Belize! Most known probably for the giant blue hole, incredible scuba diving, or snorkeling the coral reefs. But just a short 15-minute flight away from Belize City is the island of Ambergris Caye, a hidden gem!

Best vacation for: Relaxing with family on the beach, being fully engulfed in another culture, enjoying activities with a group!

Getting there: After flying into Belize City, there are two companies that fly in and out of the island throughout the day: Tropic Air and Maya Island Air. We’ve taken both and have no complaints. If I had to pick, Tropic Air planes were a bit nicer, but it’s typically more expensive too. You really can’t go wrong! Both airlines were accommodating and allowed us to hop on an earlier flight since our Delta flight arrived earlier than expected and we got through customs quickly. The flight to the island is beautiful over the crystal blue water. If you’re offered to be a co-pilot, take it!

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Airport and Car Rental:

After flying into Belize City, there are two companies that fly in and out of the island throughout the day: Tropic Air and Maya Island Air. We’ve taken both and have no complaints. If I had to pick, Tropic Air planes were a bit nicer, but it’s typically more expensive too. You really can’t go wrong! Both airlines were accommodating and allowed us to hop on an earlier flight since our Delta flight arrived earlier than expected and we got through customs quickly. The flight to the island is beautiful over the crystal blue water. If you’re offered to be a co-pilot, take it!

WHERE TO EAT

There were lots of places we tried but these were the ones that made the final list!

Quick tip: Plan our where you are going for the week right when you arrive to the island. We found that restaurants are closed on random days or have weird hours so don’t get stuck planning to visit somewhere on Wednesday night and then have it be the one day they are closed. (We ran into that multiple times on our first visit. The second time we had it down!) One last note is if you’re a lobster fan, lobster season in Belize is July-end of February.

Caroline’s Kitchen Fresh juice and great tasting food. In the middle of town so not ocean side, but wonderful! My in laws went for lunch too and thought it was great!

Wild Mangos Right on the ocean with good food, need I say more?

Blue Bayou Food automatically tastes better when it’s served to you in the middle of the ocean. I can’t tell if they were actually the best chicken tenders of my life or if they just tasted amazing from my flotation device. Blue Bayou is iconic as it was the first bar/restaurant on secret beach to have tables in the water and service out to you. There are lockers etc for your stuff so you don’t have to take much out with you! We rented floaties and read most of the time but there’s water games, volleyballs etc. Great place for a group of friends. We spent a few hours here when it was just the two of us but spent a whole day when we went as a group.

The Truck Stop Multiple shipping containers turned food court style. Something there for everyone and the live music makes it an enjoyable evening for a group of people. Check which nights they are open/have live music beforehand!

The Hidden Treasure The farthest south we went but worth it! One of the nicer places we ate. Everyone loved their meal here!

Elvi’s Kitchen:
El Fogon:

Getting Around: Rent a golf cart! Check with your hotel if you are staying at one to see if they rent them out. There are other rental spots too for probably much cheaper, but we found for ease and reliability going through our hotel was the way to go. Golf carts are really the only way to get around the island. There are taxi’s which we took to get to and from the airport, but not super reliable and can be expensive, especially if you are trying to get to Secret Beach.

Safety: I wouldn’t go walking around by myself at night but for the most part I felt pretty safe on the island. The locals we interacted with were so nice and friendly. Just watch out for petty theft. We a Hydroflask get stolen right out of our golf cart after just a few minutes of not watching it.

WHERE TO STAY

We stayed at the Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection both times. It’s a Marriott property and opened in May of 2021. The staff and service was fantastic, the food was great, and the views from the rooftop were in my opinion the best part of the resort. Here’s a quick video of the stunning resort: The Alaia

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OTHER HIGHLIGHTS

Secret Beach Not so much a secret anymore as this beach continues to gain popularity. This area of the island is a bit of a hike out on your golf cart depending on where you’re staying, but you’ll be welcomed by the calmest and clearest blue water to relax in.

Snorkeling We aren’t experienced snorkelers by any means but we’ve snorkeled a handful of places and Belize was by far the coolest snorkeling I’ve experienced. We can’t say enough good things about Belize Pro Diver Center which happens to be located right outside the Alaia. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable and patient. We saw a massive sea turtle which was just awe striking as well as variety of gorgeous fish. Highly recommend!

Jet Skiing SLS