This post may contain affiliate links which means I may receive a commission for purchases made through links. I will only recommend products that I have personally used! Learn more on my Privacy Policy page.
Adventure to Belize Here We Come
Growing up, Indiana Jones was one of my favorite series to watch over and over. I wanted to be in Indy’s posse, traveling the world, fighting off villains and finding historical treasures in caves. As that was hollywood magic and the lives of archeologists are rarely as exciting, I instead joined the Air Force and had a fascinating career traveling the world. It was a little less dangerous than Indy, but nonetheless, I made my adventure.
One of the pilots I worked with had gotten married in Ambergris Caye (San Pedro), Belize, and my fiancé Shawn wanted to go to Belize more than anywhere else on the planet (he says it was like the main character’s fixation with Figi in “The Truman Show”). So, we decided to elope to Ambergris Caye.
Even funnier- it turned out that as soon as we figured out we would get married in Belize, our friends (who were also our co-workers) all booked their trips to Belize with us in the office that very week. So our elopement to Belize went from just us two to instead include our parents, my aunt and uncle, and our amazing group of friends. I had my Indy posse at last, and we were ready to head to Belize!
The wedding was all set; we would get married in Ambergris Caye with our family and friends and then spend some time on the mainland in Belize in the jungle for the remainder of our honeymoon. I spent hours searching for the perfect properties on Expedia.com, which has always been my go-to for travel deals and mainly for sorting through reviews to find the best hotels.
The best decision was to stay at the Matachica Resort and Spa to have our wedding on the beach and then we took a sunset catamaran cruise for our reception/dinner with Seaduced by Belize, which by the way was absolutely amazing/perfect for many reasons.
The Matachica Resort has the most amazing restaurant called Mambos. I could say that the whole island has the most amazing food, but I will instead distill it all down to just my favorites. Almost everyone on the island makes their own fresh flour tortillas- and they are just perfect: they compliment almost everything else fantastic that they serve up.
I ate huevos rancheros every morning with these same freshly made flour tortillas while staying at Matachica because it was just such a delicious combination. I dream of those huevos rancheros to this day! The conch ceviche is also just out of this world- my now husband thinks it may have set the bar too high for ceviche, as the rest he’s had never seems to measure up.
The Beauty of Ambergris Caye
I cannot recommend highly enough our photographer: Jose Luis Zapata. He was absolutely amazing and earns a full five-stars when it comes to any type of photos you may want to get while on the island or in Belize.
Ambergris is an island like no other; its pristine beaches, vibrant marine life, and unique blend of Caribbean and Latin American cultures make it a truly enchanting destination for any traveler. You can fly into Phillip Goldson International Airport in Belize City and reserve a flight on Tropic Air to get to Ambergris Caye (San Pedro).
We also flew Maya Airlines into the jungle for the second part of our honeymoon, as it’s the regional aircraft that flies all over Belize. It is a “puddle jumper” type of airlift service, so you are in for an adventure. As soon as you land in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye you’ll want to rent a golf cart.
Yes, you read correctly there- do not pass go or collect $200, just get a golf cart 100%. The roads in San Pedro are made with dirt and driving the golf cart around the island is so much fun. I would highly recommend booking your golf cart at Viator.com, as they are always reliable and have great prices.
And Now For your History DEEP DIVE!
Belize, also known as British Honduras until 1973, was the last British colony on the American mainland. Its prolonged path to independence was marked by a unique international campaign. There are two possibilities of where the name Belize is believed to come from.
The Spanish Pronunciation of Scottish buccaneer Peter Wallace who is believed to have begun a settlement in the Belize River or the Mayan word belix (“muddy water”) or belikin (“land facing the sea”). (1)
Ambergris Caye is the largest of two hundred islands, it’s 25 miles long, and initially inhabited by Mayan people who used it as a fishing village dating from 200 AD. Then, it was eventually converted into a trading center. Around 800 AD, the Mayan civilization began to leave their cities for various reasons, such as lack of water, food, diseases, and poor soil.
It wasn’t until 1508 that the first Europeans would visit the island, and they found the Mayans still on the island in a declining state. At one point, Cacao was a major export of Belize; and Ambergris Caye was used as a trade route to export this extraordinary plant. The island was also abundant in seafood for trade, for obvious reasons.
In the early 1600s British pirates would use Ambergris as a safe haven: a hideaway for their treasures until they could transport them to the mainland. These early pirates are said to have given the island its name. They chose this beautiful stretch of land as a base of pirating operations, but it seems that pirating couldn’t always pay the bills.
Whale Vomit is Worth a Fortune
They apparently needed a side-hustle for times when pirating prospects were scant, so they moonlighted as whalers. Additionally, as currents here seemed to favor the delivery of floating whale excretions, they collected whale vomit (called ambergris) that would wash up to the shore of the island.
The oil from this ambergris was sent to Europe where it was highly valued for its use in making perfumes. Would you be surprised to learn that luxurious perfumes are still made from ambergris to this day? Apparently, people love the smell of whale vomit…
After the decline of the Mayan civilization, the area was colonized by the Spanish who later ceded control to the British in the 17th century. This threefold change in leadership laid the groundwork for the unique blend of cultures and languages that define Belize today.
In 1981, Belize gained independence from the British but chose to keep its connection to the United Kingdom as part of the Commonwealth. The country continues to preserve its natural beauty and cultural heritage, making it a fascinating destination for travelers and historians alike. (2)
Ready for a Recap on where you should Stay and Eat on San Pedro?
Remember to immerse yourself in the local culture and savor the flavors of San Pedro during your stay!
Hotel Recommendations:
- Matachica Resort and Spa – Secluded, romantic, quiet, and gorgeous.
- Coco Beach Resort (they serve up the best Bloody Mary’s I have ever had in their swim up bar).
Restaurant Recommendations:
- Mambo’s at the Matachica Resort and Spa – My absolute favorite
- Elvis Kitchen – Delicious, with a great atmosphere.
- Anglers Seafood House – We had our wedding party eat here the night before the wedding and the food was fantastic too.
- Palapa Bar and Grill – This place has the most amazing BBQ, but wait it gets better: The bar is on stilts, positioned at the end of a dock it towers high over turquoise blue water. It has tubes tied to the pilings to float on in the ocean below while you drink your cocktails or beer (which they will use ropes to lower down to you in buckets!) We spent the whole day floating over stingrays and pulling the rope to send down more beers (just make sure you are WELL sun-screened before you hop in that tube!)
Here is another blogger who gives recommendations to his ten favorite restaurants in San Pedro. https://www.belizeadventure.ca/san-pedro-best-restaurants/
Activity Recommendations:
- Be sure to visit Caye Cauker: a nearby island with lots of fun shopping, food, and drinks for the day – Here is an excellent day trip
- Make sure you rent a golf cart the whole time you are there – trust me this may be one of the highlights of your trip. Golf Cart Rental in San Pedro
- My favorite thing to do is hang out on the tubes at the Palapa Bar and Grill mentioned above. I have never done anything like it. Palapa Bar and Grill – Float in the clear blue Caribbean and pull the rope to send down drinks – Palapa Bar and Grill
- Book a private catamaran sail with Seaduced by Belize
Ambergris Caye is truly a one of a kind experience and I highly recommend it. The second part of our honeymoon took place at the Gaia Riverlodge in the Pine Reserve Forrest near the San Ignacio area. I will cover the jungle portion of our Belize adventure in The Best Travel Itinerary Part 2 – The Jungle, so stay tuned for the next blog.