Tanya Raedeke
beaches, International
Tanya Raedeke
beaches, International
Belize for family vacation
For an unforgettable Caribbean family vacation in Central America, you should head to Belize.
Your relaxing beach destination is Ambergris Caye, Belize’s largest island. San Pedro is the only town on this spectacular sliver of land on the Caribbean Sea.
For hundreds of years, Ambergris Caye has been known for fishing and coconuts, while more recently, ecotourism has grown here with scuba diving and snorkeling.
Our family of six soaked up sunshine and beach time in between fishing and snorkeling trips. We chose to save cave tubing, jungle stays, and mayan ruins for another time.
Once called the British Honduras, Belize is an English speaking country.
The beautiful beaches are covered in waving palm trees and colorful sunsets. And the weather is perfect.
Grab your swim suit and snorkel gear, here’s everything you need to know for flying to Ambergris Caye for your Belize family vacation.
What’s Covered Here:
Traveling in Belize and best way to get to Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye resorts great with kids
Snorkeling the Barrier Reef in Belize with kids (our favorite locations)
Secret Beach in Ambergris Caye
How to Pay for Things in Belize
What to Pack for Belize - snorkels and swim rafts and waterproof cases!!
Should We Go Cave Tubing on the Mainland?
Should We Visit Mayan Ruins in Belize?
traveling in belize
You can fly to Belize City with United Airlines from over 200 airports within the United States. We flew a nonstop flight from Denver to Belize City, using United rewards racked up from our United Explorer Chase credit card to cover three of our tickets.
Then we hopped on a 15 minute flight with Tropic Air to the town of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye.
Finally, we rented a six seater golf cart for the week so we could go where we wanted, when we wanted. Especially handy to try different restaurants on the island and for personal grocery shopping.
Boat drivers picked us up straight from our dock at our resort which was awesome. Water taxis will pick you up from your dock as well.
Tropic Air and Van Shuttle to our Condo
Tropic Air, the airline of Belize, operates 17 light aircraft. The airline flies to 17 destinations in Belize, Mexico, Guatemala, and Honduras.
A minivan shuttle from the airport to our condo was arranged by our condo’s management company. We booked a lovely ground floor condo right on the beach with direct pool access.
Since our little resort was about 20 minutes from the center of San Pedro, we rented a six seater golf cart for the week, costing us about $450.
We rented our six seater from MK Golf Cart Rental. We were impressed by their customer service and they were more than happy to pick up our luggage and follow us back to the airport.
ambergris caye resorts
Indigo Belize
Belize Tourism Gold Standard Certified
Located 4.5 miles North of San Pedro town, in the peaceful residential area of Mata Grande, Indigo Beach Homes is an exclusive collection of 15 premier condos, boasting at least 1,800 square feet of indoor living area and at least 3 bedrooms and 3 baths.
Indigo Belize was perfect for our family of 6 and Manuel took care of all our needs.
Designed to bring in the "Aire fresco" to your vacation home, open your glass doors so you can enjoy the island breeze. Enjoy ocean views from the spacious wrap-around deck, furnished with handmade Belizean hardwood furniture.
At Indigo Belize, you stay right on the beach, and you are steps from the pool and Indigo’s boat dock.
You can easily fish, wade along the shore, or hop a water taxi to get to town. Most of the excursions will pick you up at the dock as well. Or take a kayak out to the reef for free time snorkeling.
This is one of the best Ambergris Caye resorts!
Coco Caye Villa
Unwind in this beachfront villa lying 4.5 miles north of San Pedro in the Mata Grande area. Here you are just 75' from the waters edge at this Ambergris Caye Belize Resort.
Coca Caye Villas offer mid week maid service provided for stays of six nights or longer, and a double kayak for your exclusive use. Explore the nearby coral reef on your own time.
Lounge by the freshwater pool after exploring fantastic marine life in the Caribbean Sea.
Upon arrival to San Pedro, hop in a taxi, boat or a rented golf cart directly to Coco Caye Villa.
