| Tropical Registry Welcomes You to San Pedro Belize Hotels |
Introduction (
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Belize,
located between Mexico (to the north) and Guatemala (to the south and west), is
Central America's only country without a Pacific Ocean coastline, as well as the
only one in this particular region to have English as its official language.
With the Caribbean Sea on the east, it's a popular vacation retreat with a
vibrant yet incredibly relaxed culture and lifestyle, with many world class
tourist attractions ranging from spectacular diving and snorkeling sites among
the beautiful reefs, to white sandy beaches and lush exotic jungles.
Particularly popular as getaway spots are the various islands dotted along
Belize's Caribbean coastline. The largest of these is called Ambergris Caye,
which is home to the second largest barrier reef in the world, and the
delightful main town of San Pedro – a picture perfect array of colorful houses,
palm trees, and sea views. San Pedro has a reputation for being a laid-back,
easy-going community. The Belizean pace of life is slow and unhurried, and the
natives are famously friendly, and enjoy casual conversation. It gives the place
a truly welcoming feel!
With a tropical climate, beautiful beaches, and excellent accommodation at the
many San Pedro hotels, you're guaranteed the perfect indulgent vacation. Whether
your idea of bliss is an action-packed flurry of scuba diving, snorkeling, and
fishing, or taking it easy with a good book under the shade of a palm tree,
you'll find it here in San Pedro.
The island is easily reached either by the regular ferry service or hourly
flights from Belize City airport. Flights are a more expensive option than the
water-taxi service, but have the advantage of only taking twenty minutes.
Click me for more transportation options to
this destination.
Hotels
Ambergris Caye has the largest concentration of hotels and resorts in all of
Belize, the majority of
them
located in and around San Pedro (the island's only town). As with anywhere, it's
generally best to book accommodation before you arrive, but in a true reflection
of the laid-back, casual attitude of Belizeans, it's normally fairly easy to
find somewhere to stay just by showing up and asking!
Most of the hotels and resorts are situated along the main street, and there are
a umber of options to suit every budget.
For a resort vacation, try somewhere like Mata Chica Resort, which is on the
northern part of the island and accessible from San Pedro by boat. This is a
perfect “island living” kind of place, with fully furnished accommodation
available to rent at reasonable prices – sometimes less than a hotel room would
cost. Accommodation consists of quaint thatched casita-style houses on the
beach, and offers an intimate, sheltered atmosphere that's perfect for a
relaxing break.
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Other San Pedro hotels include Xanadu Hotel, with its ocean view rooms and
tropical garden pool, advertised as the best pool on the whole island. Or
there's Conch Shell Hotel, a more basic option but with everything you're going
to need – clean, quiet, and with friendly staff, it's a beach hotel with an
affordable price. As with many San Pedro hotels, these two examples are well
located for easy access to everything in town, as well as a perfect beach-style
atmosphere and views of the ocean. Click Here to learn more about
Ambergris
Caye Hotels
Attractions
San
Pedro is the only urbanized area on the whole island, and as a result,
everything is within easy reach. Three main streets run from the north to the
south of the town, connected by several other small streets running from the
east to the west. Vehicle traffic is limited, and indeed, quite unnecessary –
most people find that walking is perfectly adequate as a means of getting
around. Others hire golf carts or bicycles, and you'll find that traffic is made
up of far more of those than of cars!
San Pedro hotels are pretty much all in perfect locations, offering easy access
to beaches, nightlife, restaurants and shops. The beaches and the coral reef
are, of course, the main attractions, with nearby marine reserves and plentiful
opportunities and deep-sea fishing excursions.
Belize Recommended Tours
Belize Barrier Reef
The second largest barrier reef in the world and the longest in the Western
Hemisphere, Belize Barrier Reef is a spectacular natural attraction famous for
its perfect scuba diving and snorkeling conditions.
Even
the view of the reef from the air is quite breathtaking – you can see it as a
dividing line between the shallow pale blue water inside the reef, and the much
deeper, dark blue water outside. The reef serves the purpose of protecting the
beach from wave erosion, sheltering the caye from the sea. But more than that,
it's a living treasure trove of amazing tropical fish and marine plant life.
