Ambergris Caye / San Pedro - Belize

[CobraEd]

Has anyone gone to Ambergris Caye in Belize? We are thinking of going. On one hand it looks extremely impoverished and third worldish, which it is :-). But people seem to like it and say it is a nice relaxing "unspoiled" place. It is a big tourist attraction so how bad can it be. Yet the Utube videos of the town look pretty bad.

Anyone been there and have some thoughts?

Thanks
Ed

[cdnus]

Been to Belize almost every year since 1999.
Has to be my most favorite spot for a totally laid back vacation.
We usually go for 2-3 weeks @ a time.
1st. time we stayed on Ambergris (99) it was great, no cars,asphalt or high end resorts. Just golf carts,sand roads small resorts. went back a few years later & it had been ruined (my opinion only) by overdevelopement. Now has MANY cars, trucks,paved roads very exclusive resorts. There is so much vehicle traffic now all the shops,restaurant's etc. in town that were once open air now have to close all windows/doors & have air conditioning.
Ambergris has lost that "unspoiled" attraction for us.
We have for many years now ( most times ) fly south (Tropic Air) from the main terminal to Placencia village stay there for about a week then fly to Caye Caulker for a 1 or 2 week stay.

Both locations are the ultimate laid back, relaxing, stress relieving places I have found. Very safe friendly reasonably priced & not a lot to do except eat great seafood, snorkel with the sharks & rays. Placencia has some great night life (barefoot Beach Bar) Greatest ice cream (Tutti Fruiti) & some great mainland expeditions available.
Best method of transportation in either location, rent bicycles.

Caye Caulker is much the same But on a more laid back scale (if that's possible) very small island with wonderfull friendly people. You can see the reef from the shore (2nd. longest barrier reef in the world).

If you go a must do is the Blue Hole for snorkeling (all day trip)

Yes some of the citizens are impoverished, but look around your own town & you will find the same thing, just different.

Craig

P.S.

Planning on going back again this winter.

[CobraEd]

Craig,

So if you had no frame of reference from being there before all the golf carts and cars etc, before it got more commercialized, would you like it from a new perspective of having never been there?? Are there things to do during the day??? Is it safe. What would a person do all day long besides lay on the beach and snorkle? I actually thought it would be fun to explore the island via gas powered golf cart and see stuff. Is that a waste of time????

If you click around this really well done and comprehensive web site, it looks like tons of stuff to do. Is this a reality or an over exaggeration?

http://www.ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/visitor.html


Here is a video of a drive through San Pedro, the main town. To me it looks dirty, grey, impoverished with nothing to see or do. But, . . . tourists seem to love the place and they talk about nice shops and restaurants. I just don't know. Take a look at the video below:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wkwetbt6y3Q


Ed


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[UKjohnnycobra]

Hi Ed

Mrs Cobra and I stayed on Ambergris Caye last year. We went primarily for the diving so didn't actually get to travel around Belize at all. However we did walk around town and on the beach, during the day and night and got the impression that it is very safe. The hotel we stayed at was right on the beach and you could walk to many different restaurants and bars just by walking the beach which is clean sand protected by a reef a couple of hundred yards out. Golf carts are the main means of motorized transportation. Its an airplane ride from Belize mainland which is where you see the crime and poverty at its worst. Overall Ambergris was more of a tourist location and the people who live there work in the industry. Most people we met spoke English. I've certainly been to worse places.

[cdnus]

Ed
I hesitate to recommend a person go or not go to a area I enjoy because of the vast difference in ideas how to relax & enjoy ones self. But what the hell, it's not like your going to show up at my front door & kick my ass

Having said that--We went by water taxi from C/C to A/C for lunch & afternoon tour of the island 2 winters ago, broke our heart to see what had become of the once quiet peaceful island. The photos I saw on the site you posted appeared to be from the old days, especially the shot of the main street. Now the street is filled with trucks, cars & very congested & dusty.

Touring the island will use up 1 day then you have to start traveling off island if vegging out @ the beach is not for you. Belize is a beautiful lush country & very enjoyable touring the mainland if your into that. Lot's of caving, river rafting etc. but you can read up on all that.

Simply put if you want quiet, laid back & vegging, Caye Caulker, which by the way has very little in the way of sandy beaches. The "split is the popular gathering place for sun & swim. Open air dinning with locales & tourists is most enjoyable. You can do all the same trips to the same places as you can from A/C It is my favorite, I have made friends there that I miss dearly when I'm not there.

Ambergris-- more restaurants, stores, shops, tour operators, resorts etc. much busier, noisier, bigger island.

They are located very near each other so you can take the water taxi & visit in about 15 min. The water taxis are a hoot & would recommend (depending on your arrival) to take a water taxi to your destination from the mainland, that way you get a cheap tour of the outer city & out islands. If you sit next to a local that speaks English (some don't) they are happy to give you a running commentary.

Regarding safety--I believe Belize ( excluding the city) is safer than most, but I would always recommend tempering that with a large dose of common sense.

The short answer I guess is I would not enjoy A/C if I went there for a first holiday in Belize.
I will add that our first visit to Belize we spent the first 2 weeks touring from the north end to the south end of the mainland in a rented car & absolutely enjoyed every moment.

Craig

[CobraEd]

Thanks guys for good feedback. Craig, thanks for taking the time to provide such good detail and insights.

Now I just need to discuss with the boss and come up with a final decision. Seems like if we go, we will go back and forth between both islands.

thanks again!!

Ed


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[hound dog]

Spent my honeymoon in San Pedro a couple of years ago. Very simple laid back life style. Ramon's Village, grass thatched roof hut on the beach, Cuban cigars. Life was pretty good for a while. Food was excellent, entertainment wasn't much, but the scuba diving was the best there is. We did a tour of an a Myan ruin on the mainland that I'll never forget (mainly involved the trip over and back) but I'd do it again in a heartbeat. If you take a tour like this be careful of the "tastes like chicken" meat they serve the tourists. The rest of the picnic is wonderful. Take the trip, it is a wonderful adventure!
h dog