The $5 Feast: Every day at noon, locals across the country open their kitchens to serve up the cheapest, freshest Belizean cuisine. (Ask around for recommendations.) Five bucks will buy stew chicken, roasted plantains, and coconut rice and beans.

Bang the Drums: Creole elder Emmeth Young can teach you the same beats his ancestors brought to the West Indies from Africa in the 1700s ($125 for a drum, $10 an hour to learn to play it Belizean-style). Email him to arrange a meeting (methos_drums@hotmail.com).

Dive with Giants: Ambergris Cay may be the go-to spot for visiting divers, but a more authentic option is the village of Placencia, where you can scuba alongside 20-ton whale sharks—the biggest fish in the world (from $165 for two dives, lunch, and equipment; belizescuba.com)—and join locals in the rum-soaked beach bash that kicks off lobster season (June 26–28; placencia.com).