Even the reef itself is a living structure, made up of millions and millions of
coral organisms.
The underwater visibility is incredible – 165 feet, which is the maximum for
anywhere in the world. That's why Belize Barrier Reef is such a popular diving
and snorkeling site, and there are numerous diving tours, snorkeling classes and
scuba lessons being run from various points along the coast.
Marine life here is busy and varied. The coral itself differs from one part of
the reef to the next, creating a constantly changing and fascinating underwater
landscape. All the usual marine life is there to provide an always-moving
tropical picture, from Angel Fish to lobsters to Morray Eels and Rays.
Occasionally, it's likely that divers will also have a chance to glimpse larger
creatures, too, such as several varieties of shark (like
the Nurse Shark) and the Loggerhead Turtle.
An
organized dive is recommended, as dive operators know the reef better than
anyone, and will ensure that the underwater scenery during your dive is varied
and interesting. They also organize interest-specific dives, such as a “wreck
dive” - the most interesting part of which, for many, is not the wreck itself,
but the colony of nurse sharks that have made the wreck their home! The sharks
are surprisingly friendly, and tend to swim around divers, which is a thrilling
experience for many scuba enthusiasts. There are few places in the world where
you could experience such a thing – at least without being eaten.
Hol Chan
Hol Chan is Mayan for “little channel”, and is a marine reserve located about 4
miles to the south of San Pedro. A perfect diving and snorkeling area, Hol Chan
Marine Reserve has been protected for longer than the rest of the reef has,
which means that its marine life is generally more mature. That means bigger
fish, mainly! The sanctuary, established in the 1980s, is remarkable for its
varied and thriving marine life, and is well worth a trip if you enjoy
snorkeling or scuba diving.
Hol Chan is a “cut” in the reef, where the water depth ranges from around 20 to
35 feet. It was once a somewhat depleted fishing zone – but now, because it's a
protected area, the marine life has been allowed to regenerate, accounting for
the remarkable return of practically all original species of fish.
Access is only permitted if you go on an official trip – you can hire a boat
with a guide out of San Pedro for about $12.50US (basic fare per person).
Great
Blue Hole (click for more information)
Those who enjoy scuba diving and snorkeling are advised to explore one of
Belize's most famous natural attractions, the Great Blue Hole. Situated in the
center of the Lighthouse Reef, about 60 miles off the mainland of Belize, the
Great Blue Hole is a major feature of diving in the region – a hole that's
almost perfectly circular, and about a quarter of a mile wide. The water inside
is a staggering 145 meters (480 feet) deep, which accounts for the deep blue
color that gives the hole its name.
Its walls are molded with limestone formations and stalactites, the
concentration of which becomes even denser the further down the diver goes.
Before the last Ice Age ended, the hole was the opening to a vast system of
passageways and caves – when the ice melted, the caves were flooded by the rise
in the sea level, and the result is a fascinating underwater maze of limestone
passages, where corals are now flourishing in what has proved to be an ideal
habitat.
It makes for a once-in-a-lifetime diving experience, weaving in and out amongst
the limestone formations with the eerie knowledge that all of this once stood
high above the water's surface. There's very little marine life inside the hole,
other than the occasional hammerhead shark or smaller fish, because there isn't
a great deal of water circulation to maintain the swarming explosion of life
seen elsewhere on the reef. It really is like an underground bottomless pit, and
one of the most unique diving experiences anywhere in the world.
San Pedro hotels and tour operators organize daily trips out to the Great Blue
Hole, most of which leave very early in the morning. The dive should only be
attempted by qualified and experienced divers – and indeed, it's something of a
Mecca for those who have a passion for diving!
Fishing
Fishing
in Belize is a massively popular pastime. There's an abundance of game fish,
thanks to the many rivers which end up in the Caribbean along the coastlines of
Belize, and the waters nearest to San Pedro, surrounding Ambergris Caye, are
teeming with a huge variety of saltwater fish. Fishing here is a year-round
sport, and most types of fish found in these waters can be caught all through
the year, including tarpon and bonefish. In the coral reefs you'll find snapper,
barracuda, jacks, and grouper, amongst others, or you can take a trip further
out to fish for bonito, sailfish and bonito in the deeper waters.
