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John’s Escape Bar & Grill sits along the sandy shoreline of Ambergris Caye, framed by palms and bright Caribbean colors that reflect the island’s casual, beach-town character. Small waterfront restaurants like this have long been part of the local coastal culture, serving residents, tour guides, and travelers arriving from nearby docks. The hand-painted mural and relaxed seating on the beach underscore how many of Ambergris Caye’s businesses blend into the natural landscape, offering views over the Belize Barrier Reef lagoon just steps from the water.

John’s Escape Bar & Grill Sign

John's Escape Bar & Grill in Belize

Ambergris Caye, Beach, Belize, Central America, John McAfee, John's Escape
A sign for Las Amapolas at El Cocal promotes “Reef Runner” glass-bottom boat tours, a long-standing local attraction offering snorkeling and fishing excursions to the Belize Barrier Reef. These tours provide visitors direct access to the island’s marine biodiversity, a defining feature that has shaped San Pedro’s economy and identity since the mid-20th century when tourism began replacing commercial fishing.

Ambergris Caye, reef tours, Las Amapolas, snorkeling

A sign for Las Amapolas at El Cocal promotes “Reef Runner” glass-bottom boat tours, a long-standing local attraction offering snorkeling…

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Boat, Casitas At El Cocal, Central America, Costa Rica, Hotel, Las Amapolas, Reef Runner
Caribbean Sea and Ambergris Caye in Belize.

Caribbean Sea in Belize 2022

Caribbean Sea and Ambergris Caye in Belize.

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Caribbean Sea, Central America
Las Terrazas Resort in Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Las Terrazas Resort in Belize

Las Terrazas Resort in Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America, Costa Rica, Hotel, Las Terrazas, Resort
A long wooden dock stretches into the Caribbean Sea just north of Matachica Resort & Spa on Ambergris Caye, constructed in a distinctive chevron pattern common to many of the island’s piers. These docks serve as essential access points for small boats, snorkeling excursions, and water taxis, reflecting the island’s long reliance on marine travel. At the end of the pier, a shaded palapa provides a quiet spot overlooking the protected waters inside the Belize Barrier Reef, where shallow seagrass flats and calm tides have supported fishing communities and tourism infrastructure for decades.

Dock Near Matachica Resort, Ambergris Caye

A long wooden dock stretches into the Caribbean Sea just north of Matachica Resort & Spa on Ambergris Caye, constructed…

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Caribbean Sea, Dock, Matachica, Resort
A printed notice affixed to a coconut palm on Ambergris Caye warns of 24-hour video surveillance—an increasingly common sight around resorts and beach properties as tourism expands. Such measures reflect efforts by local authorities and businesses to balance safety, privacy, and preservation amid the island’s rapid growth and environmental pressures.

Coastal Surveillance Notice on Ambergris Caye

A printed notice affixed to a coconut palm on Ambergris Caye warns of 24-hour video surveillance—an increasingly common sight around…

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America, Security, Surveillance
A wooden pier extends into the Caribbean Sea on the eastern shore of Ambergris Caye, topped with a palapa-style shelter commonly found along the island’s waterfront. These simple wooden structures serve both locals and visitors, offering space for fishing, small-boat landings, and relief from the midday sun. Just offshore, the shallow coastal waters give way to the darker blue of the open sea, with the white line of breakers marking the crest of the Belize Barrier Reef—the second-largest reef system in the world and a central part of the island’s history, economy, and marine culture.

Fishing Pier on Ambergris Caye

A wooden pier extends into the Caribbean Sea on the eastern shore of Ambergris Caye, topped with a palapa-style shelter…

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Caribbean Sea
A view along the eastern shoreline of Ambergris Caye, where rows of coconut palms and small wooden docks line the edge of the Caribbean Sea. This stretch of coast reflects the island’s gradual shift from a quiet fishing community to one of Belize’s primary tourism destinations, driven in part by its proximity to the Belize Barrier Reef just a short boat ride offshore. Despite this growth, the outer edges of the island still retain long undeveloped sections of shoreline, shaped by storms, tides, and ongoing efforts to balance tourism with coastal conservation.

Shoreline and Docks on Ambergris Caye

A view along the eastern shoreline of Ambergris Caye, where rows of coconut palms and small wooden docks line the…

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Caribbean Sea
A green Belize Tourism Board sign points the way to Secret Beach, one of Ambergris Caye’s most popular yet once-remote spots on the island’s western shore. Accessible only by unpaved roads until recent years, Secret Beach has transformed into a lively tourist area lined with bars and piers—symbolizing the island’s evolving relationship between secluded natural beauty and commercial development.

Sign to Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye

A green Belize Tourism Board sign points the way to Secret Beach, one of Ambergris Caye’s most popular yet once-remote…

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America, Secret Beach, Sign
A weathered sign reading “Keep Calm and Don’t Litter” stands at the edge of a mangrove wetland on Ambergris Caye, Belize. These coastal mangrove ecosystems play a critical role in protecting shorelines, supporting marine life, and filtering water, making local anti-littering efforts especially important. The sign, posted by community and conservation groups, reflects ongoing grassroots work to preserve the island’s fragile environment amid steady development and tourism growth.

