still remain accessible inland.  Some date back a thousand years.  Oh, if you really crave the exotic, check out the Jaguar preserve!