Belize and Guatemala — Jungle Treehouses, Ancient Ruins, and Caribbean Blue

Belize is small and mighty — jungle, ruins, reef, and culture packed into a country smaller than New Hampshire. In a single week you can sleep in a treehouse, tube through underground caves, cross into Guatemala to explore Tikal, and snorkel the world's second-largest barrier reef. I fell asleep every night at Sweet Songs Jungle Lodge on a floating daybed on the screened-in patio, listening to the rainforest. From San Ignacio, a day trip to Tikal is far easier than approaching from Guatemala City. Then a short flight to Ambergris Caye and Coco Beach Resort for sunset catamarans and some of the best snorkel visibility I've experienced.