I’m fresh off the plane from a week-long vacation with my girlfriend in Belize. And this wasn’t just your run-of-the-mill vacation either — we spent our 7-nights at Coco Plum Cay, an all-inclusive private island off the Belize coast. There’s no better way to describe the place than to say that it was truly paradise. We experienced island life at its finest: ultimate relaxation, privacy and quiet that seemed like a dream, delicious, local meals three times a day, and a feeling of escape that’s nearly impossible to describe. We explored the mainland of Belize as well: climbing ancient Mayan ruins, zip-lining through the jungle, and tubing through dark, bat-filled caves. To top it off, we made some great friends along the way. Read on to see why our trip was so special.

Coco Plum Island Resort has 10 guest cabanas. That’s it. It’s an entire island that’s dedicated to a maximum of 20 guests. We had to fly into Belize City International Airport, and then take a local flight on Maya Island Air to Dangriga, Belize. From there, the island staff transported us via passenger van to a boat dock for a 25-minute boat ride to the island. We immediately knew we were in for something special as we witnessed the amazing sunset on the water — and when Coco Plum was in our sights, we literally felt as if we were in a land of make-believe.

In the days that followed, we spent our time exploring the island. We grabbed a sea kayak and paddled around the entire island, spotting massively large starfish in amazingly brilliant colors. We snorkeled with the island expert Crispin, who helped us spot giant tarpon, barracuda, rays, and fish of all different colors, shapes, and sizes. We ate local food that was so fresh, we couldn’t believe it — I’m talking lobster and conch (caught the day we ate it), coconut pie (made from coconuts snatched on the island earlier in the morning), and orange juice squeezed from oranges harvested on the Belize mainland (which, by the way, ripe oranges in Belize are actually more green in color than orange). We spent more time in hammocks and on lounge chairs than you want to hear about. We drank local rum and local Beliken beer at the bar, mingling with guests from around the world. And when we weren’t on the island, we hopped back to the mainland for our excursions (Coco Plum includes these with their all-inclusive packages).

While we knew we were in for a great time with this trip, we had no idea that we’d become so friendly with the Coco Plum staff. My girlfriend Jen and I are very pretty social, and we absolutely loved chatting with the staff about their island lives. From our bartenders and servers (Eric, Shamira, and Sam), to our snorkel master Crispin, from the resort manager Andrew, to the island owner Emilio, we so much enjoyed their company that leaving the island at the end of our trip was made especially difficult. Now of course, you could go your entire stay without speaking more than a few words to the staff — if you prefer the ultimate in privacy — but we found it much more enjoyable to connect with our fellow islanders.

I should point out that a vacation to Coco Plum probably isn’t for everyone. If you’re looking for a mega resort with pools, lazy rivers, scantily-clad cocktail waitresses, and everything at your fingertips, you should look elsewhere. What Coco Plum offers is something entirely different: casual chill time. The ability to shut off your cell phone, grab a drink, and pretend you live on an island paradise — albeit with a staff that makes sure you’re taken care of during your stay.

Like I said earlier, this vacation was true paradise. Everyone should experience a trip like this at least once in their lifetime. The amount of relaxation you’ll soak up during your time at Coco Plum is worth far more than the cost, and I guarantee you won’t regret it. Honestly, I had never thought about vacationing to Belize prior to this trip. But it’s a great destination all around — the primary language spoken is English, currency conversion is super easy ($1 USD = $2 Belize), and the people are super friendly. So if you’re thinking about a Central American jaunt anytime soon, definitely make sure to add Belize to your list.