If you're staying in a San Pedro hotel, you should be able to organize whatever
kind of fishing trip you want by speaking to hotel staff – if not, don't worry,
as this is a place where there's no shortage of fishing experts! There are lots
of guides organizing trips, and all of them speak English. Costs vary, of
course, according to the type of fishing you want to do, and the time of year,
amongst other factors, but you should allow for somewhere between US$100 and
US$200 for a full day's fishing, which would include both deep sea fishing and
reef fishing, equipment and bait, and probably lunch and drinks. Check with
individual tour operators so that you know what you're getting before you pay!
Dining
In
San Pedro, you'll find the biggest variety of restaurants anywhere in Belize,
thanks to the increasing popularity of Ambergris Caye as a dream vacation spot.
From cheap and cheerful pizzerias to world class cuisine, there's something to
suit visitors of all tastes – and budgets. Obviously, the focus of most menus in
San Pedro hotels and restaurants is on seafood, and rightly so. It would be a
shame to stay here without sampling some of the fresh, locally-caught fish,
which is the area's speciality for a reason. Lobster season starts on June 15th,
and lobster is usually the most expensive thing on the menu (although even at
that, it will only set you back around US$20). Conch season, on the other hand,
lasts from September 30th to July 1st.
If seafood really isn't your thing, then don't worry – there are plenty of other
great local dishes worth sampling, too. The country's staple meal is rice served
with chicken and red beans, and it's a filling, inexpensive, satisfying dish.
There are several variations, but usually it comes as a mixed dish flavored with
spices and coconut milk, and often with a side dish of stewed pinto beans. Look
out, too, for Belize's most famous hot sauce, Marie Sharp's, which is made from
the locally grown habanero pepper and is extremely potent! Milder varieties are
available though.
Dining in San Pedro will also involve wonderfully fresh oranges and grapefruits
from the country's many citrus fruit plantations, and fans of fresh fruit will
love the opportunity to pick up bananas and pineapples at traditional local
markets and roadside stalls.
In addition to local cuisine, you'll find plenty of international flavors, too.
Mexican dishes are popular in Belize, as well as pasta. There are also good old
US-style eateries for anyone who likes to stick to their regular diet!
Don't forget to sample the local tipples, too. The national beer of Belize is
called Belkin, and there's a locally distilled rum called One Barrel Rum. Other
popular drinks in Belize include blackberry wine, sorrel wine, and ginger wine.
Nightlife
San
Pedro may not be a massive city, but it knows how to enjoy itself. Even without
going out to a club, you'll discover that lots of the restaurants and bars love
to provide entertainment for their visitors, whether in the form of a band
playing local “Punta” music (drums galore!), a mellow solo singer, or some good
old fashioned rock and roll music.
No matter what you're looking for from your evenings in San Pedro, you'll be
sure to find it. For a real party, Big Daddy's is the place to be – expect late
nights, loud music, and sore feet from all the dancing you'll do. Wet Willy's is
another popular dancing spot, and Jaguar also attracts a young, energetic crowd.
If live music is more your style, be sure to check out Fido's, where there's
always a great line-up of live bands playing at night.
And don't rule out your own accommodation for a fun night – San Pedro hotels
generally have something going on, and several have lively beach bars where you
can enjoy a real Caribbean beach party atmosphere. Or alternatively, if you're
worn out from a day of activities, you might just want to chill out in your room
– which is fine, because most San Pedro hotels have cable TV to keep tired
travelers entertained.
If you fancy a night out with a difference, consider one of the magnificent
sunset cruises offered by many of the catamarans – a sail along the coastline,
cocktail in hand, as the sky fills with color and romantic music plays. You can
also sit under the beautiful night sky at a number of fun viewing spots located
on the island, even soaking in a rooftop hot tub! Or, for a bit of an adventure,
spend an evening at the Lighthouse Reef for some spectacular night diving...
