Belize is a country I really need to go back to. Once on the radar was the sleepy fishing village of Hopkins, but we never made it there, nor to San Ignacio, Belmopan, or the other inland “jungle-y” areas. Instead, our foray had us going to Madonna’s La Isla Bonita — Ambergris Caye — where we stayed about eleven miles north of San Pedro at a VRBO run by Jerry Kirsch and Escape Away Belize.
Getting There
Our inbound flights were from IAH Houston on United, landing at Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport — BZE. From there, the trip over to Ambergris Caye is best taken by air, though a ferry is available. We boarded a 15-minute flight on Tropic Air, which basically doubles as a sightseeing tour. It felt like we were skimming above the water in our Cessna Caravan to SPR San Pedro. It certainly helped build the excitement for our water-based weekend.
Our hosts met us outside of “baggage claim” and drove us right to the house. No shuttle. No wait. Just straight to the beach.
The Beach House
We were afforded a private two-bedroom beach house (now it’s three!) with its own pier and palapa. Carlos, the property manager, was invaluable — picking up groceries, flagging down the fresh fruit and veggie truck every few days, and making sure we never had to think about logistics. Judith, our personal chef, made legendary rice and fresh tortillas to go with every meal: fresh seafood (like “we went out and caught it and brought home dinner” fresh), chicken, and — to a lesser extent, given the cost — beef. Three home-cooked meals a day that we didn’t have to shop for or clean up after. All included in the flat rate, per-night pricing. A golf cart was an option we took, but in the end we only made the trip into San Pedro once. I was content to have boats pick us up at the pier for our excursions — SCUBA diving, fishing — and just otherwise generally enjoyed decompressing on the beach and in the palapa.
Island Life
It was a great family vacation for my wife and me to relax and unwind with our two kids, who were 11 and 15 at the time. The hosts played games with us at night and saw to our every need. There was really no need to go to town, though we did — mostly for some shopping and just to see what it was about. San Pedro is essentially a sleepy fishing village, and presents accordingly.
The island itself was ordinary, but growing. Many American expats — and English is the official language in Belize — made communicating easy. The locals are beyond friendly, though prices seem to be beginning to recognize all of the American and Canadian dollars headed that way.
Diving In
We got our PADI Open Water Diver certifications while in Belize with our private instructor, Conrad. The boats picked us up right at our pier — no marina shuttle, no tourist mob. Just gear up and go.
Until Next Time
A return trip planned for 2021 was derailed by COVID, but Belize will be next. If not Ambergris Caye again, then perhaps Caye Caulker — another nearby island — or the aforementioned Hopkins or Placencia, or maybe the jungled interior. We returned home via SAL San Salvador on Avianca, which was a pleasant surprise.
The pier and palapa are still there. The water hasn’t changed color. And there’s a hammock with my name on it.