January 2022 — Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye, Belize.

January 2022 — Secret Beach on Ambergris Caye, Belize.

January 2022 — 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.

January 2022 — 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.

January 2022 — 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.

January 2022 — 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.

January 2022 — 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.

January 2022 — 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.

January 2022 — 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.

January 2022 — Las Terrazas Resort in Ambergris Caye, Belize.

January 2022 — Caribbean Sea and Ambergris Caye in Belize.

January 2022 — 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.

January 2022 — John's Escape Bar & Grill in Belize

January 2022 — A bar and grill called "John's Escape" on what was once John McAfee's property.

January 2022 — Mara Laguna Resort illuminated along the main north road in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. The complex sits just across from the lagoon side of the island, a short distance from the town center, and is known for its residential condos and easy access to both the waterfront and nearby businesses. This nighttime view highlights the quiet stretch of road leading past the entrance, a scene typical of the calmer hours on the north side of the island.

January 2022 — A Belikin beer sign hangs above the entrance to Maha Store in the center of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. Small neighborhood shops like this one are common throughout the town, serving residents and visitors who travel mostly by golf cart along the island’s narrow streets. The weathered wood siding and bright paint reflect the practical, improvised architecture typical of older commercial buildings in San Pedro, where businesses often blend retail, rentals, and daily essentials in a single storefront.

January 2022 — The San Pedro Fire Station on Ambergris Caye in Belize.

January 2022 — Dream Catcher Pier on Ambergris Caye in Belize.

January 2022 — Signs on a palm tree in Ambergris Caye, Belize.

January 2022 — A sign for AA Belize at Boca Del Rio Public Beach

January 2022 — Casa Johnson stands along one of the sandy backroads north of San Pedro, a brightly painted elevated home typical of the island’s hurricane-resilient architecture. The structure’s sweeping exterior staircase and open upper-level deck reflect a style common to private residences and small guest properties built for cross-breezes and views toward the Caribbean Sea. Homes in this area of Ambergris Caye often sit on raised foundations to protect against storm surge and seasonal flooding, a practical requirement on the low-lying island. The neighborhood around Casa Johnson has grown steadily over the past two decades, transitioning from scattered beachfront lots into a mix of long-term residences, rental units, and small locally owned businesses that line the northern approach to San Pedro.

January 2022 — Alaia, Marriott Autograph Collection, San Pedro, Belize

January 2022 — A parking sign in Belize.

January 2022 — San Pedro, Belize

January 2022 — Swings in the water with the reef in background outside of TOAST bar and grill in San Pedro, Belize.

January 2022 — A hand-painted wooden sign marks the entrance to TOAST Seaside Boozery & Grill in San Pedro, Belize. The beachfront restaurant sits along the island’s eastern shore, an area lined with small locally owned businesses that cater to both residents and visitors exploring Ambergris Caye. The sign’s weathered texture and bright coastal colors reflect the building traditions common along the island—simple timber structures adapted to the salt air, storms, and constant humidity of the Caribbean. Establishments like TOAST contribute to the informal social landscape of San Pedro, where open-air dining rooms, beachfront swings, and walk-up bars blend directly into the surrounding beach path and waterfront access points leading toward the Belize Barrier Reef just offshore.

January 2022 — San Pedro, Belize

January 2022 — A mural in San Pedro, Belize.

January 2022 — A Ambergris Caye sign in San Pedro, Belize.

January 2022 — The San Pedro sign on Ambergris Caye, Belize during the holidays.

January 2022 — The pool at Captain Morgan's resort on Ambergris Caye in Belize.

January 2022 — A wood carving found at Captain Morgan's resort in Belize.

January 2022 — Golf carts parked outside Ugly Duck Sports Bar & Grill in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye in Belize.

January 2022 — A sign reading "Don't Hesitate Vaccinate!" in San Pedro, Belize.

January 2022 — Golf Carts parked on Ambergris Caye in San Pedro Belize.

January 2022 — Wahoo's Lounge in Ambergris Caye

January 2022 — Caliente restaurant in San Pedro, Belize.

January 2022 — Belicolor store in San Pedro Belize.

January 2022 — A street in San Pedro, Belize.

January 2022 — A golf cart is driven in a San Pedro rain storm.

January 2022 — "Kindly wash hands keep masks on until seated Thank you" sign outside a restaurant in San Pedro, Belize.

January 2022 — Salty Dog Gift Shop in San Pedro, Belize.

January 2022 — A closed storefront in San Pedro, Belize. Written on the wall is “Liquor is not to be consumed on the premises. Liqour will not be sold to anyone under 18 years."

January 2022 — The pool at Grand Caribe Resort in San Pedro Belize.

January 2022 — A beachside road on Ambergris Caye Belize.

January 2022 — Plastic washed up on the shore of Ambergris Caye, Belize.

January 2022 — A road on Ambergris Caye in Belize.

January 2022 — A stray dog sleeps on a dock on Ambergris Caye, Belize.