This little cay (pronounced "key") off the coast of Belize was a magical place for me. About a 30 to 40 minute boat ride from Dangriga, if the sea is calm, we were "stuck" on a Caribbean island for 4 days in December 2003 with nothing to do but sunbathe, snorkel, and wander around the island talking to the few other visitors and locals.

The coral reef was amazing and at the time, pristine, literally steps off the beach. The diving, I heard, was spectacular. There were boat tours to nearby mangrove islands to see manatees. The weather was perfect, better even than on the mainland. The island seems to be a bed of conch shells covered in white coral sand and forested in nothing but coconut trees. There's a small mangrove lagoon on one side and the reef on the other side. Wading out to swim was a bit chancy due to the reef but off the end of a dock it was great.

There weren't too many facilities for entertainment, hence only 4 stars instead of 5. One expat bar on the beach, a couple of restaurants at the pricier guest houses, and a rental place for snorkel and scuba equipment. We booked at the cheapest guest house we could get (can no longer remember the name - it was the one on the opposite end of the island from the snorkel rental place). Pricey, considering how primitive it was, but the meals with the other guests were delicious and the bedroom was sufficient if dim and cell-like. Other guest houses were probably a lot nicer, but our budget was tight and we were a bit surprised at how much the prices had gone up since the Lonely Planet guide had been published.

Despite a nasty sunburn on day 2 of the trip, and a bit of boredom (which for me is rare - I relish isolation and privacy), I would recommend Tobacco Cay as a destination for anybody, and even better if you go with a large group of friends or family.