This past week, I decided to head down to Ambergris Caye in Belize. Not because I couldn’t pay rent and I’m dodging my landlord but because Ambergris is that awesome. I needed something particularly exotic and remote yet dilapidated and old-school, which you can’t really find anywhere else. The island has long been a favorite for backpackers, so you know what that means: everyone else is catching on, including Travel + Leisure, which just named it second top island for the second year in a row.
The beauty of Ambergris Cay is that it’s super grungy with pockets of luxury. Locals and visitors alike drive golf carts to get around. The restaurants look like drug dens but the food is out of this world. And the locals are some of the happiest people I’ve met.
I checked into Victoria House, a rustic resort with colonial design, two pools and situated right on the beach. The award-winning property is a favorite for young honeymooners (don’t come alone!) and if you couldn’t find me at the bar, I was swimming with nurse sharks and snorkeling with sea turtles at Hol Chan Marine Reserve right off the shore. Just don’t tell my landlord.
