Ambergris Caye has been selected by TripAdvisor® as the number one island in the world for the second consecutive year in the 2014 Traveler’s Choice Island awards. The good news was revealed by the travel review organization on February 19th and along with Ambergris Caye’s accolades, other resorts and hotels from various parts of the country were also recognized as top places in the region.
Beautiful Ambergris Caye is the largest populated island in Belize located in northern waters of the country and anchored less than a mile west from the regional Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System. “Ambergris Caye hovers in a vacation sweet spot: just enough amenities to make it exciting, but not so overdeveloped that you’re tripping over flip-flopped tourists. A mangrove swamp is the eye of this white beach island, the largest in Belize, and golf carts are the main form of transportation along the sandy roads. Reef divers drool over the Belize Barrier Reef and the Blue Hole, a 400-feet deep circle of limestone that teems with angelfish, elk horn coral, cleaner shrimp and stalactites,” describes TripAdvisor®.
The island is a perfect getaway for tourists who flock the country in what is fast becoming a growing destination in the region. Following the announcement of the award, Belize’s Minister of Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation Honorable Manuel Heredia said that the recognition is the fruits of hard work by the industry stakeholders coupled with satisfied guests. “We are honored that Ambergris Caye is once again the #1 Island in The World. The commitment and love invested in this industry has not gone unnoticed,” said Heredia.
Amazingly, Ambergris Caye topped other islands such Providenciales in Turks and Caicos, Bora Bora in the Society Islands, and even Marco Island in Florida, Lewis and Harris in Outer Hebrides, Naxos in Cyclades, Easter Island in Chile and Ko Tao in the Thailand Gulf of Surat Thani Province.
San Pedro Town, the largest community on the island of Ambergris Caye, placed 7th, while the southern coast community of Placencia rounded up the 10th in the best destination in the Central American region. Antigua Guatemala was voted as the top Central American destination in the same region.
TripAdvisor® also awarded various top hotels and resorts. Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort in coastal fishing community of Hopkins in southern Belize took 8th place on a list of 25 top small hotels in the world. In the top 25 best hotels in Central America, 10 businesses in Belize four of which are from Ambergris Caye, picked up awards. Hamanasi Dive Adventure & Dive Resort in Hopkins placed first, The Phoenix Resort in San Pedro Town placed second, Pelican Reef Villas Resort in San Pedro Town placed 3rd, Coco Plum Island Resort in Dangriga placed 6th, Xanadu Island Resort in San Pedro Town placed 7th, Chabil Mar in Placencia placed 14th, Athen’s Gate in San Pedro Town placed 16th, Turneffe Island Resort in Turneffe Caye placed 17th, Sleeping Giant Lodge near Belmopan placed 22nd and Ka’ana Boutique Resort & Spa in San Ignacio placed 23rd. Four resorts in Belize, all on Ambergris Caye placed in the Top 25 resorts in Central America; Grand Caribe Belize Resort & Condominiums captured second, Coco Beach Resort placed 11th, Victoria House came in 12th and Las Terrazas Resort placed 24th.
“We are thankful for the great partnership that we enjoy with our stakeholders and applaud their dedication to the standards that they keep setting not just for Belize, but also for the global tourism industry. We are also very grateful to the travelers for sharing their wonderful experiences with the Trip Advisor community, because without the visitors, this award would not have been possible,” added Heredia in his statement.
In January, The Belize Tourism Board (BTB) announced during its annual industry presentation held in Corozal that Belize tourism numbers are growing. The growth in tourism, said BTB, is an indicator that more and more people are viewing Belize as growing destination that is capable of competing with any destination in world.
