☰Ambergris Caye

San Pedro has a wide range of restaurants given the island's size. Seafood dominates — lobster, conch, barracuda, and snapper — and the local cooking style is Belizean Creole with Mexican influences. Fry jacks for breakfast, stewed chicken with rice and beans for lunch, and grilled lobster for dinner is a reasonable summary of what the island does well.

Budget travellers eat well from street stalls and small local restaurants away from the waterfront. The waterfront itself and the pier bars cater more to tourists and charge accordingly. Belikin, the national beer of Belize, is cold and cheap everywhere on the island. Rum punch and tropical cocktails are the default drinks at the beach bars.

Golf carts are the main mode of transport on Ambergris Caye. Rental shops are plentiful in San Pedro and charge around USD 60–80 per day. They are the right choice for exploring the island north and south of town, including the road to Secret Beach. Bicycles are available for shorter rides. The town of San Pedro itself is small enough to walk, and taxis (golf cart taxis) are available for those who do not want to drive.

A water taxi runs north up the lagoon to the more remote northern part of the island, where several resorts and the ruins of Chaa Creek are located. Boats can be chartered from the piers in San Pedro for fishing, snorkelling, and reef excursions.

Ambergris Caye is reached by water taxi from Belize City (about 75 minutes) or by domestic flight to San Pedro's John Greif II Airport (about 20 minutes). Maya Island Air and Tropic Air both run multiple daily flights from Belize City's municipal airport (not the international airport — take a taxi or bus from the international terminal to the municipal one). Flights are small prop planes with a luggage weight limit.

Water taxis leave from the Marine Terminal in downtown Belize City; the crossing takes about 75 minutes in good conditions and can be rough. The fare is around USD 20 one way. For those arriving on international flights, the combination of international arrival, taxi to marine terminal, and water taxi journey takes at least three to four hours, so the short flight is often worth the extra cost.

The reef is what Ambergris Caye is about. Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley are among the most accessible and rewarding dive and snorkel sites in the Caribbean — close to shore, in calm water, and teeming with marine life. Beyond the reef, the island itself has a relaxed beach-town atmosphere centered on the sandy streets of San Pedro.

The dry season runs from late November through April, with clear skies and calm seas. This is the best time for diving and snorkelling and the busiest period for tourism. December through March is peak season — book accommodation well in advance and expect higher prices.

The wet season from June through November brings more rain, but also fewer visitors and lower prices. Diving remains possible in the wet season and can be excellent; the rain usually comes in short afternoon bursts rather than all-day downpours. Hurricane season runs from June through November; storms are rare but real. Lobster season opens on 15 June and closes on 14 February — if lobster is important to your trip, time it accordingly.