Belize
BELIZE
LOCATION
MUST DO
- Relax on the beach
- Go snorkeling
- Make spam sandwiches
- Unplug from technology and enjoy the company around you
Trip Details
When: August 2004
Where: Unknown named private island
How: Hired a boat to take us out to an uninhabited island for a weekend
TRAVEL TIPS
- Do your research. If you’re going to travel to a private island, find a reputable guide to take you there.
- Take your own snorkel equipment
NOTES
I had so many amazing experiences in the summer of 2004! As part of my trip to Guatemala, my sister and a few friends arranged for us to take a 2 hour skiff boat ride out to a private island off the coast of Belize to celebrate my golden birthday! I turned 20 on the 20th in this beautiful place that was completely off the grid. There was no electricity. No people living on the island. We were the only ones there, and we had to bring our own sleeping bags, food, and water for the weekend. We survived on water, bread, and spam for days. My friends made me a birthday cake sculpted out of sand and used coral for the candles. It was so special and definitely a birthday I will never forget.
We went snorkeling one day and had a close encounter with a barracuda! I was just floating around in the water, when one of my friends grabbed my arm and told me in a calm, strong voice: “Swim as fast as you can to the beach right now.” I didn’t think twice and just started splashing around like a maniac to get back to shore. Everyone was laughing, and I thought maybe it was a joke, but I think it was more out of relief. A barracuda, they said. Staring straight at me, they said. Hovering and waiting to eat me for dinner, they said. It was probably harmless, and we all probably over reacted, but it would not have been fun if any of us had been harmed by a poisonous fish on an uninhabited island in the middle of nowhere. What an adventure!