Five Days in Ambergris Cayes

The snorkeling at one of the world's largest barrier reef, the colorful fish, hugging a shark and feeling the belly of sting rays, the beautiful clear water, having conch every night for dinner prepared 3 different ways, riding on a boat up the reef, the rainstorm in the middle of the night, walking in the muddy streets AFTER the rainstorm! It was not what we expected but it was so much fun.

Quick Tips:

If you don't want to experience howling winds and periods of heavy rain, don't go in the summer months. When we were there at the beginning of June, it was the start of the rain season. We were lucky to have the rain hit us only at night, but we also had some cloudy days. If I had to do it over again, I would've stayed outside of San Pedro, which is the main town where the airport is (or rather, strip of runway!) Most hotels have transfer service so it's not a big deal to stay in a more remote resort. Bring bug repellent spray, especially if you are thinking of visiting the ruins or taking a river trip.

Best Way To Get Around:

We stayed in San Pedro so we walked everywhere. There are water taxi's at reasonable rates as well as golf carts you can rent. If you stay further outside San Pedro, I would recommend renting a golf cart. The roads are not paved and if it rains, it becomes wet mud. Bring your running shoes either way.

We were debating whether to stay in San Pedro or outside, and decided to go with this resort. This is the few resorts in San Pedro with an actual strip of beach (other places just have rocks and then the water) and it also has restaurant and pool. We stayed on the top floor of the thatched-roof cabanas. Our room had air-conditioning, and a modern but small bathroom with shower. The plus was a balcony overlooking the beach. However, this is not a place for quiet times. They have a band on some nights (Fridays for sure) and the clientele at the resort tend to be young and active. If that's what you want, this the the place for you. We would've prefered something more remote. Overall, it was a good experience. Also, don't eat in the restaurant, except maybe breakfast. We found the food to be so-so and the price higher than the restaurants in town.

I actually did not stay here, but this was my other choice in my hotel toss-up. After our arrival at Ramon's Village, we wanted to check this place out, and were impressed and kicked ourselves for not staying here instead. There are colorful cabanas on a beachfront, and the decor and service seemed first-class. The place seemed quiet and peaceful, and supposedly, there is an excellent Italian restaurant. The only drawback would be the water taxi's you would need to take to and from San Pedro, but if it's peace and quiet you want, I recommend this place! At least, this is where I'll be staying on my next trip.

This is right on the boardwalk overlooking the beach and the dive shops. After a nice walk along the shore, we found this cute restaurant, a relatively quiet location without a loud band. We sat on the patio outside, and had drinks to start. Our waiter recommended something called "Panty Ripper", hee hee...yes, that's the name. It's like pina colada, but the rum here is so good it tastes like something else. In fact, our drinks were complimentary, part of our menu. I had a dish with conch, a little on the sweet side, and my husband had pork chops, which were delicious! We came back here once more and again, the food and service was very good.

We wanted to try Mayan cuisine and were told this is the place to do so. It's a big place with mahogony doors and sand floors. We had drinks (something the bartender made up on the spot, with pineapple juice and other rums!) and tried the famous chicken and spices wrapped in banana leaves. It was good. We also had seafood (with conch!) as a stew and that was delicious as well. This is a hang-out place for everyone, from huge groups to couples and kids. I think they do close on Sundays.

This is on the strip right outside the airport. It's really a couple of tables, a small gourmet deli selling French and Italian goods, and the counter in the back making sandwiches, shakes, and cafes. It's owned by an Italian who also lived in Montreal, a very friendly guy. The food is good, and the atmosphere relaxing (maybe a bit too much...there was always someone there, sitting around doing nothing!). We found it a convenient place for early lunch and afternoon snacks. For some reason, when I think of Belize, my mind somehow wanders back to this sleepy cafe and the friendly tanned owner chatting on the patio!

This was highly recommended by a colleague at work, an older woman who snorkeled for the first time with a guide named Toulou at this dive shop. Since it would be my first time as well, this is where I headed. We had brought our own masks and snorkel, and rented the fins. Toulou was already out on a diving day trip, so we ended up with George. Our group had only one other couple, but they were pros so George was able to spend time with me. We first went to Hol Chan Marine Reserve, a very popular destination. We anchored our boat and dove in. The water is so clear and the fish so colorful, it was like swimming in a giant acquarium. I really had a good time. The day was a bit cloudy, but you could still see so clearly underwater. The next stop was shark alley, where we were able to touch and hug baby sharks and sting rays. That was a highlight. It was so incredible. Though I was afraid at first, I caught on quickly and had a blast. Remember to buy some disposable waterproof cameras! I got the Kodak ones and the photos came out so well, even on a cloudy day. Also, don't make the mistake to dive in with just your bathing suit. Wear a t-shirt over or else you'll find yourself painfully sunburned. We went out on a cloudy day and the sun was still strong. On our next trip a couple days later, we had George all to ourselves and he brought us to 3 different parts of the reef further north. Two of them were Mexican Rocks and Three Co Co's. These places were completely deserted, so we were able to snorkel with the entire area to ourselves. Mexican Rocks was very shallow but had these incredible rock formations. George said there are so many areas-get friendly with your guide and ask him or her to show you the cool places.

Though this is not the best or most dramatic Mayan ruin in the area (that title belongs to Tikal in Gautemala), this is worth your trip if you have limited time and don't want to travel far. We booked this trip on through our hotel. We basically paid the full fee at the hotel and took a plane to Belize City from San Pedro. Then there was a guide/driver with a nice minivan waiting for our arrival to drive us to the ruins. Usually, this should've been a small group tour, but the day had started with torrential rain so we luckily had a private guide. The drive took about one hour on mostly dirt roads after leaving Belize City.

The area was a jungle, very remote and deserted. Our guide pointed out different types of trees, fruit indigenous to the area. When we arrived at the ruins, we were the only ones there! He gave some historical background and helped us take photos. There was the big Temple of the Masonry Altars, which we were able to climb (precarious steep steps, don't attempt if you are afraid of heights) up to the sacrificial level...it was amazing to think that 10,000 people inhabited this site, apparently in 900 BC (not exactly sure about the date, but I remember it being an astonishingly long time ago!).

On our way back, our guide stopped by a local supermarket where we bought some local herbs. We bought some small bags of 'Feva Grass Leaves,' dried grass-like leaves to drink with hot water. Smells wonderful, just like lemon tea. Our guide said it cleanses your system.

Although we didn't have time to go to Tikal, this impressive Mayan Ruin was highly recommended to me before my trip. I wanted to mention it here so those of you planning a trip can make sure to add that to your schedule. It's easy to get by taking a plane from Belize City or elsewhere in Belize. Check with your hotel or travel agent. It would be an all-day trip with early departure. I've seen my friend's photos and this site is amazing. Some of the temples are so tall, like skyscrapers. She said it was so difficult to climb up because of the height and the steepness of the steps, but the view was worth it. So try to fit this into your trip and don't miss out like I did! Another recommendation we didn't have time to partake is the 'Rum Punch Sailing Tour.' This is a trip on a wooden sailboat and is run by George Ely. It starts at around 10:30am and ends at 3pm. Lunch and snorkeling are included and reservations can be made at the Coral Beach Dive Shop (please see my entry in the activities category). This is supposed to be so relaxing and the view so gorgeous! My loss, hopefully your gain.