Explore The cayes and atolls
The most northerly and, at almost forty kilometres long, by far the largest of the cayes, is Ambergris caye. The island’s main attraction is the former fishing village of San Pedro, facing the reef just a few kilometres from the caye’s southern tip. San Pedro is a small town, but its population of over nine thousand makes it the biggest of any of the cayes. As the result of massive recent development, it has lost most, though certainly not all, of its Caribbean charm: it still retains a wonderfully relaxed atmosphere, despite the fact that some of the most exclusive hotels, restaurants and bars in Belize have been built here. The island’s only budget places are in the original village of San Pedro, though even these are extremely expensive. To save money and still visit Ambergris, consider staying on Caye Caulker and doing a day-trip.
San Pedro’s main streets are only half a dozen blocks long and the town does not boast any particular sights. The main focus of daytime entertainment is the sea and the reef, with activities from sunbathing to windsurfing, sailing, fishing, diving, snorkelling and glass-bottomed-boat rides. Beaches on the caye are narrow and the sea immediately offshore is shallow, with a lot of seagrass, so in town you’ll usually need to walk to the end of a dock if you want to swim. Be careful, though: there have been accidents in San Pedro in which speeding boats have hit people swimming off docks. A line of buoys indicates the “safe area”, but speedboat drivers can be a bit macho, so watch where you swim.
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Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Hol Chan Marine Reserve
The Hol Chan Marine Reserve (Bz$20), 8km south of San Pedro at the southern tip of the caye, takes its name from the Maya for “little channel” – it is this break in the reef that forms the focus of the reserve. Its three zones preserve a comprehensive cross-section of the marine environment, from the open sea through seagrass beds and mangroves. Tours to Hol Chan must be led by a licensed guide, and also stop at Shark-Ray Alley, another part of the reserve, where you can swim with three-metre nurse sharks and enormous stingrays – an extremely popular attraction. It’s also somewhat controversial: biologists claim that the practice of feeding the fish to attract them alters their natural behaviour.
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Diving and snorkelling
Diving and snorkelling
The most central snorkelling and diving spot on Ambergris is the reef opposite San Pedro, but it’s also heavily used. You’re better off heading north, to Mexico Rocks, or south, to Hol Chan. For qualified divers, a two-tank local dive from Ambergris Caye costs around US$80. Open-water certification courses are around US$435, while a more basic, single-dive resort course ranges from US$140; both include equipment. All the dive shops in San Pedro also offer snorkelling trips, costing around US$25–35 for two to three hours and US$40–55 for four to five, and many will rent diving and snorkelling supplies; trips to the Blue Hole cost around US$250 and trips to the Turneffe Islands US$185.
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Other watersports
Other watersports
While most travellers come to the cayes to snorkel or dive, windsurfing and sailing are popular as well, though learning either sport can be quite expensive. The best rental and instruction for both is offered by SailSports Belize (t 226-4488, w www.sailsportsbelize.com), on the beach at Caribbean Villas Hotel. Sailboard rentals cost US$22–27 an hour, and from US$49 for a seven-hour day; sailboat rental is US$22–49 an hour, with discounts for multiple hours. They also offer kite-surfing lessons (US$165 for a 2hr 30min session) and sailing lessons (US$66/hr).
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Guided day-trips
Guided day-trips
Day-trips from San Pedro to the ruins of Altun Ha (US$75–90) or Lamanai (US$135–160) are becoming increasingly popular, but can be done more cheaply from other parts of the country. However, with a good guide this is an excellent way to spot wildlife, including crocodiles and manatees, and the riverbank trees are often adorned with orchids. It’s also possible to visit some of the local ancient Maya sites on the northwest coast of Ambergris, many of which are just in the process of being excavated. On San Juan beach you’ll be scrunching over literally thousands of pieces of Maya pottery, but perhaps the most appealing site is Chac Balam, a ceremonial and administrative centre with deep burial chambers.
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Accommodation
Accommodation
Accommodation in San Pedro is some of the most expensive in the country – all but a few places cost at least US$70. Most of the year reservations are not necessary, though it’s risky to turn up at Christmas, New Year or Easter unless you’ve booked a room.
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Eating
Eating
Restaurant prices in San Pedro are also generally higher than elsewhere in Belize. Seafood is prominent at most restaurants, and you can also rely on plenty of steak, shrimp, chicken, pizza and salads. In the evening, several inexpensive fast-food stands open for business along the front of Central Park. Self-catering isn’t much of a bargain: there’s no market and the supermarkets are stocked with expensive imported canned goods.
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Drinking and nightlife
Drinking and nightlife
San Pedro is the tourist entertainment capital of Belize, and if you check locally, you’ll find live music on somewhere every night of the week. Most of the hotels have bars, several of which offer happy hours, while back from the main street are a couple of small cantinas that serve both locals and tourists.