“Keep Calm and Don’t Litter” Sign on Ambergris Caye

A weathered sign reading “Keep Calm and Don’t Litter” stands at the edge of a mangrove wetland on Ambergris Caye,…

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America
The calm, shallow lagoon behind Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye offers a view of the mangrove coast and recent construction along the island’s west side. Once nearly inaccessible, this area has seen rapid development, raising questions about ecosystem impacts and zoning enforcement. Despite the growth, the lagoon remains a rare quiet edge of an island increasingly defined by tourism infrastructure.

Secret Beach Lagoon on Ambergris Caye

The calm, shallow lagoon behind Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye offers a view of the mangrove coast and recent construction…

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America, Development, Water
Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Secret Beach Sign in Belize

Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Ambergris Caye, Beach, Belize, Central America, Palm Tree, San Pedro, Secret Beach, Sign
Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Secret Beach

Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye, Belize.

Ambergris Caye, Belize, Central America, Rose Spa, Secret Beach
A street in Santiago, Guatemala.

Santiago, Guatemala streets

A street in Santiago, Guatemala.

Guatemala, Santiago
Volcán Tolimán and Volcán Atitlán as seen from Panajachel, Guatemala. Shot from Porta Hotel del Lago.

Lake Atitlán during a gorgeous sunset

Volcán Tolimán and Volcán Atitlán as seen from Panajachel, Guatemala. Shot from Porta Hotel del Lago.

Guatemala, Hotel, Lake Atitlan, Panajachel, Porta Hotel del Lago, Volcán Atitlán, Volcán Tolimán, Volcano
Guatemala La Voz coffee bags. Seen at the La Voz Que Clama en el Desierto cooperative in San Juan La Laguna Guatemala.

Bags of coffee in Guatemala

Guatemala La Voz coffee bags. Seen at the La Voz Que Clama en el Desierto cooperative in San Juan La…

Coffee, Guatemala, Lago de Atitlán, Lake Atitlan, San Juan La Laguna
Guatemala La Voz coffee bags. Seen at the La Voz Que Clama en el Desierto cooperative in San Juan La Laguna Guatemala.

Guatemala La Voz coffee bags

Guatemala La Voz coffee bags. Seen at the La Voz Que Clama en el Desierto cooperative in San Juan La…

Coffee, Guatemala, Lago de Atitlán, Lake Atitlan, San Juan La Laguna
A woman sorts out coffee beans at the La Voz Coffee Cooperative in San Juan Guatemala.

Coffee Beans in San Juan Guatemala

A woman sorts out coffee beans at the La Voz Coffee Cooperative in San Juan Guatemala.

Coffee, Guatemala, La Voz Coffee Cooperative, Plantation, San Juan, San Juan La Laguna
Coffee growing at the La Voz Coffee Cooperative in San Juan Guatemala.

La Voz Coffee Cooperative in Guatemala

Coffee growing at the La Voz Coffee Cooperative in San Juan Guatemala.

Coffee, Guatemala, Hiking, Hiking Trail, La Voz Coffee Cooperative, Plantation, San Juan, San Juan La Laguna
Santa Cruz La Laguna is a traditional Mayan village located on the steep mountainside of the lake, roughly 325 vertical feet above the lake's surface (population: approximately 3,100). The village has the unique characteristic of being accessible only by boat or footpath. A single, winding road connects the dock to the village. There is a very rough road connecting Santa Cruz to Sololá which is used to transport heavy goods, concrete blocks, furniture, and a few vehicles. The village has no roads, telephone system, or commercial center, although a common gathering place in the village is the sports court, used for basketball and soccer by the children of the village. Electricity is intermittent and expensive, and is therefore not installed in many households.

Santa Cruz La Laguna before the storm

Santa Cruz La Laguna is a traditional Mayan village located on the steep mountainside of the lake, roughly 325 vertical…

CECAP, Guatemala, Lake Atitlan, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz la Laguna
Lake Atitlan in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

Walkway on a hike in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

Lake Atitlan in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

Guatemala, Hiking, Hiking Trail, Lake Atitlan, Santa Cruz
Lake Atitlan in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

An abandoned home in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

Lake Atitlan in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

Guatemala, Lake Atitlan, Santa Cruz
Lake Atitlan in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

Santa Cruz, Guatemala Hike

Lake Atitlan in Santa Cruz, Guatemala

Guatemala, Hiking, Hiking Trail, Lake Atitlan, Santa Cruz
Hiking between Jaibalito and Santa Cruz Guatemala.

Jaibalito to Santa Cruz Hike

Hiking between Jaibalito and Santa Cruz Guatemala.

Guatemala, Hiking, Hiking Trail, Jaibalito, Lake Atitlan, Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz la Laguna
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