The former British Honduras was Granted independence in 1981 but is still a member of the British Commonwealth. Belize enjoys a bustling economy with a stable democratic government. English is the national language and the literacy rate tops that of the U.S. Friendly, industrious people comprise an ethnic potpourri of Creole, Carib, Mestizo and Mayan ancestry.

E:Mail to Basil Jones Beach

The Belizean pre- Columbian Mayan Indian culture dates back over 4,000 years. Dozens of cities, temples and ruins have been excavated, with dozens more waiting to be explored. The natural splendors of Belize - lowland savannahs lush with tropical vegetation, mountains and misty valleys, cascading wate~falls, hardwood rainforests - shelter a diversity of wildlife. Jaguars roam free in the worlds largest preserve . . . chattering monkeys swing among the coconut palms . . . and the brightly colored Toucan is but one of the 300 varieties of birds to be admired.

Just off the Belizean mainland, a shallow underwater valley follows the shoreline. Its ridges mark the sea with stretches of land that natives call "Cayes" (pronounced "keys"). The largest of these, 35 miles north of Belize city and bordering on the Yucatan peninsula of Mexico, is Ambergris Caye - a 23 mile long tropical paradise that fulfills all fantasies of escape from the real world.

Ambergris Caye can be reached within a two hour flight from Miami, New Orleans or Houston, and a 17 minute hop from Belize International Airport via any one of the hourly commuter planes to San Pedro Town, the largest settlement, on the island's southern end.