Mindy’s family of 4 (2 adults and 2 teens ages 15 and 13) spent their winter break exploring the beautiful Central American country of Belize.  They started their journey in the jungle near Belmopan about an hour from the airport.  They enjoyed the small, intimate atmosphere of Caves Branch Jungle Lodge, an adventure resort which offers a variety of accommodation options.  Mindy’s family stayed in a Canopy View Tree house which sit 200 ft. (and 400 steps to reach) over the river.  Guests come to Caves Branch to experience the flora and fauna of the jungle, the incredibly diverse cave system and for adventure.  There are no TVs, radios or phones.  Just conversation with other families traveling from all over the world with meals at communal tables.  The staff is amazing.  The tour guides visit each family at dinner to see what activity you want to do the following day.  The adventures range from fairly easy to hard in terms of physical activity, but they all require that you lose your vanity and be comfortable being muddy, soaking wet and up to a challenge. At the end of the day, the outdoor shower and jacuzzi in Mindy’s tree house had a wonderful appeal.  Mindy’s family really enjoyed river tubing and learning about the geology and history of the caves and their importance to the Mayan people. They also went ziplining and visited the Belize Zoo (the best small zoo they have been to anywere) where they got up close and personal with the jungle creatures.  The guides were incredible and had a wealth of knowledge about the birds, animals and their habitat. On their way from the jungle to their beach accommodations, their driver gave them a nice history lesson on Belize, the only English speaking country in Central America.  Along the way they saw lots of rural countryside filled with orange and grapefruit groves and pineapple farms.  They stopped to pick some fruit from the trees which is actually allowed (just don’t take too much).  At the beach they stayed in a two bedroom at Chabil Mar in Placencia, a sleepy village of thatched huts, several good dining options and white sand beaches.  The resort staff could not have been nicer or more accommodating.   For every meal you could order what you wanted from the menu and then let the staff know where to have  it served- in the villa, on your patio, by the pool, on a beach lounger or on the pier.  On their first night, they enjoyed a private family dinner on the pier.  It was wonderfully intimate and delicious and the atmosphere could not have been more delightful. Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world right off it’s coast; so diving, snorkeling, fishing and snuba are all superb.  During a fishing trip, pods of dolphins joined them alongside the boat.   The fish were jumping out of the water and by the end of the day, they caught several varieties of snapper, jack and mackerel; enough to feed the entire resort.  The catch was prepared for dinner that night. The next day the family went to a private island for a snorkel trip.  The snorkeling here was by far the best they had ever experienced.  They also went on a tour of the Monkey River where howler monkeys live and breed. Along the way, they also learned of the medicinal values found in the jungle.  They were offered a chance to try nuts, berries and drink water from vines along the way and even offered live termites!  On the return boat ride they were able to get up close to the manatees who live near the mangroves.