Belize's Paradise Island

"Yahoo!" I said out loud after reading an email from my travel agent. I recall initially wondering why it was so cheap to fly to Central America. Anyway, a few weeks later I stepped off the plane at the only international airport in Belize. For me it was the familiar warm Yucatan breeze that brought the realization that I was home. Well not really home, but a place I love so much that I could call it home. Even now I am dreaming of another trip back.

During the flight I peered out of the window as we flew over Central America, and the countryside reminded me of a vast sea of timber and jungle. It begged to be explored. But this time I would not see the mainland of Belize, except perhaps the airport. I was headed for the Caribbean island of Ambergris Caye (pronounced Key).

Everyone that was departing the plane looked surprised at the lack of an obvious direction towards the customs area. But then a guy that was hiding in the shade near the only building at the airport waved us over towards him. He said, "over dere" and pointed down the walkway to another guy who was holding a door open for us. Inside was as simple as an airport can get. Customs was a mere formality. After a brief check in at the local island-hopping airline I was informed that the plane to Ambergris was just landing and would leave within minutes. My thoughts were on those lines in the travel guide that said things were laid back in Belize, and that the people were never in a hurry. Yeah right!

The little plane ride out to the island was an adventure in itself. I like to ride in small planes when there is lots of stuff to look at, and on this trip I saw lots of little islands and what looked to be a Manatee. From the air Ambergris looked much smaller than I expected. And the airport--well lets just say it is about the size of two narrow paved football fields. These small planes are better than the big jets when it comes to landings and takeoffs however. "Welcome to Ambergris" exclaimed the pilot.

Ok, this is really laid back. Ambergris was definitely a playground for beach bums, divers and partygoers. Our hotel had already arranged a driver to meet us at the airport. That's when we met Mr. B. He explains his actual name is difficult to pronounce and he is used to the nickname. We learned later that everyone on the island of only 5,000 people knew Mr. B, or perhaps was related in some way. We climbed into the mini-van, which was one of only a few cars on the island, and headed for our hotel. The most popular method of getting around the island is by golf cart, which you can rent by the day or week. Most of them are electric. Definately a must unless you're an avid walker or like to take long bicycle rides.

But before we could drive towards the south end of the island, we had to get across the airstrip without getting hit by an airplane. No kidding! We waited for a policeman who was sitting under a makeshift shade to signal us across if no planes were attempting to land. Perhaps it is low-tech, but romantic nonetheless. He waved us across and I smiled at the officer on the other end of the airstrip. He grinned back a friendly smile with what few teeth he had left. The roads were great considering that they are often flooded during bad weather. "Bumpy, dusty and rough" was what I heard one couple describe the roads. But I like the old-world charm of being free from "over regulation". The island is quite welcoming if you don't mind slight inconveniences now and then.

Just before arriving at the hotel I asked Mr. B about the Creole accent he so masterfully could change in and out of in a second. He told one boy, "coom ere boyee" and it tickled me into a chuckle. We stayed at what I consider one the best hotels on the island, the Caribe Island Resort. It's a flamingo pink community of four buildings with expansive decks overlooking the Caribbean ocean. A small bar and pool are the centerpiece of the hotel. It is an ideal resort for divers with its dock and dive shop, and it is only a mile from the reef.

The best thing was that beach was right there waiting for me every morning. Inviting me. You just don't know how wonderful it feels to walk a few steps from your room and you're on the beach, and a few steps more and your snorkeling. Most of the good hotels have similar arrangements, but "Caribe Island" has some added charm and a unique you're-at-home feel.

The first fact you should know about Belize, and probably the most important, is that the official language is English. The second fact is that Belize is what adventurous travelers call a "developing country". That means that if you are a casual traveler you might find some of the remote places quite a bit untamed, and you might not enjoy your trip. However, if you like to explore out of the way jungles and countryside with limited available resources, you'll fall in love with Belize. For the casual traveler you'll find everything you need in Ambergris, and a few of the other more popular "resort towns" in Belize, like Placencia.

