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I keep a list
of things I want to do with the rest of my life. High on this list is a
deserted tropical island getaway where palm trees sway on a white sandy
beach and an indigo-blue sky melts into crystalline waters. But the
problem is, I’m not the type of girl who can sit around the beach all day
doing nothing. What I want is a place that offers a smorgasbord of
activities. I want to swim, explore, scuba dive, kayak, and windsurf. And
I want expert guides to teach me how to do the hard stuff. But in-between,
I wouldn’t mind a bit of hammock time.
After some research, I
discover that multi-sport vacations in desirable locations are becoming
one of the most popular segments of the travel industry. I narrow my
search by looking for a reputable adventure company that offers trips in
the most desirable of settings: a private Caribbean island. A few months
later, I’m one in a group of 14 thrill-seekers about to embark on
Slickrock Adventures’ all-inclusive package in Belize – one that promises
to balance sweat, scenery, and serenity.
We’re headed to Long
Caye, one of five slivers of islands in an atoll and national marine
reserve called Glover’s Reef, 35 miles off the coast of Belize. To get
here, you fly into Belize City, then take a three-hour boat ride.
After deplaning, we
gather our bags and settle in for a jostling ride across the water. We
slow down as an island comes into focus. Conversations stop, iPods turn
off, and we all stick our heads out the windows to get a better look. “It
doesn’t seem real,” someone whispers. While many private islands make a
lot of noise about forgetting the outside world, this one means it.
Long Caye has a wild
and magical vibe – much like a setting on the shows Lost and
Survivor. Forget AC, room service, and email. Instead, eco-friendly
and undeveloped is the modus operandi.
 We
zigzag on seashell-lined pathways through coconut palms. The trails lead
to 12 rustic beachfront cabanas perched on stilts above the surf and
outfitted with air mattresses and a solar-powered light for night reading.
The cabanas, widely scattered for privacy, feature conch-decorated porches
with hammocks and lounge chairs.
After dropping our
bags in the cabanas, we waste little time getting in the water. I am
instantly surrounded by a school of rainbow parrotfish, who dash away as
quickly as they appear. Our snorkeling guide grabs my arm and directs my
attention to a spot on the ocean floor. I’m not sure what I’m supposed to
be looking at until I notice bulging eyes that appear to be sticking out
of the sand. Our guide dives to the bottom, where he carefully moves the
sand away. A stingray emerges and swims off. Back on terra firma, he
lectures us on proper sand-walking techniques. “Stingrays don’t want to
sting you any more than you want to be stung,” he says. “If you shuffle
your feet on the sand, they’ll hear you coming and swim off.”
I take my first shower
that afternoon alfresco. The well-water is a perfect 70 degrees, and it
feels wonderful. Back in my cabana, I sip a chilled cerveza while
the sun slowly sets in typical Caribbean Technicolor.
The next morning, over
a breakfast of Belizean fry jacks and eggs with Creole potatoes, Victor
Myers, one of our zealous island guides, goes over the plan for the day.
During the sea-kayak orientation we learn paddle strokes, rescue
techniques, and how to enter and exit the kayak while in the water. That
afternoon we split into groups; the certified divers go on their first die
and a smaller group takes a windsurfing orientation class.
Meanwhile, the rest of
us paddle to a nearby patch reef where we hook our bowlines to a piece of
dead coral and practice exiting the kayak without tipping it. I carefully
slip out of my seat and slide into the water, where I struggle to
don my mask and fins in between mouthfuls of seawater. “Next time, you
might try putting on your snorkel gear before jumping out of your kayak,”
laughs Myers as I choke.
Every day before
sunset, guests and staff get together for some friendly beach volleyball.
Then it’s time to eat. Meals are served in a sand-floored dining hall
featuring three long communal tables, a propane stove, and a refrigerator
stocked with Fanta soft drinks and Belikin, the national beer of Belize.
In the dining hall, we can also check out the marine life guidebooks from
the extensive library and look up the fish we encountered in the reef we
explored. “If you think you saw some cool fish when snorkeling today, wait
until you go diving,” says our dive master.
Avid scuba divers
swoon at the mention of Belize, a tiny nation with the world’s
second-longest barrier reef (behind Australia). The reef is named after
John Glover, and English pirate who used this secluded ring of islands and
reefs as the base from which to raid treasure-laden Spanish galleons.
Glover’s Reef is the country’s most remote atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage
Site and home to “the Wall,” an incredible coral-covered face on the
continental shelf where the sea floor drops to 3,000 feet in less than a
mile. A small group of us are so thrilled after our scuba exploration of
the Wall – we spot green moray eels, spotted eagle rays, and tiger grouper
swimming around purple sea fans and elkhorn coral – that we end up diving
again days later and complete a PADI (Professional Association of Diving
Instructors) certification course.
 As
our island getaway approaches an end, many of us try to prolong the
adventure till the last moment. In the distance, I see four brave souls
paddling kayaks into pounding surf on the south side of the island, each
looking for a perfect wave to ride back to shore. On the windier lagoon
side, another couple is windsurfing while Myers, perched in a yellow
kayak, bestows handy tips and takes pictures with his waterproof digital
camera. Me? I kick back on a hammock while a gentle breeze and the sound
of the waves lapping the shore lull me to sleep – as it turns out, my
adrenaline needs a break.
On the boat ride back
to the mainland, I think back to my must-do list and mentally check off
about half a dozen items. Swimming with exotic fish. Check. Getting scuba
certified. Check. Spending the day on the beach doing nothing at all was
never on my list, though it should have been. Suddenly it occurs to me
that if fantasy mirrors desire, then Belize reshapes it.
GETTING STARTED: Slickrock Adventures is
the oldest outfitter in Belize and the only one with a private island.
The Adventure Island at Glover's Reef package includes accommodations;
use of top-notch gear; lessons on windsurfers, surf kayaks, kayaks, and
surfboards; and all meals and beverages. Prices vary depending on length
of trip. slickrock.com
WHAT TO PACK:
If you plan to snorkel, you must bring your own mask, snorkel, and fins.
You'll also need a pair of closed-toe hydro shoes that provide full-foot
coverage (perfect for wearing to and from snorkeling spots and while
kayaking and windsurfing). Quick-drying shorts and a long-sleeve rash
guard are must-haves. And consider bringing a waterproof digital camera.
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