We had such a fun time in Belize! It was a short but sweet trip packed with adventure, incredible gem-blue waters and out-of-this-world service. Belize is one of those destinations that has always been on my bucket list and it was more than I was expecting!
There were two short plane rides to get to Belize City from Madison, WI. Upon arrival in Belize city, we went through customs and immigration. BZE is a very small airport with minimal wait times. I was nervous that I wouldn't make my connection within 1.5 hours but that was ample time. From BZE, there are two airlines--Tropic Air and Maya Island Air that will take you to any of the other Cayes (pronounced Keys) in the area. Most flights depart hourly.
Belize is located on the Eastern Coast of Central America with dense jungles on the East side and the Caribbean sea shoreline on the West. Just off the coast lies the Belize Barrier Reef (the second largest barrier reef in the world) which is dotted by over 400 cayes with incredible marine life.
The plane ride from Belize City to San Pedro was truly an adventure in itself. We took a small 12-seater Cessna which was about a 15 minute flight from gate to gate. The views while on this flight were phenomenal and the flight itself was smooth.
Upon arrival in San Pedro, we walked to the Margaritaville lounge across the street from the airport. I was feeling a bit sick from the flights (dang motion sickness) and the air conditioning in the lounge was a welcome relief. We were able to leave our bags there and grab some lunch across the beach prior to the 5pm shuttle to the resort. We stayed at Margaritaville Beach Resort in Ambergris Caye which is an additional 30 minute boat-ferry ride from San Pedro.
Upon arriving at the resort, we were greeted at the end of the long dock with a fresh margarita and shown to our rooms. I had the Ambar One Bedroom Suite which had a full living room with pull-out sofa, double vanity, walk in rain shower and a separate bedroom with a king-sized bed.
The resort is only 55 suite rooms and features a spa, one restaurant, two bars and two pools (one of them with a swim-up bar). It felt REMOTE. It was not all-inclusive, but the menus had plenty of variety and the food was GOOD. The best part was the service. It honestly felt like we had our own private butler because the team is attentive and happy to help. The Belizean people in general were, hands down, the friendliest people I've ever come in contact with.
The first full day many of the guests went out and enjoyed a sunset catamaran cruise but 'cuz of my motion sickness, I opted to explore the area. There aren't really many roads and definitely not any vehicles (locals get around via golf cart). We walked up the scenic sandy path to Tranquility Bay Resort where we sat on their pier and watched the waves come in. We headed into the bar & restaurant and ordered some drinks and chatted with the bartenders for several hours. The view from this resort was stunning and a huge perk is that you can snorkel right off the main shore and see the marine wildlife.
The highlight of the trip was on our 3rd day. It was a day full of adventure. We boarded the water ferry back to San Pedro where we enjoyed an authentic Belizean breakfast of fry-jacks and freshly squeezed orange juice at Neri's restaurant. We then boarded a boat to Hol Chan Marine reserve where we embarked on a guided snorkeling tour of the reef. I've never been on a "guided" snorkeling tour but I recommned it. We had a guide who went in the water with us and was pointing out the marine life. We saw a nurse shark, a TON of tropical fish, a spotted Eagle Ray and Moray eel. We then got back on the boat and had some refreshments and headed to the famous Shark Ray Alley. This is where fisherman came to clean their catches and after years of doing so, the sharks woud come and wait for food! As soon as our boat arrived, sharks swam over and we had the opportunity to jump in and swim with them (note: I wasn't brave enough for this)!
We then headed back to San Pedro and rented a golf cart for the afternoon. We set off with our sites on Secret Beach which was about a 45-minute drive. We arrived and decided to hang out at Sunset Palace Beach Club. This area is incredible. The water is warm & crystal clear and you can walk out several hundred feet where it remains at waist level. They will serve you food & drinks right up at your picnic table in the water!
We then headed back to Margaritaville for an evening of relaxing in the pool, karaoke, and nightlife.
This trip is one I will never forget. I'm a girl of luxury when it comes to my vacations but the adventure and experience I had is one for the books.
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