The first thing I wanted to do was to dive off the end of the Caribe Island dock. The water was an inviting blue-green and the visibility looked remarkably clear. A little Torpedo Ray calls the dock home. Just below the end of the dock, a school of fish often hides in the shade. And of course, nothing beats the warmth of the Caribbean.

The only town on the island is called San Pedro. Some people say Madonna wrote "La Isla Bonita" about Ambergris because the song mentions San Pedro. The town is atypical of a Belizean mainland town, with perhaps one exception, Placencia. It has three main North-South running roads that are lined with artsy shops and eateries. Unofficially the fourth main road in San Pedro is the beach. It is definitely a barefoot and T-shirt experience. Some incredible edible delights can be found if you ask around. One such place is Rasta Pasta; a successful pizza-style restaurant at the North end of town, but its main attraction is the Jamaican style steel drum band. An incredible assortment of dive operations, ice creameries and gift shops dot this laid-back little island village. Plan to spend a couple of days exploring the town to get a good idea of what is there. However, you can walk from one end of town to the other in a matter of minutes.

The Belizean people on the island are quite friendly and helpful. At a community park near the beach one day, there was a small group of kids who put on a theatrical performance. A food stand across from the stage served barbecue and Belize's premier beer, Belikin, of which I drank one or two. The people were completely consumed with enjoying an unhurried life, a far cry from what it is like in the states. And yet another Reggae band blessed the afternoon with Caribbean tunes. It was a joyful intoxication.

The next day we got some wheels. You just can't come to Ambergris and not rent a golf cart for at least a day. It is expensive ($50/day) but you can have it delivered to your hotel in the morning and then they'll pick it up that night. We drove it around town and down the little streets to see what was there. We took the only road going North of town and at the towns edge we were met with an obstacle. A few years back a storm blew through here and cut a nice wide channel strait through the island. Luckily, some local entrepreneurs have put together a makeshift ferry that just barely fits two golf carts. Then the human powered ferry inches across the channel to the other side for a small $2 fee. At the ferry we met a local woman who was walking home from the store with groceries. We offered her a ride that she gladly accepted. The road North of town is really a horse trail of sorts (without the horses). In the rainy season some areas can become too muddy to pass through without getting stuck. But everyone seems so eager to help out here, so I'm sure you wouldn't be stuck for long. Many people North of town use water taxis to get to town.

We dropped our guest off at her home where we found her husband hard at work in the back yard. Their front yard was the beach. We continued North and a sign along the road said, "Chihuahua Crossing". Humor is a big part of the charm of Belize. There's lots of stuff to see like the little green lizards that sprint across the road running on their hind legs. This far from town secluded beaches abound. There are a few quaint little cafes and a couple of resorts offer food and Belikin to thirsty adventurers along the way. We stopped at a small place called the "Palapa Bar". They had a huge beach brimming with sand and the hot sun told me that our onboard supply of Belikins was running low (no law against drinking while driving a golf cart I assumed). So we loaded up for the return trip. While we were there we met a few locals who explained that they were pleased that tourism hadn't ruined Belize yet, but they expressed some fears about the future. Generally they said they enjoyed meeting people from all over the world. No matter what we talked about these folks always had a contagious smile. After our brief stop we took a walk down the beach. The peace and quiet was pleasantly deafening.

The next morning I specially ordered a breakfast dish that I am quite fond of, "Platano Frito", which is a sweeter version of the banana-looking Plantain that is pan-fried. I met the resort cook earlier in the week and she said she would make some for me. It was a delicious distraction from the beautiful scenery--but only for a moment. That morning I went with a local expatriate American to a nearby island called, Caye Chapel. The island was now a fine example of what happens when the rich have too much money and nothing to do with it. A very wealthy person who loves golf bought the entire island years ago. It is now a modern island with a cement wall that protects it from erosion. It is home to no less than two 18-hole golf courses and a few luxury homes. It also has two huge man-made lakes with fountains in the middle. It might even be Belize's only golf course. But I didn't see anybody playing golf. We past another island on the way called Caye Caulker. It is renown for its even more laid-back society and little-village atmosphere. Definately worth a visit. The airstrip on Caulker seems very third world. From the boat on our way back to the resort, we saw a Manta Ray and a school of flying fish. The ocean here is teaming with life.