There are plenty of other nightlife options available, too. You can enjoy gaming
and gambling at a Las Vegas style casino, relax with quiet drinks in a decadent
lounge, check out a local concert or festival if you happen to be visiting
during a national holiday, or even head out for some night shopping! The options
are endless, and proof that the fun doesn't stop in San Pedro just because the
sun has gone down. Click here to learn more about
Ambergris Caye Hotels
and the night life.
Shopping
You're
not going to find a mall scene in the lazy Caribbean town of San Pedro, but
shopping in the colorful and varied selection of shops is a delight. You'll find
handicrafts and artwork from Belize, Guatemala, and Mexico, with shops
resembling fascinating little treasure troves of paintings, jewelry, various
tobacco products, handmade clothing, bamboo products, and much more.
The majority of San Pedro's shops are located on and around Front Street and
Barrier Reef Drive, pleasant shopping areas where shops offer more than the
usual tourist souvenir magnets and t-shirts. You can have fun seeking out much
more interesting items, like Belizean spices and sauces, local cookbooks, unique
handcrafted ornaments and coral jewelry.
Street vendors, too, have a busy presence, and you can enjoy a tasty snack of
local origin from one of the many booths or stalls, to keep you going as you
browse through the shops. And don't forget that shops regularly stay open late,
drawing big crowds of bargain hunters and souvenir shoppers, with a buzzing,
friendly, bustling atmosphere – at least one evening of late night shopping
should be planned for the true San Pedro shopping experience!
Location. The Cayo Espanto Is A
Private Island Located Off The Shore Of San Pedro, Belize. The Resort Is Five
Kilometers From San Pedro And Six Kilometers From The Belize Barrier Reef.
Hotel Features. The Cayo Espanto Features Five Oceanfront Private Cabanas
And One Over-water Bungalow. The Resort's Spa Offers Massages, Skin And Nail
Treatments, And Aromatherapy Services. The Hotel Offers Tour Assistance And
Arranges Guided Snorkeling And Diving Excursions, Boating And Fishing Tours, And
Private Picnics. Children Under 10 Years Old Are Not Permitted On The Property.
Guestrooms. Guestrooms Feature Personal Housemen, Three Daily Meals,
Snacks, All Drinks Except Champagne, Wine And Cordials, And Non-motorized Water
Sports.cabanas Feature Private Alfresco Showers, Oceanfront Patios And
Freshwater Plunge Pools. The Over-water Bungalow Offers 360-Degree Views Of The
Ocean. Beds Are Swathed In Yves De Lormes Sheets And Turndown Service Is
Performed Nightly. All Accommodations Feature Hardwood Floors And Tropical
Motifs. Unique Design Elements Are Incorporated Throughout Each Unit, Such As
Granite Countertops, Cabbage Bark Ceilings, And Zirocotte And Jobillo Wood
Paneling.
Expert Tip. Before You Arrive At Cayo Espanto, The Resort Provides A
Culinary Survey For You To Complete. Based On Your Responses, Chefs Prepare
Three Custom Meals Daily. Whether It's Breakfast In Bed Or A Candlelit Dinner On
Your Personal Verandah, The Epicurean Cuisine Is Award-winning And Prepared
Especially With Your Palette In Mind.
Advertise Your Property Here - Click me to find out how !
Weather in San Pedro is warm and blissful. It's a tropical climate, so hot and
humid during the rainy season (from May to February), with the dry season taking
place between February and May – this is when most tourists tend to visit. Pack
t-shirts, shorts, swimwear, and flip-flops – you're not going to need much more
than that! It's a real tropical holiday spot, and the water temperature rarely
wavers from its steady, year round average of 82°F.
San Pedro is in the fortunate position of benefiting from the sun and heat of
the tropics, while enjoying cool winds coming in from the Caribbean Sea. The
temperature rarely goes below 75°F or above 95°F, and temperatures stay within
that range all year round.
It's worth mentioning that although the rainy season is from May to February,
San Pedro only gets about 40 inches of rainfall per year.
Relative Location....
