The adventure group's quarters.

The term adventure holiday is an intimidating one. The word "adventure" immediately conjures images of chuteless skydiving, undersea shark dentistry and naked jungle boar-hunting.

You might as well just call it x-treme vacationing for all the preconceptions.

They are fears, by the way, that are entirely unfounded.

Especially when you're talking about adventure holidays in the Central American nation of Belize, hosted by Canadian-based company Island Expeditions.

It's an adventure holiday in the sense that it's a once-in-a-lifetime and up-close experience in one of the most beautiful and pristine places on the planet.

Sure, you have to be in relatively good health -- and able to swim, snorkel, kayak, hike, etc., -- but the particular package I was on also featured every shape and size of vacationer, including families with teens and preteens, as well as seniors in their late 60s.

The attraction really isn't difficult to understand, especially considering Belize itself, which is bordered on the north by Mexico, on the south and west by Guatemala, and with the Caribbean Sea on its 280-km coastline to the east.

Surprisingly, it's not a difficult destination to get to. Flights can be booked through many companies, including Martour Travel by phone at 1-800-661-8772 or martour.com).

Once you're there, the best way to experience the land and the culture is through one of the incredible and diverse packages Island Expeditions has to offer.

The company has been specializing in Belize reef and rain forest adventures since 1987, and as a result they've forged important and lasting relationships with the country's government and its people.

This allows you to see and explore parts of the nation you'd otherwise never get to.

Case in point, the Lighthouse Reef package that IE offers, which is operated in partnership with the Belize Audubon Society.

The main part of the eight-day, nine-night vacation takes you to the Half-Moon Caye Natural Monument and Lighthouse Reef Atoll, located 80 km offshore of the Belize mainland.

Here, housed in sturdy stand-up tents on the beach, you're given the opportunity to live for 24 hours in a setting that any castaway would think twice about wanting to leave.

A red-footed booby -- one of 4,000 on the site.

The food, supplied as part of the package, is all natural -- plenty of fruits, fish and meats -- and cooked and served by the small staff IE keeps on the island to maintain it and serve as guides.

Nourishment is the first thing I bring up because it's an important part of the trip -- you're kept busy and kept active.

Number one on the activity list is the opportunity to experience marine life in its environment -- the crystal-clear waters surrounding the caye.

The mind boggles at all of the creatures floating within touching distance, including nurse sharks, which may cause some palpitations in the heart of a first-time snorkeller unaware of their harmless nature.

One of the afternoons is also spent at the famous Blue Hole, a circular limestone sinkhole that's considered a natural wonder by scuba divers from all over the world.

Island Expeditions' tours give you a chance to kayak on Belize's crystal-clear waters

On top of the water, there are opportunities throughout the seven-day stay to do some kayaking, including to a shipwreck within view of the shore.

Once on land, there's still plenty to amuse you -- especially if you're a bird-watcher.

Nesting on the island is a red-footed booby colony of 4,000, which you can get a close look at thanks to platforms built high in the trees.

The only real downside with the stay on the island -- as with any outdoor holiday -- is that you're at the mercy of the weather, which is normally gorgeous during the tour season, but can sometimes get wet and nasty.

In that case, a good group, a good book and a good bottle of Belikin beer help pass the time until the sky clears -- which it invariably does.

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BOTTOM LINE

- Island Expeditions' Belize season runs from December to late April, with more than a half-dozen packages to choose from.

- For more info, visit islandexpeditions.com or call toll free 1-800-667-1630, and get ready for an adventure.