There are 5 privately owned villas known at Coco Caye Villas, once a coconut plantation.
Las Amapolas - great for two
With a private pier, pick from one of two casitas on the beach overlooking the Caribbean Sea and Barrier Reef.
You will never tire of this hidden gem on the beach with a spectacular view of the world's second largest Barrier Reef.
Las Amapolas is tucked among coconut palm trees and a secluded, white sandy beach. This was once a coconut plantation and is also about 4 1/2 miles north of San Pedro Town, in the Mata Grande Area of Ambergris Caye.
Matachica Resort and Spa
Located even further north of San Pedro than the ones mentioned above, stay on the beach at Matachica you are a few steps from the beach.
Matachica Beach Resort and Spa has accommodations with free bikes, free private parking, a fitness center and a garden.
You will love the 32 colorful casitas, pool, spa and restaurant on site.
Tranquility Bay Beach Area
Traveling in Belize and looking for seclusion and spectacular snorkeling paradise? Stay close to Tranquility Bay Beach.
Tranquility Bay Resort is the only resort on Ambergris Caye that is actually located inside the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, which means you can literally take a few steps out of your cabana, start snorkeling and experience an amazing variety of marine life.
Tranquility Bay is located in Belize 13.5 Miles North of Ambergris Caye in the Basil Jones Area on 12 acres at the northeastern edge of Ambergris Caye. While it’s a long ride to the town of San Pedro, you will have unique beachfront access to the Belize Barrier Reef – a spectacular underwater world featuring colorful sea life. This is ideal for the family looking to unplug and unwind.
Exploring the Belize barrier reef
Our main desire for this Christmas family vacation in Belize was to relax, soak up the sun, and snorkel the barrier reef.
Belize is a fantastic family spring break destination too since the average daily high is 86 degrees and there are only 4 days of rain typically in March.
The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, named a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996, is made up of several protected areas, including the Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve and Hol Can Marine Reserve.
Bacalar Chico and Hol Chan are easy to access from Ambergris Caye.
The Belize Barrier Reef is the largest reef complex in the Atlantic-Caribbean region and the second largest reef system in the world, second only to the Great Barrier Reef in the Coral Sea off the coast of Australia.
Our boat guide on both of our guided snorkeling excursions believes the Barrier Reef in Belize will one day surpass the Great Barrier Reef in size.
For your excursions, you will want to wear light layers, a bathing suit, possibly a rash guard, bug repellant and/or sunscreen, comfortable shoes or sandals, sunglasses, and a hat.
snorkeling in Belize
According to Island Expeditions, there are more than 500 different species of marine life that can be seen while snorkeling in Belize.
Here you will find one of the richest marine ecosystems on Earth, where the warm, shallow waters make it ideal for those new to snorkeling.
During your time set aside for Belize Barrier Reef snorkeling, you may see black coral, sea turtles, manta rays, parrotfish, trumpet fish, sponges, sea feathers, crabs, angelfish and much more.
While snorkeling we also saw a sea turtle, nurse shark, lobster, spotted eagle ray, sting rays, conch, Triggerfish, and a Portugese Man O’War that had washed up on the beach — be careful, these sting!
In fact, the Belize Barrier Reef is a significant habitat for threatened species, including sea turtles, manatees, and the American marine crocodile. It is also home to whale shark, killer whales, dolphins, seahorses, eels, and octopuses.
snorkeling in Ambergris Caye
Sam runs Scuba Daze Belize, which happened to only be 450 meters or a short 5 minute walk on the beach from our spacious family-friendly condo at Indigo Belize.
Scuba Daze Belize offers top notch Scuba Diving Tours and Snorkeling Tours on Ambergris Caye Belize.
Scuba Daze Belize is located 4.5 Miles North of the bridge in the heart of the Mata Grande Area and just a short boat ride away from the world's second longest Barrier Reef.
They offer snorkeling trips to Hol Chan and Mexico Rocks, but they are also willing to customize a private trip for you. They offer scuba diving trips too.
