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Hitchhikers Guide to Ambergris Caye

by tacogirl 04/01/2018
written by tacogirl 04/01/2018
Ambergris Caye New Years Eve Parties 2017

As I started studying my NYE party choices, I knew there was no way I could do it all so I decided on lucky number seven. My decision factored heavily on #2 destination; a 7:30 reservation at Black Orchid Restaurant.

As turned out there is seemingly not a golf cart to be had on this island right now. Ok likely not true but of the 10 or so companies I made contact with, they were all out. I opted for plan B which is a combo of hitching rides and walking.

It was back in 2008 that my friend Cindy told my ex Paul and I that we need to get better at learning how to hitch rides, so I did. Often I start putting it “out there” while I am getting ready for the universe to please send me a ride. Once on the street and heading towards where I want to go, I watch who is coming my way and sometimes I will stop someone and ask. Being that this is a small island, I often just wait for someone I know to come along.

My first ride of the night was thanks to Lydia, Robert, and Sierra and it even came with great music. They were driving around killing time before town and graciously offered to drive me right to the first party at South Beach.

South Ambergris Caye

Even though the party listed as starting at 5:00 PM, I knew it was going to be a bit quiet there but I did not mind – calm before the storm. I enjoyed listening to DJ Bryce and time on the beach under the near full moon. Plus they made me a delicious fruit smoothie. The pic below shows them getting ready for ringing in 2018 with a big balloon drop.

Ambergris Caye New Years Eve Parties 2017

I was hoofing it to my next party a little further south and was not totally counting on a ride this time when suddenly Raquel and Kristen were passing me by on the other side of the road waving hello. They asked where I was going and although I was not far from my destination, they immediately swung their cart around and picked me up – thanks girls.

Party number two was at Black Orchid Restaurant. Technically an ambient dinner is not a party but in my world, it counts for two reasons, first – the Lobster & Beef Special. Secondly, anyone who knows the owners will agree a quiet dinner Judyann and Tom’s restaurant can be an exception. They are both so bubbly and fun – the kind of people that make you feel like you are at a really good party no matter what the occasion. This time around I only saw Tom as Judyann was buried in the kitchen and although he told me I could go say hi, I did not want to disturb her as the place was packed and I knew she would be busy. Sure enough, the party atmosphere was in full swing as they were giving everyone horns with their meal. Randomly throughout my meal, someone in one part of the restaurant would blow their horn and others would follow suit with a chorus of honking around the room. My meal was delicious and when I went to pay my bill, Tom brought back the billfold full and said that Judyann wanted to treat me for dinner – thank you! So I paid it forward and left my waitress a large tip and was on my way.

Ambergris Caye Restaurants

I did not get a picture of my next and last “hitched ride;” a limousine (6 seater golf cart). Knowing I could not score wheels for the night, my friend Ginger had arranged for Jules to do a drop off at the Palapa Bar; her neighbour CJ was there too. I told them they could just let me off at party number three; Crazy Canucks and that I would meet them later at Palapa. They decided instead to join my party crawl and were happy to stop for a drink at a few more places along the way. When we got to Crazy Canucks, the party was in full swing. As per the plan we stayed for a couple of drinks and enjoyed watching a few girls dancing then it was time to move on to our next event.

None of us had been to Crocs Sports Bar before so it was a good stop for something different. The second floor was actually a lot more packed than it looks in my picture and the first floor was pretty busy too. Coincidentally when we walked in and sat down, my second hitched ride (Kristen and Raquel) were at the bar beside us. DJ Chabo was great and this kept us enjoying party number four for awhile.

Ambergris Caye New Years Eve Parties 2017

Party number five was our main destination as it was close to town. DJ Patron was on his game. It was absolutely packed inside so we scoped out a prime spot on the dock. Before long the dock started filling up with people anticipating the big fireworks show at Midnight.

Ambergris Caye New Years Eve Parties 2017

As always the fireworks show was great.

Ambergris Caye New Years Eve Parties 2017

My last party of the night (number six) was on my way home, Central Park. As I walked the beach to get there with my editor Shirlee and her friend Mark, there were so many people out enjoying the night. At the beginning of this post I mentioned “lucky number seven”. I suppose the actually last “party” of the night, was snuggling up for the night in my cozy warm bed. 🙂

Ambergris Caye New Years Eve Parties 2017

I will leave you with a couple of shots from New Years Day. The weather was gorgeous and kids were enjoying swimming at the park.

San Pedro Weather

Happy New Year everyone. May all you have a fabulous, fun-filled and successful year.

