Ambergris Caye (pronounced Am-BUR-gris or Am-BUR-grease Key) is the largest of some 200 cayes that dot the coastline of Belize. Ambergris is 25 miles long and a little over a mile wide, in some places, and it is located in the clear shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea just off the tip of Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula.

Our coastline is protected by the 190 miles long Barrier Reef, the second largest living coral reef in the world.  In Mayan times, Ambergris Caye was a trading post. The narrow channel that separates Mexico and Belize was dug by the Maya to provide a trade route from the bay of Chetumal to the Caribbean.

San Pedro Town is the only densely populated on the island. It’s atmosphere is that of a small bustling fishing village.  The town is clustered with wooden houses, some with Mexican decor, others Caribbean, and some still remain with English colonial architecture.  Gift shops, boutiques, bars, cafes, and restaurants adorn Front and Middle Streets (officially named Barrier Reef Drive/Pescador Drive). A short walk in town and you’ll feel the friendliness of the people and experience the ease of their lifestyles. Barefeet, tee-shirts, and shorts is the typical island dress code.

The people of the island are called “Sanpedranos” and speak English, Spanish, Creole, and Maya all at the same time.  Before tourism picked up in the eighties, the islanders were mostly Mestizos (Maya-Spanish). Today the original Sanpedranos share their island with the Creole, Maya, Central American refugees, and Europeans and Americans that have made San Pedro their new home.

Our biggest tourist attraction is the Belize Barrier Reef which runs parallel along the entire coast of Belize. The reef is only a quarter mile from the beach of Ambergris Caye – making diving  easily accessible. The island’s seaside is jammed with jetties and dive shops which offer trips to the different dive sites and to the Great Blue Hole. There are also certified scuba lessons in NAUI, PADI, and SSI.  Some of the most popular dive sites is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which are only a ten-minute boat ride from town. The reef’s beauty and richness has put Belize among the top ten dive destinations in the world.

The evenings on the island are a social event. You will find tourists and islanders at different bars and restaurants listening to reggae and latin music and sharing the day’s adventures.