Belize: Ambergris Caye

Author: bill mashek
Date of Trip: February 2009

Ambergris Caye Report:

Nine days in Ambergris Caye, we originally had plans to do ruins etc. It was so nice, we never left the island. We stayed at Rubys the entire time. An inexpensive more or less “travelers” hotel on the beach. The location for us was perfect.

How to get here: Most flight do a stopover at Dallas/FtWorth or Huston. From here it is about a 2+hour flight to Belize City. San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) has an unlighted air port so no flights after dark. You usually plan on a night in Belize City.

Ambergris Caye

The important Stuff: We went to the distributors and had two cases of Bilikin delivered to us. This cost came to about $17us per case vs over $30us per case if you were to buy Bilikin in the store. BTW, if you buy Bilikin, just buy the regular beer–it is cheaper and better. If you want to buy Rum to take back to the states etc. buy it at the Duty Free shop in the Airport. Most folks know this.

Travel Smarter! Sign up for our free newsletter.

By proceeding, you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.

Sign Up

Diving: We dove with Bottom Time Divers. They were excellent and the least expensive on the island. Once they dive with you and know your skills they pretty much let you dive your own profile, I was impressed the way they worked with and encouraged beginning divers. Though I am primarily a cold water diver, I have been to many dive destinations all over the world, I have heard a lot of bad publicity about diving around Ambergris Caye–Bunk, Diving was excellent. For Blue hole Diving I would recommend Amigos Del Mar. Blue Hole is worth seeing once, lots of sharks but not much else.

Food: If you are a food or coffee snob, forget Belize. You will not go hungry, especially if you like stewed chicken, rice and beans. Price is not a reflection of quality. Los CoCos, inland from Hustlers was some of my best meals. The street vendors were excellent. The Lions club barbecue was cheap and good food too. Most of the coffee I drank was either Nescafe or Maxwell house.

Windsurfing: I never thought of Belize as a “mecca” for wind surfing (like some Caribbean islands) The winds are especially good for surfing and there is a place to rent sail boards and wind surfers, in a palapa on the beach behind the Holiday Hotel.(barbeque on Wed nights) near Bottom Time Dive shop.

People: The people of Belize are wonderful, “no problem” is the code word. No “macho” attitudes like you find traveling in Mexico. All the folks I met (from all over the world) were very nice. I hope Belize keeps its low profile, It is not a place for “pretentious attitudes” and I hope those types stay away from Belize.

One more thing: Belize is a wonderful place: come, kick back and enjoy yourself. Don’t try to accomplish too much in a short time. What you don’t do this trip, you can always do the next time. Belize is a place you will want to come back to.

Bill