|
|
Ambergris Caye Map and Guide
|
|
The island Ambergris Caye,
pronounced "am-BER-gris", is the largest island of Belize located
northeast of the country in the Caribbean Sea. Though administered as
part of the Belize District, the closest point on the mainland is part
of the Corozal District.
|
|
Click any Pictures to enlarge
|
|
A
Maya
community lived on the island in Pre-Columbian times, and made
distinctive polished red ceramics, most notably small well molded
figurines of animals.
The Caye (pronounced as "key",
meaning an island, derived from the Spanish language "cayo") is about
25 miles long from north to south, and about one mile wide. It was
named after large lumps of ambergris which washed ashore here.
The Belizean island, where it has not been modified by man, is mostly a
ring of white sand beach around mangrove swamp in the centre.
San
Pedro Town is the largest settlement and only town on Ambergris.
There are also a number of small villages and resorts. Captain Morgan's
and Mata Chica resorts north of San Pedro played host to the first
season of Fox's Temptation Island in 2000, aired in 2001. More
recently, the availability of skydiving during the winter has become a
draw for tourists so inclined.
Tourism development of Ambergris Caye began in the early 1970s and grew
considerably in the later years of the 20th century. The main
attractions are the Belize Barrier Reef and its beaches. That barrier
reef is the second largest in the world, after the Great Barrier Reef
of Australia. The caye has a small airstrip, and can be reached by
plane from Belize
City as well as by numerous Water
Taxis from Belize City, Caye
Caulker and Corozal. |
|
Attraction
|
|
|
|
This
page will be updated with a new map a new quide and new pictures later
this year. Please come back.
|
|
Places Nearby
|
|
|
|
Hol
Chan Marine Reserve |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Weather
|
|
GTB Weather
|
|
Quick News
|
|
|
Site
Search
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|