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At Isla Bonita, otherwise known as San Pedro, (“Last night I dreamt of San Pedro,” sings Madonna), you can throw away your watch, forget television, cell phones, and computers, and kick back for breathtaking views and the carefree experience you can normally only dream about. Could there be a more friendly island than Ambergris Caye, a short 15 minute hop from Belize City by Tropic Air, Maya Air, or Island Air? Not even! An added bonus is that everyone speaks English with Queen Elizabeth on the coins and Belize bills and, most importantly, U.S.dollars stretch twice the distance here. You will want to extend your vacation, buy here, retire here, live here, or return time and time again. A warning: When you return to reality, you may not be able to get your mind on anything else as you will be forever visualizing the beauty and gentle grace of this still largely undiscovered paradise. I embarked
on my journey with a swift flight from Dallas to Belize City via American
Airlines (under three hours) which is considerably shorter than Dallas
to Honolulu, trading a much more commercial atmosphere with high prices
for a utopian paradise, very reasonably priced, with rates varying for
every budget. Forget renting a car: you rent a golf cart or bike to tour
around Ambergris Caye and it’s flat out fun, especially when you drive
your golf cart onto the hand pulled raft ferry to the north side of the
island. (3 minutes) You can always take an island cab, however, and I promise
you will never find friendlier native cabdrivers, eager to share information
about their favorite restaurants, sites to visit, or island gossip about
whatever you wish to know.
Security guards, Gene and Egbert, courteous and reliable, are there to ensure your safety at Banana Beach Resort, although San Pedro and vicinity are virtually one of the last, great safe places, it seems, to walk about day or night. Of course all this builds up an appetite for some of the best food to be found in a single location. I have never
visited any destination where every dining experience was such a pleasure.
My only disappointment was that I could not try out each and every restaurant.
Of course, low season is lobster season and I believe I ate my weight in
fresh seafood caught daily, such as red snapper, grouper, and lobster.
And, O.K., I’ll admit it. I gained at least five pounds eating my way to
nirvana. On the weekend, I traveled about 30 minutes by boat to Caye Caulker,
a lazy, sleepy, sandy, backpacker haven, to engage in a serious culinary
treat – Lobsterfest – where the lobsters are enormous, barbequed right
on the grill. Served with rice and beans and slaw, you forget simple amenities
like cutlery and just want to sit around and listen to reggae on the beach,
wolf down your enormous lunch, and indulge in a hedonism that is absolutely
addictive.
I met other travelers at Fido’s in San Pedro, lazily sipping Bellikin local beer, while they chatted away at the outdoor tables overlooking the sea. Fido’s palapa bar just invites relaxation with lively music at night to welcome all guests as does Crazy Canook’s at Playador Hotel, who hosted the wildly popular Aziatic and the New Concepts, a punta-rock Belizian band, one evening. Now there’s a group who will dance you down til you’re sweat-soaked and still begging for more. You can buy their CDs on the spot or at the airport in Belize City on your way out. Islanders swear listening to their music will make you a new person and they are performing all over Belize during the entire month of November. Let’s say, however, that you just cannot bear to say goodbye to this unique island and you cannot say enough is enough. In fact, half the people I met extended their stay for extra days in Isla Bonita and were already planning their next trip. Inevitably, you realize that you must own a piece of this island dream. And why not? You should know that the Belizian government encourages American ownership and tourism and makes it easy to buy in Belize. For excellent information on buying, retiring, or vacationing in Belize, two most helpful websites include: belizefirst.com, with Lan Sluder’s articles and book on Belize covering every topic you could anticipate about Belize, and escapeartist.com, which literally covers every conceivable topic about travel you could desire. Also, explore ambergriscaye.com for more info and maps. To buy a two room suite at Banana Beach Resort, which includes a one bedroom, one bath furnished suite complete with oceanfront view and balcony, with L.R. that has fold-out queen and kitchen fully stocked, you can basically choose the price you are willing to pay. Courtyard suites are priced less expensively, overlooking the two pools, and prices vary from $59,000 to $150,000 or more, depending on the size and location of the units. Many feel the beach and swimming at Banana Beach are the best on the island; their website is bananabeach.com, offering full details about vacationing at this outstanding property. For buying units at Banana Beach, check with Amanda or Chris at Sunrise Realty ( sunrisebelize.com), which specializes in this and other properties on Ambergris Caye. The greatest part of either vacationing or buying in Belize is that there is something for every type of budget, depending on how extravagant you want to be. Lots of varying size are available for sale as are small, inexpensive homes, and sometimes building is much cheaper than buying preexisting homes. So whether you want to spend a little or a lot will depend on your philosophy of life and your attitude about the necessities you feel define your needs or wants. There are available opportunities for buying on nearby cayes or in more remote areas that are extremely reasonable. And many people enjoy retirement in Belize as well as those who prefer to become permanent residents, with a lower financial requirement. I was fortunate to meet an ex-pat couple, Bill and Georgia, who live on Ambergris Caye and who started coming to this island years ago. They loved it and began an import business by bringing in necessities such as cranberry juice, paperbacks, and other items that were difficult to obtain. As with other ex-pats who live on cayes, they take short trips to Belize City for supplies, and the occasional trip to the U.S. for business. What they notice about most tourists is how quickly they begin to shed their uptight demeanors and begin to unwind within a day or two. When I asked them about the difficulties of relocating and selling their possessions, basically starting over in a new world and lifestyle, Bill remarked seriously, “It just takes wanting something and believing in yourself.” I couldn't help but be impressed with their courage and determination to succeed, remembering that someone once told me that your "stuff" just goes on to different people long after you are gone, but as Bill gently reminded me, "You only live once and life is short. When you come here, you just need to leave your attitude behind and assimilate." There is no question that island living is different and adapting to the mellow atmosphere is both a joy and a reinvention of expectations and requirements. But, as with all things, you are wise to visit this wonderful area of Belize, roam about, and get to know the people and the environs, while adjusting to a friendly, healthy, environmentally-conscious, inexpensive paradise. Really, folks, ya gotta see it to Belize it! To Contact Lynette Click Here
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