“I fell in love with San Pedro
…

Tropical the island breeze
All of nature wild and free
This is where I long to be
La Isla Bonita
And when the samba played
The sun would set so high
Ring through my ears and sting my eyes
Your Spanish lullaby”

I did not fall in love with San Pedro like Madonna did. In fact, I cannot even say I liked San Pedro. But if the truth be told I didn’t like San Pedro at all. Just a charmless, unattractive and despite its 13.000 inhabitants (making San Pedro the second largest town in Belize) still provincial little town with not much to offer and no different from thousands of other charmless provincial little towns across Central America. 

However, all the above is by no means a deal breaker. I didn’t come to the island to hang out in San Pedro town but La Isla Bonita’s (the beautiful island) beautiful beaches. Like the one in town center opposite the airstrip which is (supposed to be) one of the finest beaches in Belize. 

Ah, the airstrip, what a surprise. It undoubtedly adds some character and hype to town. It was unexpected but so fascinating to stumble upon it and its bar along the runway (Runway Bar) from where you can watch the mini toy-like airplanes land and take off from/to Belize City the whole day long while sipping on your favorite cocktail.

Even though Ambergris Caye is the largest island in Belize, 40 kilometers (25 miles) long it is as wide/narrow as much smaller Caye Caulker – an astonishing one mile at its widest point. It takes, however, full 5 minutes (instead of three) to walk in the city from one side to the other.

Just like in Caye Caulker there are three main streets in San Pedro. And it is also the Back Street that takes the heavy toll of not only unloading/loading cargo vessels but also sea ferries carrying passengers traveling from/to Chetumal in Mexico. 

Both islands are practically car-free. While you walk on Caye Caulker (or bike if you’re really in a hurry which you must not be on this laid-back island), golf cars are preferred means of transportation around Ambergris Caye.

…so how was La Isla Bonita?

It looked lovely from a deck of the water taxi. Never ending sandy beaches, tons of resorts, (and supposedly) lots of fun. Never ending party (apparently). The island’s nickname is ‘Party Island” as opposed to ‘Laid Back Island” which is a nickname of Caye Caulker.  Diving, snorkeling, swimming and all other water sports are top-notch – “they say”. As is the  Barrier Reef which btw is the second largest in the world. 

Supposedly? Apparently? They say? I had a misfortune of coming to the island during the worst downpour that not only paralyzed the city and the beach life but also my visit. So I went to the Back Street and boarded one of those ferries going to Chetumal in Mexico.

Oh well. C’est la vie.

p.s. And no, I haven’t given up on Belize’s potential. I shall return,

San Pedro in (very few) rainy Pictures

The post San Pedro, La Isla Bonita appeared first on One way ticket to Paradise.

Guatemala/Belize border

Flip-flops? Check. Sunglasses? Check. Bathing suit? Nah, not yet. I arrived late afternoon. Warm, but not that warm. Happy hour time. 

It took almost 9 hours to travel from Flores to Caye Caulker in Belize. First two, three hours on the bus, then at least one Guatemala/Belize border crossing with the luggage, followed by 2 more hours bus ride (the same bus) in Belize, followed by an hour and a half wait for the next water taxi (we missed the one we were scheduled for), followed by 40 minute ride on the water taxi followed by three minute walk to my beach accommodation. Full day.

So, I gave the fancy bus a try. Shiny red, super modern, picture perfect… but only in the picture. In reality, grey, old, dirty, worn out substitute with minimum comfort and no seatbelts. Central America in a nutshell – you never know what you pay for. The ticket was 25 USD incl water taxi. There were no fees to exit Guatemala and no fees to enter Belize. BUT once again I witnessed the scam exit penalty extortion for the absent entry stamps.

NOTE – IMPORTANT: no matter what anybody says or does and who DO NOT ENTER any Central American country without a proper entry stamp.  Lack of entry stamp will cost you hefty penalties (bribes) upon exit. 

All buses and shuttles arrive at the water taxi terminal in Belize City. From there you either take a taxi to your mainland destination or a water taxi to the islands. Water taxis are in fact water buses and take some 50 people or maybe even more. Two major destinations are Caye Caulker “La Isla Carinosa” and  San Pedro “La Isla Bonita” – the same Isla Bonita Madonna sang about.  It takes 45 minutes to Caye Caulker and 1.5 hours to San Pedro (via Caye Caulker).

I liked Caye Caulker right away. There was something soul and mind soothing about the laid-back vibe that resonated with me. Super chill. Easy, lazy and simple life. What a trinity.  

There are three streets on the island: Front, Middle, and Back. It takes 3 minutes to get from one side of the island to the other. How cool is that?  The island is 8 km long and 1.5 km wide at its widest point but only 250 meters wide at its narrowest point – right in the “city”. In fact, the island is two islands. There is a split between them (called The Split). Some say it was Hurricane Hattie that split the island in two in 1961, some say it is not true and claim the split has always been there. Whatever the truth, the split is the most popular swimming and snorkeling place on the island(s). 

Not much happening in the Back Street. This is where the locals live and work. A cargo port where locals unload supplies for the thirsty tourists and expats from incoming cargo vessels is also back there. Back Street is even the place for sunset lovers, thus, some tourists take the three-minute walk to visit ‘the other side’ during sunset time. But once they leave 15 minutes later the street is pretty much deserted.

The Middle Street and the Beach Street are the streets where most of the island’s activities take place. The Middle Street offers restaurants and even fine dining while the Beach Street offers the hangout beach bars and more restaurants. There is no shortage of bars in Caye Caulker, no matter where you are you are never far from one. Come in just the way you are, seems to be the motto.  No shoes, no shirt, no problem.

Belize is the only country in Central America where English is the official language. Even though I knew this before, a raw and crystal clear realization of the fact (which I had not considered) that all countries but one not only in Central America (Belize being the one) but also in South America (Brazil being the one) speak Spanish has become almost tangible.  In fact, the whole continent but two countries speak Spanish. How convenient is that? Wouldn’t it be great if the whole world spoke one common language?

I really enjoyed my stay in Caye Caulker, its laidback vibe, its beach bars, its split, its three streets and wouldn’t have minded staying a bit longer if I only could. How much longer? I don’t know. Would I have liked staying there for good? Could Caye Caulker be my paradise? Hmmm…

…Not so sure. Caye Caulker lies in the path of hurricanes. There may be another split coming up. Or worse, a tsunami. As much as I love the idea of a 250-meter stroll between the two sides of an island, it is not a lot of meters to find a safe haven while the raging waters flood the flat stretch of land. There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide should a disaster happen. 

The population of the island is only 1300 inhabitants. Is it enough for a city girl like myself? Might be but then it might be not. All depends on the community. It isn’t always the quantity that counts.

Number one concern, however, is lack of real beaches. Caye Caulker is a limestone coral island, a mere sandbar  – not quite my vision of a paradise island. I am dreaming of white and soft sand beaches.

So I ask again. Could Caye Caulker be my retirement paradise? Still not sure. However, Caye Caulker showed the true potential of Belize. There may be (there is) a paradise island or even a community on land somewhere in Belize with amazing beaches, crystal clear waters, and laid-back lifestyle.

Maybe Caye Caulker’s bigger brother/sister San Pedro is “the one”? I am just about to find out.

Caye Calker in Pictures

The post Caye Caulker, Belize appeared first on One way ticket to Paradise.