Ambergris Caye Travel Guide

Ambergris Caye is the biggest island in Belize and located in the Caribbean Sea. Its location makes this island one of the most popular tourist sites with beautiful white sand beaches, turquoise sea and crystal-clear water.

You will find warm temperatures, a very pleasant sea, all kind of water sports, mangroves full of exotic birds and an energetic night life. Ambergris Caye has just a few habitants most of the people working there come from the mainland. The tourism is rising due to the number of hotels on the beaches and all around the island. From the hotels you can enjoy different aquatic activities, take tours to the mainland and visit natural reserves like the famous barrier reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the longest Barrier Reef in the Western Hemisphere, second largest in the world. Here you will find several marine species.

Attractions and Activities

Discovering Ambergris

Ambergris Caye itself has many attractions, like the Barrier Reef and its many diving and snorkeling spots easily accessible. If you are wondering how to get to Ambergris Caye, the island can be reach by air from the Municipal or international airports with flights every 30 minutes, or by sea, taking a water taxi from one of the North Front Street terminals with regular departures every day.

San Pedro is the only town on the island and offers a variety of restaurants, shops, hotels and bars for all types of budgets. It is the most recognized coastal town of Belize. Visitors and locals can get around the island on foot, by bike, golf cart or taxi.

One of the main attractions is the Lighthouse Reef Atoll, home of the Blue Hole, called like this due to its circular form. The Blue Hole is a diver’s paradise.

Activities

Scuba Diving
If you are an expert diver or if you want to learn, this is the ideal destination. Big beautiful reefs offer the perfect setting for you to enjoy this sport as its best. You will find specialized instructors that will take you to the best diving spots and if you are a beginner, the instructors will teach you! Some of the places you can practice scuba diving are Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley, South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Lighthouse Reef Atoll where the Blue Hole is located, Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve and Glovers Reef Atoll.

Snorkeling
If you are not a diver, we suggest you try snorkeling, a great way to enjoy marine life at the reefs. This is an activity for all the family. If you never snorkel before Belize is the perfect place to start. Belize has many snorkeling sites of different depths along the Belize Barrier Reef. There is a constantly changing scene underwater, from turtles to schools of fish, to the occasional barracuda. Do not miss out the hundreds of fish and the different colors of the hard and soft corals.

Fishing
Since many rivers empty into the Caribbean Sea and the abundance of game fish, you are practically guaranteed to catch fish daily. Some of the most desirable areas for fly fishing is Turneffe Atoll.  In one day, you can catch permit, bonefish and tarpon. All three sport fishes are protected by law so catch-and-release is a must. You can also catch snappers, barracuda, grouper and others.

To make your experience more memorable you can merge other activities together with fishing, such as snorkeling or diving.

Inland Nature
From Ambergris you can make other activities on the mainland, but you must take a round trip flight. Between the activities you can enjoy are cave tubing, ziplining, hiking, birdwatching, and visit to Archeological sites.

Water sports
Between the many activities you can enjoy you will find water sports like Sailing, stiff wings, strong coral heads make navigation tricky, but a very rewarding one; wind sports, The winds and calm waters of the Barrier Reef create the ideal condition for wind surg and kite boarding.