When you see San Pedro from the air you can tell it's not going to be a quiet island. It sprawls up the coast in each direction. I arrived by Tropic Air from Corozal and landed at the airstrip that is almost, now, in the centre of town. The terminal is being rebuilt at San Pedro and is definately aiming for a more upmarket clientele that expects a greater number of services to be available.
Once you leave the airport and hit the main street, coconut drive, the hustle and bustle are self evident. Petrol driven golf carts and other minibuses trundle up and down and it is a far cry from the sandy streets that once were prevelent in San Pedro
Don't get me wrong though, the ambience is surely tropical and a relaxed air, aside from the traffic, pervades the town.
I stayed a little south in a backpacker hostel called, appropriately, Pedros. The location is, as I said, a little from the main action but with an onsite pool and bar and rooms as cheap as $14 it is the bargain of San Pedro.
I have a review of Pedro's Backpacker on Trip Advisor, you can read it here.
There are scores of bars and restaurants on the island and they spread both north and south from the centre, depending upon the night some bars are more favourable than others and a weekly circuit seems to ensue. Pedro's itself has a great little bar with a propensity for clients and Peter, the owner, to ring the bar bell denoting a round of chilled Jaegermeister all round. A sure way to a hangover but can be saved by the great pizzas on offer at the bar.
Overall I found both the locals and tourists alike very amiable and chatty. It was easy to strke up conversations and make new drinking buddies. One night ending up driving into a bar for drinks in the golf cart itself after a beach bar party! Other good places I found were Estells on the beach for breakfast and Fido's bar for music and cheap drinks.
Got to say hello to Hilde, thanks for the bite marks, Joe - incredible appedtite, Peter - for the endless shots, Walter for the drive through and the longest dreads I have ever seen and Fredrick for the critical thinking, oh yes and the drinking!
All in all San Pedro on Ambergris Caye is a must see, there are rooms for all budgets and plenty to do both in the day and night alike.
Peter J Smith January 2009
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