Ambergris Caye Island
Ambergris Caye is the largest island by area of Belize’s nearly 200 islands and a major destination for many travelers. Cay means “island” and is derived from the Spanish word “cayo”. The island was so named because of the large pieces of ambergris that were lapping against the shore. Ambergris Caye Island is located in the northeast of the state of Belize in the Caribbean Sea, near the cape of the Yucatan Peninsula, on which Mexico is located.
.Ambergris Caye is approximately 40 kilometers long and reaches a width of 15 kilometers. The island attracts with its unspoiled nature by man. From a bird’s eye view, it is a ring of white sand with mangrove forests inside. The coastline of the island is protected by a huge coral reef, the second largest in the world after the reef in Australia, Ambergris Caye is an atoll.
History
In the pre-Columbian era, the island was inhabited by the Maya, here they made boats and “red” pottery, and was their trading port. The ruins of Mark Gonzalez in the southern part of the island, as well as the Basil Jones site in the north, testify to the fact that 10,000 Mayans once lived here. They dug a narrow canal along the northern coast of the island to build a trade route from the Gulf of Chetumal to the Caribbean Sea. The Maya were followed by whalers and buccaneer pirates, as well as fishermen and coconut plantation workers. But today, tourism has supplanted the main trade – fishing. Since the 70’s the island became popular thanks to the Belize Barrier Reef and amazingly clean white beaches with azure sea water. But even now, you can still take a ride on the great Mayan boat – a mahogany skiff.
.San Pedro
San Pedro is the island’s main populated town and has the feel of a fishing village, not without hotels and tourist hotspots: clubs and restaurants. Along the streets are clustered wooden houses with Caribbean or Mexican decor. English colonial style houses remain in some places. A stroll down Barrier Reef Drive and Pescador Drive will show you how friendly and open-minded the residents are and how simple their life on the sunny shore is. The islanders are called Sanpedranos and speak Spanish, English Creole and Mayan at the same time, a mix of Spanish, English Creole and Mayan. They are very proud of their past, and are always happy to tell about it to tourists. Before the beginning of the “tourist era” here mostly lived Mestizos – Maya-Spaniards, now there are many Americans who have taken a fancy to this incredibly beautiful land.
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Tourists
The main attraction is, of course, the coral reef, located just 200 meters from the island itself. This is why diving enthusiasts choose the blue waters of Ambergris Caye, a perfect depth of 60 meters with a rich and colorful aquatic world. This is where scuba diving is taught and where you can get your NAUI, PADI, or SSI diving certification. The most popular snorkeling spot is Hol Chan Marine Reserve, just a 10-minute boat ride away.
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After your marine adventures, the evening can be spent at a bar or restaurant listening to reggae and Latin American music. And the next day follow in the footsteps of the Maya and see the ruins of their city in the mangrove forests. Excursions there are not organized very often, as there are still wild boars in the area, and locals have also seen jaguars.
.How to get there
Getting to Ambergris Caye is either by boat from Belize City (1.5 hours), or by small plane from local airlines, such as Tropic Air or Maya Island Air, from the same Belize City (25 minutes).
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