Oklahoma Magazine January 2019

Life & Style D E S T I N AT I O N S

Maritime Mountain Meeting Belize’s coast has stunning views of the Mayas, scuba diving, hiking, fishing … and the world’s narrowest main street.

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LITTLE HARVEST CAYE OFFERS WHITE-SAND BEACHES AND VIEWS OF THE MAYA MOUNTAINS. PHOTOS COURTESY VISION PROPERTIES BELIZE

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here’s something enchanting about the idea of being on your own secluded island. In the 1950s musical South Pacific, Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein expressed it this way: Bali Ha’i will whisper On the wind of the sea: “Here am I, your special island! Come to me, come to me!” Little Harvest Caye in the Caribbean, just off the coast of Belize, goes far beyond special. The 1.5-acre island has a handful of villas (for a total of five bedrooms and six baths) and capitalizes on the amazing sea, views of the Maya Mountains and cool trade winds. And yes, you can make it your very own private tropical paradise. On-site staff include a chef, a concierge, housekeeping, laundry services and a masseuse. The brightly painted, stand-alone detached suites feature open-air architecture, lovely hardwood ceilings, bedroom air-conditioning, separate living and dining areas, baths with showers, Wi-Fi, satellite TV and access to full kitchens. Plenty of chaise lounges and a walk-around

OKLAHOMA MAGAZINE | JANUARY 2019

bar embellish common areas. Water sports are plentiful. The caye (pronounced kee) has its own white-sand beach and swimming area along with a freshwater swimming pool, a large private pier, ocean kayaks, paddleboards, snorkeling and scuba diving. Some of the best fishing in the world is found here, too – bone, permit, tarpon, snapper, snook – much of it right off the island. And from March to June, elusive whale sharks come a-calling. This largest of all fish (as heavy as 21 tons) moves slowly, feeds off small fish and plankton, and poses zero threat to humans. Little Harvest Caye is the new kid on the coast; it was completed three years ago. The best of all worlds, the caye is off the beaten path, yet only five minutes by boat from the mainland, specifically the Placencia Peninsula, known as the “island you can drive to.” Bleached-sand beaches face the Pacific Ocean, and on the other side is a large, mangrovelined lagoon packed with colorful birds and flora. Guests have access to a boat and captain whenever the urge strikes to shove off to nightspots, dining or shopping in Placencia, or to engage in outdoor activities like swimming at the base of a jungle waterfall, floating down a