This year was a first in that I would say my friends and I ran into very few people we knew while ringing in the New Year.

Due to our foursome being a bit like a fast moving Goldilocks (this bar is too crowded, that one too loud) we had our friends Jules and Rosemary sprinting after us. We ended up finding the perfect spot on the beach and of course, Murphy’s law kicked in and they were already doing last call at Nook so we enjoyed a relaxing drink and had to find a different spot to enjoy the show. 

I was glad we did as it gave me a chance to check out the fireworks barge up close before we picked our watching spot – a nice relatively uncrowded dock. I was also glad we had detoured back to my house along the way for my pashmena. It was quite chilly that night and I would have been shivering without it.

As we waited for the fireworks to start and listened to Mayor Danny’s speech, I enjoyed hearing him give accolades to Raise Me Up, San Pedro Red Cross and other charities. I also enjoyed some good “reality TV”, watching boats go by on the water.

After the show started, I got chatting with a visitor beside me and he was very impressed by the light show. Nothing like enjoying a fantastic fireworks display on the Caribbean Sea as we start another trip around the sun.

In celebration of 2017 and starting the New Year off right I made a World Resolution video. If everyone puts a little more daily positivity out into our world, it will be a better place.

Another pro is, your life and the people in it will reflect your positive state of mind and you will find you accomplish great things when you set your mind to it and back it up with action. 

Wishing everyone good health and many great times in 2017

Here are a few pictures I took that night so you can see 25 min worth of fireworks on the barge and the main party at Central Park – huge turnout.

Action packed 25 minute show waiting to set out to sea

Large crowd awaits the sky show

This year town council added a land display component. It was very cool and safely marked off

With a crowd that size you can bet the party lasted all night long – I laid in bed and listened to it for hours

Kids love the holidays and staying up late here – pic taken around 12:30 am

New Years Day

Typically on New Year’s day, I end up chilling out with TV and good snacks after a late night (5:00 am this time) but this year was different. My friend Jorge who was staying nearby was only here one more day before heading to the mainland, wanted to go for a walk on the beach – I was in.

It was pretty relaxing sitting on the giant wood carved bench at Xanadu and watching the action. Many people were out enjoying jet skis and kite surfing. We sat for hours, laughing, talking and admiring a woman in the distance getting a nice long massage under a palm tree.

After that, we headed to Hungry Grouper so he could meet Chef Argyle and taste his wonderful cooking. We both ordered curry snapper and fiesta rice – he had a garden salad and I did apple slaw. Jorge told me it was the best meal he had eaten during his stay here.

In addition to a slow walk, both of us wanted to take pictures starting from the get go with the featured image above, a large flotilla of cool boats at the pier in town center. It was a gorgeous sunny day and we saw lots of beautiful sights.

Cleaning his catch – a big dorado also known as mahi mahi or dolphinfish

A pod of pelicans

chatting and watching the world go by on the big wood bench at Xanadu Resort

Missed this year for January in Belize and kicking your new year off right? Think ahead and this time next year you could be experiencing tropical travel, crossing it off your New Years resolution list from the get go. Mark your Calendar and plan a trip to Ambergris Caye for New Years to enjoy a huge beach fireworks extravaganza and party put on every year by the San Pedro Town Council. Check out the Tripadvisor Travel Guide to see what else Ambergris Caye has to offer.