Getaway: Belize resort offers all-inclusive luxury for Bay Area couple

The East Bay couple pack efficiently and expertly navigate through airport security and customs.

Itz’ana Resort & Residences, a superlative beachfront getaway between Placencia Lagoon and the Caribbean Sea that takes its name from the Mayan god of day and night.

Amenities awaiting them include a full-service marina, a rooftop yoga deck, a rum room, a water sports adventure center and the resort’s saltwater pool.

Set along 16 miles of Caribbean coastline, the Placencia Peninsula contains jungles, caves, beaches and islands to explore.

Formerly a British colony, Belize remains an English-speaking country, and its blend of cultures fuses a variety of cuisines.

[...] the Palmas were the first couple to buy a home there.

Investors can select something as modest as a single-bedroom loft cottage to an extravagant three-bedroom villa on the beach or a five-bedroom home near the lagoon.

The couple’s waterfront residence has ocean views, and sleeping areas on opposite sides of the welcoming great room.

High ceilings, tall windows and elongated doors highlight an interior that’s welcoming and spacious.

Fortunately, the units include air conditioners, and the resort’s collection of pools and proximity to natural bodies of water mean there’s no shortage of ways to cool off.

With roughly 2,300 square feet of living space, the Palmas’ home away from home has plenty of room to lounge in, though the sheer number of activities and experiences just outside their door keeps them from growing roots for too long.

Guided tours of Mayan artifacts, snorkeling, kayaking, cave tubing and chocolate tastings are among the entertainment options.

Itz’ana Resort & Residences is also a short drive away from Cockscomb Basin Forest Reserve, the world’s first jaguar preserve and the largest such location in the Americas.