They customized a full day of snorkeling, fishing, lobster hunting and a beach barbecue at Bacalar Chico. It was our favorite day of the week.
Sam’s guides swung by in their boat and picked us up in the morning for our two snorkeling trips to Mexico Rocks and Bacalar Chico.
Bacalar Chico National park and Marine REserve
A fabulous eco-travel destination, Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve is a protected area and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the northern part of Ambergris Caye in Belize.
You can only reach Bacalar Chico National Park by boat, as it sits on the remote northern tip of Ambergris Caye overlooking the Bay of Chetumal and Mexico.
The ranger station for the park is housed among the ruins of Chac Balam, an important Maya trading point. It is said the Mayan hand dug the narrow channel, separating Ambergris Caye from Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula.
Our boat driver and guide took us up north to the reserve, near Tranquility Bay Resort. This is the only resort on Ambergris Caye located inside the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve!
After we caught lobster and conch, we hung out on a beautiful public beach next to a small run-down summer camp while our guides cooked up a delicious barbecue. Hands down, the best meal we had all week.
If you like remote vacation stays, know that from Tranquility Bay Resort, you can walk out of your cabana and slip into the water from the dock for fantastic snorkeling in the reserve.
NOTE: You can make the long 45 minute+ drive out towards Tranquility Bay Resort for the day in your golf cart when the road is in good shape, but it is much more enjoyable to reach it by boat like we did.
While we only enjoyed the marine reserve part of Bacalar Chico this time around, many adventurous travelers like us also enjoy Bacalar Chico National Park.
Bacalar Chico National Park offers wonderful hiking among gorgeous coastal forests, swamps, mudflats, savannahs, sinkholes, and lagoons. The 12,640-acre reserve has 11 miles of trails and is home to dozens of animals, including endangered pumas and jaguars!
Mexico Rocks
Our first day of snorkeling, we headed out to Mexico Rocks, the newest Marine Reserve onAmbergris Caye.
Mexico Rocks is quickly becoming one of the more popular snorkeling destinations in Belize.
This shallow patch reef system between the barrier reef and Ambergris Caye is a must see and does not take long to get to.
We opted for Mexico Rocks and Tres Cocos over the less busy Hol Chan Reserve and it was awesome.
Tres Cocos
This great snorkeling spot in Belize is often coupled with Mexico Rocks.
Unlike Mexico Rocks, Tres Cocos is actually on the inside of the barrier reef. Water depth averages 4-8 feet deep.
You will see lots of fish here swimming among Elkhorn Coral and large Brain Coral.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley
Hol Chan means “little channel” in Mayan, which refers to a natural break in the Belize Barrier Reef.
As ecotourism to the Cayes increased with fishermen, snorkeler, and dives, this area was established as a protected marine area.
Most snorkeling tour guides offer two snorkeling stops in one half day excursion by coupling Hol Chan with Shark Ray Alley. You will swim alongside nurse sharks, stingrays and other colorful marine life.
Your family is guaranteed to see a lot of marine life here and have a lot of fun.
Caye Caulker
You can book a sailboat ride for a full day trip to Caye Caulker.
Or head solely to Caye Caulker for several days.
Caye Caulker is a small island off the Belize coast — just four miles long. It’s divided by a narrow channel called the Split, where there’s a bar and a sandy beach.
You will find Caye Caulker Village on the south end of the island, while the north end of the island is made up of dense mangrove forests and diverse birdlife, protected by a forest reserve.
The Caye Caulker Marine Reserve has excellent snorkeling and dive sites on the Belize Barrier Reef.
Enjoy the relaxed vibe on Caye Caulker in one of these 5 star rated beach homes.
Secret Beach on AMbergris Caye
Secret Beach is not so secret anymore, but it is still worth a day trip.
You will need a golf cart to get there. Driving 4.5 miles north from San Pedro, you will turn left at the junction for Indigo Belize (where we stayed!) and head west until you reach Secret Beach.
From San Pedro, it takes about 40 minutes by golf cart. From Indigo Belize, about 15-20 minutes is all you need to get there.
