Your annual guide to the year's biggest savings—from deeply discounted tours to favorable exchange rates to the cheapest five-star hotel rooms around (as low as $112!)—in some of the world's most appealing vacation spots.

Belize

Why in 2012: Belize tends to be overshadowed by its neighbors: Mexico, Guatemala, and Costa Rica, which in 2010 saw twice the visitor arrivals that Belize did. Yet this English-speaking nation has plenty to recommend it, including a bounty of exotic birds, stunning Mayan ruins, and the world's second-largest barrier reef. On top of all that, Belize is also one of the region's biggest bargains. In 2011, the dollar appreciated 1.3 percent against the native currency; as of September, the exchange rate was nearly two to one. The savings should last until December 2012, which marks the end of the 5,126-year era of the Maya calendar and the culmination of a year's worth of festivals and sporting events—and a likely spike in hotel prices and crowds.

Budget Travel

Our Top 10 Destinations for 2012, Huffington Post

It’s time to get Belize on the travel wish list for next year as the country celebrates the closing of the Mayan Calendar. The Calendar completes its 13th cycle or B'ak'tun after nearly 52,000 years meaning there’s no better time to get under the skin of this ancient Mayan civilization.

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