Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye, pronounced /æmˈbɜːrɡrɪs ˈkiː/ am-BUR-gris KEE, is the largest island of Belize, located northeast of the country's mainland, in the Caribbean Sea. It is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) long from north to south, and about 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) wide. Where it has not been modified by man, it is mostly a ring of white sand beach around mangrove swamp in the centre. Though administered as part of the Belize District, the closest point on the mainland is part of the Corozal District.

For the island in the Turks and Caicos, see Ambergris Cay.
Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye photographed from the International Space Station
Ambergris Caye
Geography
LocationCaribbean Sea
Coordinates18°0′50.21″N 87°55′51.74″W
Administration
Belize
DistrictBelize District
Largest settlementSan Pedro Town (pop. 13,381)

A Maya community lived on the island in Pre-Columbian times, and made distinctive polished red ceramics.[1]

San Pedro Town is the largest settlement and only town on Ambergris. There are also a number of small villages and resorts. Two resorts north of San Pedro played host to the first season of Fox's Temptation Island in 2000, aired in 2001.

Tourism

Tourism development of Ambergris Caye began in the early 1970s and grew considerably in the later years of the 20th century. The main attractions are the Belize Barrier Reef and its beaches. That barrier reef is the second largest in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef of Australia. The caye has a small airstrip serviced by Tropic Air and Maya Island Air, and can be reached by plane from Belize City as well as by numerous fast sea ferries. Ambergris Caye can also be reached by ferry from Chetumal in Mexico.

Ambergris Caye is commonly referred to as the "Isla Bonita" (English translation: 'The Beautiful Island'), after Madonna's 1987 hit "La Isla Bonita" mentioned a place called San Pedro.[2] (Madonna has said the song does not refer to any particular place.[3]) Ambergris Caye is famous for the turquoise seascapes surrounding the island which matches the character and Caribbean charm of the destination. Because of the island's small size, the main form of powered transportation is by golf cart.[4]

San Pedro Day is celebrated annually on June 27.

  • Beach at San Pedro
  • Azure Water off the coast of Ambergris Caye
  • Dusk on Ambergris Caye
  • View of the Barrier Reef in the distance
  • Fishing off the coast of Ambergris Caye

Secret Beach

The majority of Ambergris Caye is reserved for national park/wildlife preserve limiting the availability of real estate.[5] To the north of San Pedro Town is the destination of Belize Secret Beach, one of the more popular beach destinations in Belize. The Belize Secret Beach destination on Ambergris Caye is often called "San Pedro's worst kept secret",[6] as the Secret Beach area has yet to see substantial development, but has become an increasingly popular destination for tourists and locals, allowing the area to boast a remote atmosphere but still offer more developed amenities. Secret Beach also features remote cenotes, sinkholes, and caves.

References
  1. Valdez, Fred; Sullivan, Lauren A; Guderjan, Thomas H. (1995). "5". In Thomas H. Guderjan and James F. Garber (ed.). Ceramics from Northern Ambergris Caye Sites. San Antonio: Maya Research Program. pp. 95–112. ISBN 0-911437-21-5.
  2. "San Pedro, Belize – la Isla Bonita by Madonna - TRAVEL AND FILM - Blog de Voyages et Cinéma". travelandfilm.com. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  3. "Madonna's 50 Greatest Songs". Rolling Stone. July 27, 2016. Retrieved August 8, 2017.
  4. "Golf Cart Rentals In San Pedro, Belize".
  5. "Facts About Ambergris Caye". Belize Secret Beach. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
  6. admin (2018-08-03). "The Secret Beach in Belize: How to Get There & Why You Need to Go ASAP - History Fangirl". History Fangirl. Retrieved 2018-09-24.
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.