Ambergris Caye Belize

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tacogirl

Laurie Norton grew up dyslexic and was very challenged by the school. She never dreamed she would move to Belize and become a writer. A year after her move to Ambergris Caye, Laurie became an entrepreneur and professional writer starting tacogirl blog in 2007. Since then she has helped many people plan their vacations or move. She also has been published in Great Destinations Belize Guidebook, Moon Guide to Living in Belize, Insight Guides, Island Magazine several times and USA Today. Currently Laurie resides in downtown San Pedro and enjoys being a "city girl" on a tropical island.

previous post
New Years Eve Party Crawl 2017 – Best Parties and Pre Party Dinners
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New Year, New Life, New Business?

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I just returned from my trip to Belize in mid-June 2022. I had been planning the trip weeks / months in advance and... Laurie (taco girl) wasextremely helpful in preparation for my trip. Her intimate knowledge as an expat who was ONCE a tourist, really helps because she is able to share first hand knowledge of how a tourist can explore Ambergis Caye like a "temporary local". An example of this, was she recommended 2 yoga classes for my wife to enjoy while on vacation that we would not have known about otherwise and the class was far better than a class arranged by a hotel, as you get the local experience not a staged one. In addition, she was helpful in providing recommendations for dinner and sharing some discounts she has arranged with local retailers. Reviewing the taco girl blog and reaching out to Laurie is like having a tour guide, but more important a tour guide that KNOWS Belize.read more
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Laurie was super helpful in providing places to eat, things to do and best yet had ongoing blogs that allowed us to... look back on other places that she pointed out. A fantastic resource for both first time and return visitors of Ambergris Caye!read more
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Fantastic service .I needed to find a place where I could buy a local sim card as my UK sim doesnt work in belize and... Tacogirl put me on the right path .Decided to walk across town and discovered so much more in beautiful San Pedro.Many thanks.BWread more
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We have been using TacoGirl for what feels like decades when planning our trips to Belize! It has only been a few... years but she is the first place we stop to see what is happening in our favorite vacation spot. She knows all the best spots to get away and do so many fun things - whether it is relaxing or exploring! We are planning our next trip with our twins and she was the first person I reached out to. Knowing we have a resource like her, makes trip planning a breeze!read more
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I first got my Passport in 2012 and Taco Girl was my first connection back then Great then and Marvelous Now! She's... blossomed and developed into a wonderful contact for any and all information Belize. She goes above & beyond to respond with information that you need whether visiting Belize or relocating! I wasn't able to fund the move then but now that I have much more equity I am doing it.This time she was the 1st person I reached out to! Now I am selling and moving to Belize. She responds immediately! Like I do in my Pet Sitting Business! I was so impressed I followed her all this time. And was not disappointed!Pamela Nixonread more
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We started coming to Ambergis Caye in 2014 and stumble on to Tacogirls blog, so glad we did! We used her 15% discount... at The Premier Duty-Free shop in the airport! It worked great all we did was let them know we read it on her blog . She has great information awesome pictures, we have tried several places she has recommended, all were amazing. Highly recommend reading her blog. Kathleenread more
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It was my first time visiting Belize and San Pedro so naturally I had a ton of questions when it came time to planning... the travel. Taco Gril's blog was an invaluable source of information for all the travel questions in Ambergris Caye. I was able to learn a lot of basic information, as well as many tips and tricks. In addition when I reached out to Taco Girl for advice on finding a local photographer and a restaurant recommendation, she was very quick to respond and gave me many helpful suggestions. She also provided a lot more information from a local's point of view, which was much for valuable than than a typical guidebook. Thanks to her helpful suggestions we were able to celebrate my daughter's birthday at a nice restaurant, and had a great photo family session with a local photographer. I'm very thankful for all her resources and knowledge.read more
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I am considering a move to Belize and I have serendipitously found tacogirl.....what a treasure! She is full of great... advice, helpful hints.....knows everybody on Ambergris Caye and has a thousand useful recommendations and suggestions. Whether you are planning a vacation or relocating, you should make use of the many services she has to offer…..read more
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I’m so pleased to see tacogirl's blog on Google. Laurie's blog is my official “go to” source for tourist and local... information on San Pedro. Of course, it’s always nice to see her guides on “what to do” in San Pedro, but I also appreciate her “insider” advice and human interest stories on what it’s like living as a local on the island. I especially enjoy her guest articles, providing a different perspective of all things San Pedro. Her tipping quide is a classic, and don’t forget her Tropic Air flight code and on-island discounts. You’re not up-to-date with what’s going on in San Pedro if you’re not regularly reading tacogirl's blog.read more
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Belize Blog Est. 2007

belize travel specialist

ABOUT ME

I took the plunge and moved to San Pedro Town on the Island of Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize, Central America. Originally from Canada, I made the life-changing move to escape winter for good (in 2006) after one three week vacation. If you have any questions or want Belize help planning and booking, please feel free to contact me.

SPARKING MY DESIRE

A few childhood memories that shaped my desire to move to Belize from a young age. Sailing in the Virgin Islands, seeing a rainbow out the window of an island hopper as we flew from Virgin Islands to Puerto Rico, Christmas in Hawaii and many trips to Florida.

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