Benedict Kim for The New York Times

As newly self-appointed Belizophiles, we love what this superstar of gymnastics says about the country:

Why Simone Biles Loves Belize

By SHIVANI VORA

…The world may beckon, but the athlete said that her favorite destination would always be Belize, a Central American nation, where she holds dual citizenship through her mother, Nellie Cayetano Biles.

The younger Ms. Biles spoke about her love for Belize while she was on her way to the airport in Los Angeles (she was in town to film the season premiere of “Ellen”) to head home to Houston for a few days before beginning her tour…Q. You have referred to Belize as your second home. How often do you get to visit?

A. I go at least once a year with my family, mostly in the summer. We spend five days, sometimes a week.

Where do you stay when you go?

My mom has a house on the mainland, but we like going to the islands so we always stay at a resort. Usually, we go to San Pedro [a town on the island of Ambergris Caye] and stay either at Victoria House or Ramon’s. The hotels are near each other, and the staff is super nice at both.

What do you like to do when you’re there?

Belize, for me, is all about the beach. My family and I spend most of our days hanging out by the water, but I don’t like to lie out and relax. I go swimming, which I love because the water is so beautiful and so clear that you can see all the fish underneath.

Also, we are big on fishing trips and make sure to take at least one whenever we’re in Belize. My mom, two older brothers, my younger sister and I head out by 7 in the morning on a boat with a local fisherman, who takes us to the best fishing spots. It’s so much fun because we make teams and compete to see who can catch the biggest fish or the most fish. Usually, we catch snappers and groupers, and occasionally, we’ll get a barracuda…

Read the whole interview here.