Tour Belize with Leyna Bloom and Jasmine Sanders

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If you only have 24 hours in a location, it’s hard to decide how to plan the perfect trip and not feel like you’ve missed any must-see locations. That’s why SI Swimsuit tasked tour guide Edward Cano in coming up with an amazing list of stops for Jasmine Sanders and Leyna Bloom during their time in Belize.

“Belize is the second smallest country in Central America,” explains Cano. “And it is the only English-speaking country in Central America. There are beautiful sandy beaches around Belize, a lot of islands, cays all over the place.” Regardless of how long or short your trip is, read on for a list of must-sees in Belize.

Wendy’s Creole Restaurant

The first stop of the day is Wendy’s Creole Restaurant. The owner of the restaurant, Wendy Lemus, prepared a large feast of dishes for the models to taste. The spread consisted of traditional rice and beans, chicken stew that was touted as the best in the country, locally caught seafood, and more. “We heard that this place has the best food in town,” says Bloom.

Barefoot Beach Bar

After a delicious lunch at Wendy’s, Sanders and Bloom head over to Barefoot Beach Bar for some tropical cocktails. The bar’s manager, Magali Gabb, recommends two concoctions, Watermelon Bliss and the Liquid Sunshine, made with coconut rum from Travellers, which is one of the biggest distilleries in Belize.

Rosa’s Gift Shop

After a delicious start to the day, Sanders and Bloom head to Rosa’s Gift Shop for some shopping. The shop is full of shells, locally crafted wood gifts, and colorful locally woven bags, clothing and jewelry. It is the perfect place to pick up a keepsake.

Kaj Expressions Jewelry Store

The next stop on the tour is Kaj Expressions, where everything is handmade locally. Assistant manager Karen Westby explains the process used in creating one of the collections as they harvest the tails of lionfish, and then cut, reshape and dry the tail to assemble unique necklaces.

The blending of cultures in Belize has resulted in one of the happiest and most peaceful countries in the region, and has garnered a widespread reputation as one of the world’s friendliest destinations.

At the end of the day, the women stroll the beach and talk about their island tour. “What was your favorite part?” Bloom asks. “The food, girl, you know I love food,” Sanders replies.

Learn more about Belize.