To understand Belize, one must first appreciate the various identity crises that this up-and-coming corner of the continent has yet to resolve: for example, is this Latin America or the Caribbean? Is the country’s future in the direction of the hyper-developed industrial tourism of cruise ships and Cancún, or is it aligned with the more sustainable successes of Costa Rica? Is Belize capable of making big self-governing decisions, or will its fate always be at the mercy of more powerful nations and foreign corporations?

At the same time that Belize’s government and tourism industry ask these questions, some 260,000 Belizeans continue to seek a way to place at least six distinct cultures under one national identity. Belize, formerly British Honduras, gained independence only in 1981 and, like many impetuous youngsters in their mid-20s, it continues to learn and grow in the face of all kinds of challenges—from ancient ones like hurricanes and forest fires, to modern ones like the effects of a globalized economy, the illegal drug trade, and AIDS.

Despite having to deal with such typical developing-world struggles, the word is out: Belize is hot. People are coming—from the steady stream of backpackers and divers who have been enjoying this Central American “backwater” for decades, to the rich and famous who first heard the country’s name mentioned on trashy “reality’’ television. Belize is the only country within the Caribbean to experience consistent increases in overall tourist arrivals since 1998—including post-9/11, a period that devastated other tourism-dependent areas.

No wonder. Belize’s English-speaking, affable people make things easy here; its proximity to the United States and Canada makes it close; and its tiny area (no bigger than Massachusetts or Belgium) is jam-packed with adventure travel opportunities, making it a practical—and exciting—destination.