About San Pedro & Ambergris Caye:
If you’re looking for a tropical vacation that is not your typical all-inclusive resort type of trip, the island of Ambergris Caye is the perfect destination for many reasons. The island has tons to offer including local restaurants with authentic cuisine, a variety of activities, shops and beautiful beaches. It is also a popular destination for those looking to explore underwater because it is home to the second largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Coral Reef in Australia. You can choose to spend your time on Ambergris Caye either relaxing, adventuring, or both.
San Pedro is the main city located on the island and has a laid-back Caribbean vibe. Visitors have a wide range of options for low-budget hotels, vacation rentals, and beachfront resorts that fit any budget and are in close proximity to the town. San Pedro is very safe and comfortable for tourists to wander through and experience relaxed island life.
Getting There:
There are two options to get to San Pedro after flying into Belize City. The first option is to fly from Belize City Airport to San Pedro’s airport with either Maya Island Air or Tropic Air airlines. This flight takes about 15-20 mins and will cost about $90 per passenger. The alternative option is to arrive by ferry but you first need to take a taxi from Belize City Airport to the port which costs about $25 and then take the ferry (about $38 per ticket) for an hour and a half. In my opinion, paying a little extra for the flight was well worth it because of the stunning views along with the amount of time saved.
Getting Around the Island:
Visitors can get around the island by either golf cart, bicycle or taxi. Renting a golf cart costs about $45 for the day and is a popular mode of transportation on the island for both tourists and locals alike. A golf cart or taxi is needed if you are planning to visit Secret Beach during your time on Ambergris Caye.
Currency in San Pedro:
The official currency of Belize is the Belize dollar, abbreviated as BZ$, however most places on the island will also accept US dollars. The Belize dollars exchange at a 2 to 1 ratio so $2BZD = $1US. ATMs on the island will dispense cash as Belize dollars.
Where to Stay:
There are tons of resorts, hotels, and vacation rentals on the island to choose from that fit all budgets. A handful of the resorts offer all-inclusive packages if preferred, however, I was glad that I had not chosen an all-inclusive stay because San Pedro is safe for tourists to explore beyond resort property. We had the chance to get into town and try authentic Belizean food a few times and if we had paid for an all-inclusive package we would have felt more obligated to eat only at the resort. In addition, often times the food included in all-inclusive packages at resorts is just ‘ehh’ so if you are on an island with delicious restaurants to try that are easily accessible, why not take advantage of that?
During our trip, we stayed at the Alaia Belize which is a luxury hotel that just opened in May of 2021. Everything about the hotel felt high-quality, from the service to the pool areas and everything in-between. Our room had a beautiful balcony that had views of the pools and ocean. We dined at several of the restaurant spaces at the hotel and the food was phenomenal each time.
Two of our favorite dishes we had during our stay at the Alaia were the chicken stew and spicy shrimp pasta shown above.
Things To Do:
Snorkeling or Scuba Diving in Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Our snorkeling tour was by far the highlight of our trip, and a memory that my friend and I will always be grateful for. We booked a day tour with Nauti Time Tours and spent the day swimming with sea turtles, stingrays, sharks, manatees and even explored a shipwreck. Lunch was provided along with go-pro photos and videos taken by our tour guide that captured the experience perfectly.
Visit the Famous Blue Hole
The Blue Hole is a huge underwater sinkhole located off the coast of Belize that is roughly 125 meters (400 feet) deep. For incredible views of this giant sinkhole you can see it from above by either a helicopter or plane tour and others choose to visit by boat.
Spend the Day at Secret Beach
The not-so-secret area known as Secret Beach has become quite the tourist attraction but still worth a visit. You’ll find crystal clear water to swim in here along with plenty of places to spend the day relaxing while drinking and eating. We went early before the crowds and enjoyed having some spaces to ourselves but we also heard that later in the afternoon is when it gets busier if a more lively scene is preferred. My friend and I wandered up and down the beach stopping at several of the beach bars but our favorite during our time there was Bamboo Fence Swing Bar.
Take the Ferry Over to Caye Caulker
The small island of Caye Caulker is only 30 minutes away by ferry or water taxi. The island is less developed and more slow paced than San Pedro and is a great location to spend the day or even a couple nights. During our trip we unfortunately only got a very quick glimpse of Caye Caulker when our snorkeling tour ended and we took a ferry back to San Pedro, but it was easy to see how charming the island is and had us wishing we had more time to spend a whole day there.
Additional Activities
There is much more to do in addition to the activities previously mentioned such as shopping at the local artisan market in San Pedro, taking a day trip to the mainland on one of the many mainland tours offered, taking a catamaran cruise, or going on a food tour.
I would without hesitation recommend San Pedro, Belize as a destination for any type of vacation whether it be a family trip, romantic getaway for couples, or solo travelers.
