San Pedro is located in the southern part of Ambergris Caye, the largest island in Belize - it’s also known as “La Isla Bonita”. The town is dominated by golf carts and it’s the preferred way to move around. San Pedro is becoming a hot destination spot due to its numerous excursions it offers. Below are the top 3 excursions to do while in San Pedro:
San Pedro Golf Cart Ride video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tH6euZu5a3c&t=6s
Lamanai Mayan Ruins:
Lamanai, which means””submerged crocodile” in Mayan, is a Mesoamerican archeological site that was once a major city for the Mayan civilization. It’s located in Northern Belize in the Orange Walk District. Many of the ruins have yet to be uncovered and most of the hills are temples that have not been excavated.
I arranged my excursion with UpClose Belize and highly recommend using them. Go to https://upclosebelize.com/tours/lamanai-maya-temple-from-san-pedro/ to book. $155USD, around 6 hours.
Getting There:
To reach the site, you’ll take a boat ride for 26 miles through the deep and dense jungle. The ride is amazing as you’ll get to see plenty of wildlife - exotic birds, crocodiles, iguanas, and howler monkeys.
What To See at Lamanai:
There are 3 main temples to see at Lamanai. Please see below:
High Temple
It is the tallest temple at the ruins and once you climb to the top, you’ll be able to see over the jungle and the New River.
Jaguar Temple
It is a stepped-pyramid and if fully uncovered, it might be taller than the High Temple due to a significant amount of the Jaguar Temple still underground. It gets its name from the jaguar masks found on the temple.
Mask Temple
It is the smallest out of the 3 major temples. There are 2 masks(left and right ends of the temple) that have Olmec facial features.
Lamanai Tour Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OcVuMIH80oA
Hol Chan Marine Reserve:
Hol Chan, which means “Little Channel” in Mayan, is a marine reserve that covers 4,448 acres of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests. It contains over 160 species of fish along with 40 types of coral, sharks, and stingrays. This is a perfect place to go snorkeling and swimming. I got a chance to swim with sharks and stingrays!
Swimming with sharks and stingrays video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnN4UB6Q-y0&t=4s
I arranged my excursion with UpClose Belize and highly recommend using them. Go to https://upclosebelize.com/tours/reef-snorkel-hol-chan-reserve-from-san-pedro/ to book. $45USD + $10USD marine fee. 3 Hours
Great Blue Hole:
The Great Blue Hole is a giant marine sinkhole that is circular in shape, measures 1,043 ft across and is 407 ft deep. It’s part of the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. You can dive into the hole or see it from the sky. The views from the sky are spectacular as you’ll see the Turneffe Atoll, the Belize Barrier Reef, and see how the water changes colors.
Great Blue Hole video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dlICq8iW9iE&t=6s
I arranged my flight through Maya. Go to https://www.mayaislandair.com/the-great-blue-hole-tour to book. $215USD, 1 hour