Interesting facts about San Pedro / Ambergris Caye
Ambergris Caye is known for its white sandy beaches and the incredible world of diving and snorkeling. There’s plenty you don’t know though! Read this interesting list of fun facts about San Pedro and Ambergris Caye in Belize.
The name of Ambergris
Maybe you wonder sometime where this name came from and why they named the island Ambergris Caye. Well the name came from pirates. It is suspected that the pirates, always out to make a fast buck, were whalers and finally logwood cutters. The pirates are said to have collected whale excrement, called ambergris, that washed up on the island’s shore. Hence the name Ambergris Caye.
How was San Pedro Town decided on?
So the island is Ambergris Caye, but the town people settled in is San Pedro. The town was called San Pedro from Saint Peter who was the patron of fishing. San Pedro started as a humble fishing village before becoming the top tourist destination in the country. To learn more about San Pedro’s history, check out this blog.
Nick name for the Island
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye has been nicknamed ‘La Isla Bonita’ even before the 1980’s release of Madonna’s hit song, “La Isla Bonita”. Whether or not the song speaks of our island, it certainly has some familiarity. With some research – she may be talking about an island in Brazil.
Transportation
Ambergris Caye is like a golf club due to the fact the only transportation we mostly use are golf carts. The streets of San Pedro are super tiny so the golf carts are perfect size for the island so most locals own one.You will see some cars but most of them are taxis.
Currency
Don’t worry about changing your US Dollars to Belizean dollars. San Pedro and the rest of the country is happy to take USD instead of BZD. The exchange rate is $1USD to $2 BZD.
Leonardo Di Caprio
West of Ambergris Caye there is an island called Blackadore Caye which was bought by a famous actor called Leonardo Di Caprio, whom you might know from Titanic or one of hundreds of other good movies he is in. He is thinking of building a resort in the future. However – there’s pushback since the area is prime for fly fishing and certain breeds of fish.
Mayas on the Island
The first settlers on the island were Mayans. At one point, an estimated 10,000 Mayans lived on Ambergris Caye in villages and trading centers throughout the caye. There is proof they were here, based on a small ruin that is in the southside in San Pedro is called Marco Gonzalez. Currently it is closed because the small pyramid fell apart.
Add Your Heading Text Here
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Ut elit tellus, luctus nec ullamcorper mattis, pulvinar dapibus leo.