Belize is a lilliputian country located in the southeast of the Yucatán Peninsula, on the Caribbean coast of the Central American isthmus. It shares borders with Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west. The country consists predominantly of tropical lowland and swampy plains, though the Maya Mountains in the west rise to almost 1000m (3280ft). Thirty kilometers (19mi) offshore is the world's second largest barrier reef, home to a broad range of marine life.

Half of the country is covered by dense (but rapidly disappearing) jungle, the rest is farmland, scrub and swamp. The tropical forests provide habitats for a wide range of animals, including jaguar, puma, ocelot, armadillo, tapir and crocodile. The country also harbors keel-billed toucan, an abundance of macaws and parrots, and heron and snowy egret.

Belize is hot and humid year round, but respite from the weather can be found in the cooler mountains or from the tropical breezes which waft over the cayes. Rainfall is a whopping 4m (13ft) a year, most of it falling between June and November.

Compared to the rest of Central America, Belize can be expensive. Even if you're traveling there on a budget, you'll pay at least US$15 (and more often US$20) per day for a room and three meals. On the upside, staying at a flashier hotel and eating decently won't push your costs up much higher than this.

It's easy to change US dollars just about anywhere, and US dollar travelers' cheques, pounds sterling and Canadian dollars can be changed at any bank. Other currencies could cause you difficulties. You can change money legally on the street or at border crossings (at a better rate than the banks will give you). Belizean ATMs will not accept foreign cards. Most businesses will accept cold hard US cash money without question.

Haggling is not a popular pastime in Belize, but it might be worth a try if business looks slow. Only the posher restaurants, bars and clubs are likely to expect a tip - 10% is the going rate. In over- touristed areas, tipping tour leaders and dive operators is becoming more common.

The best time to travel is the dry season from November to May, but this is also the busy winter tourist season, when prices rise and hotels fill up. It's cheaper to travel in summer (July to November), but keep in mind that this is hurricane season.