Things to do at Secret Beach with Kids:
Enjoy lunch and lounge at one of the Beach Bars
Play at a Wibit Waterpark at the Secret Beach Waterpark Bar and Grill
Bring swim rafts and enjoy warm shallow waters
Enjoy beautiful sunsets (but bring your bug spray!)
Avoid Sundays when it can be really crowded
Where to Eat on Ambergris Caye
Our favorite restaurants on Ambergris Caye with teenagers:
Caramba!
Truck Stop
John’s Escape Bar & Grill
Farmhouse
Casa Pan Dulce Bakery Bakery
Tipsy Lobster
Matachica Resort and Spa Restaurant- walk from Indigo Belize
Shop at the Super Buy Grocery store in town (expensive!) and local produce stands for fresh fruits and veggies. We made our own pico and bought locally made corn chips to enjoy by our pool.
Bring your own favorite snacks, like snack bars, microwave popcorn and peanut M&Ms in your luggage, as they may be hard to find on the island.
How to pay for things in Belize
Paying for things in Belize is easy! Most restaurants and tour operators accept major credit cards.
Small local produce stands and stores take cash, US dollars or Belize dollars. If you pay in US dollars, you very well will be given change back in Belize dollars.
We took US $400 cash for the week and probably only used about $150 of it.
What to Wear in Belize
Most of the time, you will find yourself dressing lightly, wearing a bathing suit, repellant and/or sunscreen, comfortable shoes or sandals, sunglasses, and a hat.
For example, the weather in Belize in December, when we visited, is high of 83 and low of 70 degrees. Glorious.
What to pack for Belize
Besides your normal beach wear, don’t forget:
Snorkel mask and fins
Cheap swim rafts for the pool
Frisbee, football, or small pool toys
Waterproof phone case
Turkish Towels for the Beach
Hats and Sunscreen
Bug Spray
Rain Jacket, just in case
Inflatable Paddle Board - here’s our favorite SUP to travel with
Passports
Cash, US Dollars are fine
Favorite American Snacks
Should we go Cave Touring and Tubing in Belize?
Yes, IF you don’t mind a very long day trip from Ambergris Caye.
Otherwise, we recommend planning to stay a couple of nights in San Ignacio before coming out to the island.
Do your inland excursions first, like the Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM) Cave Tours then head to San Pedro.
Step into the world of the ancient Maya on a tour of Actun Tunichil Muknal, hiking and wading deep into a series of tunnels, chambers, and passageways. Support from an experienced cave guide ensures a safe trip into—and back out of—the maze-like cave network, where you’ll find the "Crystal Maiden," the crystallized remains of an ancient ceremonial victim.
Should we visit Mayan Ruins in Belize?
Yes, IF you don’t mind a very long day trip from Ambergris Caye.
Otherwise, we recommend planning to stay a couple of nights in San Ignacio before coming out to the island. Do your jungle excursions first, then head to San Pedro.
Combine cave tubing and the Mayan Ruins.
Discover the history of the ancient Mayans on a full-day tour to the Altun Ha archaeological site from Belize City. Learn about the significance of this ceremonial site and see the representation of the Mayan Sun God carved into a piece of jade.
Then head to a cave in the Belizean rainforest and go cave tubing along the Caves Branch River to explore another ancient ceremonial location of the Mayans.
More Caribbean Family Vacations
Everyone loves a warm, tropical Caribbean vacation.
In addition to our family vacation to Belize, we’ve also relished Isla Holbox and Cozumel Mexico. The dreamy Florida Keys are considered America’s Caribbean.
Read more about these warm family destinations:
Explore Florida Keys from Marathon. The Keys, an archipelago, is home to more than 1,700 islands along a 112-mile stretch. Stay in Marathon.
Visit Isla Holbox, north of Cancun Mexico. Your family will love the warm, shallow waters on this playful island.
Cozumel and Belize have a lot in common: world class snorkelin at its finest. Our family had a blast here for Christmas vacation one year.
Learn more about our Top 10 Spring Break Destinations for Families!
