The town of San Pedro occupies several blocks from the coast and is where most of the 17,000 inhabitants of the island live.

1. San Pedro Village

The town of San Pedro occupies several blocks from the coast and is where most of the 17,000 inhabitants of the island live. The coast is full of guest houses, small hotels, restaurants by the sea and dozens of shops for diving or snorkeling, where you can book excursions or rent equipment. While the narrow stretch of sand that covers the ocean in San Pedro is more a passageway than a beach, many of the hotels have long docks towards the sea, where guests can sunbathe and swim. The shallow bottom extends quite far and in many areas they are covered with seaweed. Some people dive into these docks, but the real action is on the reef where a boat is required to get to this point. Other alternatives are kayaking, windsurfing, kitesurfing and rowing surfing, which are the most popular water sports that can be done from the coast.

In the heart of San Pedro, you can see golf carts, taxis and bicycles through the cobbled streets full of shops offering unique local products that include: crafts, chocolates and others. Visitors can also find yoga studios and day spas, along with dozens of restaurants serving local dishes, seafood and even international dishes. The nightlife starts late around 11 p.m. And it varies every night in many bars with live music.



The only well-maintained white sand beaches in Ambergris Caye are found in private resorts outside San Pedro. To the south of the town you can find several luxury hotels that vary in size, as well as a wide variety of restaurants and outdoor bars. The furthest point is 3 miles (5 km) from San Pedro, so it is too far to walk, but it is feasible to go by bicycle or in a golf cart.

There are also several luxury options with beautiful beaches north of San Pedro. However, a few kilometers after the toll bridge the road degrades rapidly, so it is not recommended to travel by golf cart. The furthest resort is approximately 13 miles (21 km) north of the city and the only way to get there is a water taxi on a 30-40 minute drive. Many of the private resorts offer transportation, but for those who wish to stay away in the north they should appreciate the surroundings, since reaching the town is expensive and impractical.



The main attraction of the island is at sea on the reef, there are excursions available both mid-morning and full day. Most visitors practice snorkeling in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, where fishing is prohibited and marine life is thriving. This is often combined with a stop at Shark Ray Alley, where divers can be up close with the large population of nurse sharks and stingrays. A less frequent, but equally impressive route takes visitors to the northern tip of the island to the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve, where travelers can explore the mangroves, observe the birds and snorkel along with the marine life.