Girlfriend Getaways

stay
The mango-and-melon-hued Seaside Cabanas hotel has six beachfront studios as well as 10 smaller rooms with views of either the sea or the swimming pool—one of only five on the island (011-501/226-0498, seasidecabanas.com, doubles from $105).

eat
At Habaneros, the island's most upscale joint (translation: wear shoes), the husband-and-wife owners use local ingredients to turn out sophisticated dishes such as banana-leaf-steamed snapper with papaya sauce (011-501/226-0487, entrées from $18). The Rainbow Grill & Bar sits on stilts above the water and is the go-to spot for more-simply prepared seafood (011-501/226-0281, entrées from $13). You'll find the best hangout scene at the lovably scruffy Lazy Lizard bar. It overlooks the Split, a channel formed in the 1960s when Hurricane Hattie cleaved the cay in two (011-501/226-0249, rum punch $3.50).

do
Go on a day sail to Hol Chan Marine Reserve with Raggamuffin Tours and snorkel among angelfish, nurse sharks, and electric-bright coral (raggamuffintours.com, $45). Or join Tsunami Adventures on an excursion to the mainland Mayan ruins at Altun Ha. You'll be back in time to toast the sunset with a bottle of Belikin, Belize's national beer (011-501/226-0462, tsunamiadventures.com, $80 plus the $13 round-trip water-taxi fare to Belize City).