7 Ways to Have an Enjoyable Ambergris Caye Vacation

1. Start With Anticipation

An enjoyable vacation doesn’t have to begin after you arrive. Let yourself get excited by the feeling of fun you will have before you travel – this will help you pave the way to a great trip.

As many of you know first hand, Belize is an incredible, life-changing place to holiday. You will be greeted by a color explosion, like the aerial picture below. Take a deep breath, and take 30 seconds to daydream yourself on a luxury island aerial tour of Ambergris Caye. You are now flying over downtown San Pedro. Take another deep breath, and 30 more seconds to imagine what you will do with the rest of your day after you land.

Notice how great you feel.

2. Embrace the Magic and Be Flexible

This country, and definitely this island, have a magical heart and soul.

• Enjoy magic in the people.
• Taste magic in the food.
• See magic in every day things.
• Feel magic in the air, except of course when the sargasso is out 😀

The magic will light you up and bring you endless surprises and synchronicities on your vacation if you are open to it.

Being flexible goes a long way towards a good vacation. Things may not always turn out the way you plan, being flexible helps ensure you will have a great time no matter what. For example, the restaurant you wanted to go to may be closed, but instead, you end up at a cool local spot and have a great meal. That goes for your itinerary, too. You may have planned for all the things you wanted to do while away, however, don’t be hesitant to change that if something more appealing comes up.

3. Find Your Ultimate Relaxation

A big part of a tropical vacation is getting away from it all – taking well-deserved time to kick back in comfort (wherever that may be for you) and relax. This will help your body and soul feel restored and re-energized.

Your trip is a golden opportunity to forget about the clock (unless you have a tour) and designate some precious technology-free time so you can be more present in the moment. If you are using your phone for pictures, you can always temporarily turn off your notifications so you don’t get sucked into emails, social media, or messaging too often. Plan your days with things that help you reconnect to yourself and make you feel good. A holiday is meant to not only lift your spirits but also help you feel grounded and recharged.

For me anytime spent in a hammock is quality time. Whether you choose yours to be in a stylish vacation rental living room or on the beach, carve out some hammock time, you will be glad you did.

4. Enjoy Adventures

There are so many fun options in Belize. Below are two that topped my chart – the picture on the left is one from a sunrise cruise I planned on the Seaduction. On the right was an idyllic day with friends on a west Ambergris Caye sandbar back in 2009, before Secret Beach became popular.

Adventures don’t always have to be tours either, it could be driving on roads less traveled, making a picnic lunch, or exploring local neighborhoods to find some tasty local eateries. I would also consider social time an adventure on Ambergris.

If you are traveling with other people, don’t forget to schedule a solo activity or two as well. Think about what appeals to you personally and plan a selfie date. No matter who I am traveling with, I always like doing a bit of exploring on my own. It’s nice to lose yourself somewhere different and not have to wonder if someone else is getting bored.

*If you landed here because you are Ambergris Caye activities, you are likely interested in a golf cart discount for getting around the island.

Also, remember to balance activities with downtime as packing too much in can feel like work, and add stress to your vacation.

5. Try New Things

I chose the picture below as the Belize Chocolate Company on Front Street is a great place to enjoy some Belizean chocolate and learn some interesting history on how and where they make the delicious decadent treats – they also have a great small group chocolate-making class.

Another tasty option is Belize Food Tours, and signing up for this one will give you a good guided variety of local favorites that you might not otherwise try on your vacation. I also did their Belizean food cooking class tour and quite enjoyed it, considering I do not care to cook. If you would rather have someone else do the cooking for you then Chef Alex at Exquisite Eats is your go-to girl – she gets rave reviews.

Don’t forget to ask locals where their favorite places are – they can tip you off to some great hidden gems. Bartenders, musicians, taxi drivers, and servers are always happy to share info, and generally, so is the person enjoying an after-work cocktail on the barstool beside you.

6. Fall in Love

If you have followed all the other suggestions, it’s almost a guarantee you will have developed a heartfelt connection.

The country of Belize and especially Ambergris Caye is super easy to develop strong feelings for. I have long lost count of the vacationers who have told me it was love at first sight, and that they were ready to come back before they left.

I chose the picture below because it shows a bit of the quirky side of island life, you just never know what amusing things you will see.

7. End on a High Note

Generally, after falling in ‘location love’ on vacation, it makes it harder to return home in many cases for the umpteenth time. Plan something really fun to do the day before you leave. This will send you off on a high note and give you that ‘best vacation ever’ feeling to take home. Until your next holiday in Belize of course. 😀

If you can swing it, always leave an extra day after you return home to help reacclimate yourself before re-entering your normal routine.

And should you get a small case of the blues after you return home, you can lift your spirits by checking Google flights and starting to plan your next vacation back to your favorite blue – the Caribbean Sea.