I hike around for most of the day, exhausting muscles that have long been dormant as I try to envision what it must have been like to be a part of Mayan civilization. At dusk, as we make our way back down the mountain and into the valley below, Sergio, Philip, and I drive to the storied San Ignacio Resort Hotel, long the mainstay of royalty and dignitaries -- Queen Elizabeth II is counted among former guests. The resort exudes old-world charm, right down to the natural atmosphere. We sit on the patio with a slew of appetizers, and birds of every family congregate on the three-story trumpet tree. It is a relaxing setting to be sure, which makes me ready for a nap. The Blue Hole will have to wait another day.

Across the street from the San Ignacio Resort Hotel is our lodging for the night, the Ka’ana Boutique Resort & Spa. Owned by two Irish brothers, Ka’ana is the ultimate in luxury. The resort blends in with its jungle backdrop, and each individual cabin has all the creature comforts of a five-star hotel, including an LCD flat-screen TV, an iPod docking station, and wireless Internet. But the most alluring part about Ka’ana is the bed. The jungle never seems as peaceful and relaxing as it does beneath 500-threadcount sheets.

Blue Lagoon

We hop a Tropic Air flight out of the jungle and back to the coast. I figure Sergio is taking me back to San Pedro for my Blue Hole dive. Instead, we touch down in Placencia, a half-moon bay of white-sand beaches and palm groves. If San Pedro is the activity hub of Belize, Placencia is its antithesis. Sure, there are all sorts of things to do, but Placencia is the most serene, most relaxing of all the towns.

“Of course, you can find anything you want around the country, including many places to power down and relax,” says Kim Simplis Barrow, the First Lady of Belize, who joins us in Placencia. “But this is where I like to come for my vacation.” The posh Chabil Mar Villas resort makes me forget why I wanted to come to Belize in the first place, since the oceanfront setting and secluded villas perpetuate a laissez-faire approach to vacationing.