With its mellow climate, friendly people and authentic ecological assets, Belize makes for a pretty nice escape from the snow and ice most Northerners will see this winter. Only a 2-hour flight from the continental US, it's easily accessible from major travel hubs (though airfares are not cheap). However, a few hotels have designed exclusive packages to make a dream Belize vacation a more affordable reality.

Located along the shores of Hopkins Village, a culturally rich region the lush Maya Mountains and the Caribbean Sea, the Hamanasi Dive & Adventure Resort (pictured above left) is offering a 7N, all-inclusive Reef & Rainforest package.

At the well situated Hamanasi, families can experience the surrounding jungle and the culture of the local Garifuna Indians inbetween snorkel and scuba trips. The deluxe beachfront hotel's package offers a variety of daytrips to explore Belize's marine and mainland, including a two-tank barrier reef dive, a mainland cave and jungle excursion, Mayan history tour, tropical birding outing or a visit to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary & Jaguar Preserve.

In addition to the offered activities, the package also includes accommodations, meals and RT transfers from the Belize International airport to the resort. Families traveling with older kids and teens who are interested in scuba will find no TVs or phones in the rooms; no electronic distractions here. Instead, there are spacious beachfront rooms -- 17 feet x 28 feet according to the website -- plus an 8-foot porch. In these suites, there is a room with a mahogany king-size bed and another one with two twin beds; both have their own entrance to the shared bathroom. Two of the treehouse rooms, cabins perched 12 feet above the grounds that afford lots of privacy, also sleep families as they have 2 queen beds and a futon to accommodate your brood.

The Reef & Rainforest package is available for $1,999 per person, based on double occupancy, in a beachfront accommodation from January 16 - April 15, 2008. For more information, call 877/552-3483 or visit www.hamanasi.com.

Another popular option is Captain Morgan's Retreat, whose party-hardy atmosphere has graced the rocky shores of Ambergris Caye for many years. At Capt. Morgan's, older guests can sign up for day excursions that go exploring by boat to the Blue Hole for great diving, or by golf cart into San Pedro for a barefoot beer (which you can do at this friendly, funky resort, too, of course!) There's nearby reef diving, lots of snorkeling and day excursions back to the mainland to see the Mayan sites of Altun Ha or Lamanai.

Captain Morgan's Retreat features a 7N Dive Package that includes a rustic air-conditioned cabana complete with an ocean front view, 5 days of two-tank dives and a night dive for those wishing to see creatures that emerge after dark. Also included are round-trip island transfers to and from the San Pedro airstrip and unlimited access to the resort's kayaks, snorkel gear, and bicycles.

The 7N Dive Package is available for $1,379.50 per person, based on double occupancy, from January 7 through April 30, 2008. For more information, contact Captain Morgan's Retreat at 888/653-9090 or visit www.captainmorgans.com.

For more information on the country of Belize, visit www.travelbelize.org or call their agents at 800/624-0686.