In April I had the pleasure of renewing my wedding vows in Ambergris Caye, Belize and I am forever in love! Ambergris Caye is a tiny island off the coast of mainland Belize in the Caribbean Sea. Most people aren't even aware it's there; I was even asked while down there by a local " How did you know about us?" Easy, High School! I studied anthropology and Belize was always the international student trip of choice. I never went though. My mother's money was a little funny and at that time a passport didn't seem like a real thing that I could obtain.
Some kind of way this beautiful little island came back in my mind and my husband agreed after very little coaxing to allow our vow renewal to take place there. The trip was amazing and Belize has now climbed the charts as my favorite Central American/Caribbean destination. Here's why:
1. Business as usual - Although I love new destinations and immersing myself in different cultures, language barriers and money exchanges give me a bit of hesitation. The official language of Belize is English. No translators needed! You want to know where to get the best ceviche, just ask! Additionally, the US Dollar is widely accepted.
2. It is extremely safe and not touristy- The Cayes of Belize feel a world away from the Mainland and are beautiful and extremely safe. The fact that the water is shallow due to the reef means that cruise ships can not visit. The expat population is rather large but despite the large amount of US citizens, Ambergris Caye has not lost it's charm. My husband and I rented our very own golf cart ( cars aren't really allowed accept for taxis) for our stay and went about our lives traveling throughout the island just as we would in the states. No one bothered us, no one hassled us for anything I feel like we became a part of the fabric that makes this Caye so charming. Visitors blend in; in a land that doesn't cater to tourist you have no other choice but that is what makes this destination so special!
3. Food is amazing, cheap and all-inclusive resorts are no where in sight- In Ambergris Caye, the whole island is your all inclusive! It's such a small island that you can travel around it in a golf cart and have all of the fresh seafood you want at your fingertips. We spent our days exploring on our golf cart. See spoke to locals and let our noses pick our lunch location. If you see water, pull over and put your feet in; all beach is public in Belize! There are street vendors galore serving up food around the $2 mark and it is tasty. Restaurant dining is very reasonable as well and features some of the freshest seafood you will taste. Locals are very happy to tell you their favorite places and of course if you want to be less adventurous, the huge expat population promises a handful of Americanized restaurants.
4. Dogs are super chill- So, don't judge me but the whole time I was in Belize, I was thinking where are all these dogs coming from. The stray dog population in Belize is crazy! Dogs are everywhere and they seem to belong to the streets. We are talking large dogs just roaming the beach or the street. At first, I was like, "oh snap, do you see that dog" but in Belize dogs are super chill. They could care less about you and most Belizeans don't care that they are there. After a couple days, I could tell what dogs were on vacation because they were the ones barking for the fun of it at their own shadow. The local dogs just stared at them, they didn't even bark back. I asked some locals about why the dogs are so different in Belize and they said that the dogs in the US act just like the people, stressed out, over anxious and aggressive for no good reason. Point taken sir.
There are things that I ate in Belize that I still have a longing for several months later. Belize is well known for it's fresh ceviche and conch. After returning home, I tried to satisfy my taste buds for the ceviche at Pier 366 Seafood House's open air restaurant or the conch at El Fogon or Elvi's but nothing compares to the freshness and complexity of flavors. Anyone who has been to Ambergris Caye knows about Robin's Kitchen. Being fans of Jamaica and jerk everything, we had a great time speaking with Robin and friends as he grilled our jerk chicken and fish on the grill just a few steps away. Nothing in the states could compare to the amazing breakfast served up at Estel's Dine by the Sea. Their Mayan scramble and smoothies cannot be replicated.
Not only is the food in Belize amazing but the accommodations at The Victoria House Resort and Spa were impressive. Our casita was the cutest and proved to be a very unique but luxurious dwelling. Service was impeccable and the food in the Palmilla restaurant was equally as good as anything you would find outside of the resort. No mediocre all inclusive food here!
Belize felt like home! We didn't feel like tourist, we weren't hassled because they knew we were tourist, the food was amazing and the relaxation offered by this tiny island was just what we needed for our romantic vow renewal getaway. Don't be mistaken, for all of the relaxation and romance we enjoyed there's equal amounts of fun and adventure. Amazing snorkeling is available at the 2nd largest barrier reef in the world just off the coast of Ambergris Caye. There's plenty of marine life encounters such as Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Alley, diving experiences in the Great Blue Hole and all of the excursions available at Mainland Belize such as the Xunantunich and Altun Ha Mayan Ruins.
As you can see, Belize has everything you need; adventure, romantic, history, culture... did I mention fresh seafood?
What are you waiting for? Book your plane ticket and discover the wonderful island of Ambergris Caye.
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