Each day brought new discoveries. And just about every night we hit a different resort for their BBQ parties and live music. Because it is always warm in Belize, no one here ever heard of a jacket. Shorts were the norm day and night. At night, during some seasons, Blue Crabs migrate across the island. They are pretty big and thousands of them cross the road at a time. The cab drivers ignore them, but I couldn't help but hear the crunching noise they made when we ran over them. We actually saw a lot of wildlife on this trip. We saw a Howler Monkey and a Coati, but both were domesticated. Mr. B told us one of the local legends about a big "Cocodrilo" or Crocodile, in the swampy area of Ambergris, but we never say any at all. Still it was always fun to look for the big guy near the banks of a swampy area South of town.

Ambergris is definitely a scuba diver's Mecca. In the local bars all the divers are sharing their big fish stories, and an awful lot of roaming groups of young people can be found dancing into the night. There is something for everybody here. But alas a vacation in Belize is always too short. As we flew away I could see Caribe Island Resort from the air and snapped one final picture. My memories of Belize keep me going back. There is something magical about Belize. It's something that I cannot describe. I guess you'll just have to go and see for yourself.

Belize: Ambergris Caye

After the little puddle-jumper flight from the mainland Belize, I found myself waiting for the shuttle (old van) ride to the Resort. As I waited I watched the golf carts cross the airport landing strip cautiously one by one. Each driver in turn looking up in the sky to check for landing planes. I said to myself, "This is Paradise!".

Ambergris Caye is the largest of some 200 cayes along the coastline of Belize and is located in the clear shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea. In some places it is just a mile wide !

Tourism has taken over fishing and Banana farms as the major source of income. San Pedro Town is the only major inhabited area on the island. It's home to majority of population and restaurants, bars, clubs and hotels. You can find what you need within walking distance.

One can see wooden houses with Mexican, Caribbean décor as well as the English colonial architecture. Barefeet, tee-shirts, and shorts is the typical dress code.

The biggest tourist attraction here is the Belize Barrier Reef that runs parallel along the entire coast and has put Belize among the top ten dive destinations in the world. The reef is only a quarter mile from the beach making diving easily accessible. The island's seaside is flooded with boat docks, bars, restaurants and dive shops which offer trips as well as certified scuba lessons.

There are plenty of things to do or experience all over Belize. Everything from seeing Mayan ruins and archeology to exploring wild life of over 200 species of birds including endangered birds in lush rain forest and as howler Monkeys, Peccaries, Tapirs and white-tailed deer. If you are lucky, you can even spot a big cat!

Among water activities snorkeling and scuba diving are a real highlight for every visitor. Small companies provide all the equipment and guide for half or full day snorkeling trips. Even if you are looking to get certified in diving, this is the place. The Blue Hole is a world famous diving spot and is only about an hour away by boat.

In evenings you could be listening to reggae and latin music, eating Spanish and Mexicans influenced local cuisine or exotic seafood. Beer is cheap and the bars and restaurants are open all day and well into the night. A bar called Wet Willy is built out over the water and has live music.

For a dance club and late-night action Jaguar's Temple Club and Big Daddy's, both of which are within a stone's throw of each other on Barrier Reef Drive.
Barefoot Iguana offers everything from hot new DJs, to mud wrestling, to sporting events shown on a giant screen.

You can also rent a bicycle or golf cart to tour the area in just an hour or two eating seasonal tropical fruits. There are almost no cars on Ambergris Caye--mostly golf carts (which I recommend renting).

The accommodations in Ambergris Caye come in all price ranges. From cheap dorm beds, budget hotels to luxury villa rentals, this place offers you all.
The most popular method to get there is to take the Water Taxi from the Marine Terminal in downtown Belize City. Other way is to take a flight from the Belize City International Airport to the airstrip in the center of San Pedro.

Tip: The best way to get a dive with the greatest concentration of sharks and stingrays is to leave San Pedro by 8am. Avoid snorkeling or diving these sites at times when the cruise ships are running excursions there.
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