Leslie Massey
Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club is a luxurious 4-star resort on the island of Ambergris Caye, Belize. It is located in San Pedro Town, 10 minutes from San Pedro Airport and a 15-minute boat ride from the Belize Barrier Reef. The resort offers exclusive access to Belize's only private Beach Club, with white sand and clear turquoise waters. Mahogany Bay is known for its old-world charm, blending the authentic culture of Belize with luxurious accommodations and amenities. It is also the only gated community and master-planned development in San Pedro, with all properties being canal-front homesites.
What You'll Learn
Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club
Location
Accommodations
Amenities and Activities
The resort provides exclusive access to Belize's only private beach club, with a free 15-minute boat ride taking guests to a white sand beach with cabana beds, overwater hammocks, and beach services. Mahogany Bay also boasts a pool, village, and marina on-site. Additionally, the resort offers diving and adventure tours, with the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the Great Blue Hole nearby for exploration. Rainforest adventures, such as soaring over the canopy or exploring caves, are also available.
Dining
Events and Celebrations
The resort is an ideal location for weddings and intimate receptions, with white sandy shores and turquoise waters as a backdrop. Additionally, Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club donates a portion of its profits to support children in Belize through the Feed A Child non-profit organization.
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Ambergris Caye
The island is known for its stunning natural beauty, glowing aqua waters, and barrier reef that can be seen from the beachfront. It is also known for its abundant marine life, with the Belize Barrier Reef just minutes away from the island. This makes Ambergris Caye a popular destination for divers, snorkelers, fishermen, and sailors.
San Pedro Town is the only town on the island and is the traditional hub of Ambergris Caye. It has a lively, energetic downtown area with shops, bars, restaurants, water taxi stops, docks, and beach bars. Golf carts are the main mode of transportation on the island, and the golf cart culture is unique to San Pedro.
The far north of the island is home to Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve, a protected area with incredible wildlife and ancient Maya history. On the west side of the island is Secret Beach, a popular spot with calm, crystal-clear waters and a variety of beach bars and restaurants.
The cost of living on Ambergris Caye is higher than in most other regions of Belize, except for the mainland beach villages of Placencia and Hopkins. This is due to the island being a popular tourist destination and the need to transport everything to the island. However, there is a fairly broad price range for accommodation and dining options.
Overall, Ambergris Caye is a beautiful and vibrant island that offers a unique blend of natural beauty, outdoor activities, and a sophisticated lifestyle.
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San Pedro
The town is named after the patron saint of fishing, St. Peter, and was historically a tiny fishing village with few vehicles and sand streets. Today, it is a bustling tourist hub, known for its stunning natural beauty, glowing aqua waters, and barrier reef visible from the beachfront. San Pedro offers a variety of accommodation options, from smaller cabanas to luxury resorts, and an array of amazing restaurants and lively nightlife.
When visiting San Pedro, there are plenty of activities to choose from. The island is renowned for its water activities, including kayaking, windsurfing, parasailing, and jet skiing. Scuba diving and snorkelling are particularly popular, with the Belize Barrier Reef located just a mile offshore, providing countless dive sites and snorkel spots within a short boat ride.
For those who prefer to stay on land, San Pedro offers golf cart and bike rentals for exploring the island. The town also boasts a variety of festivals and events, such as the San Pedro Lobsterfest and the Holiday-lighted Boat Parade.
In terms of dining, San Pedro has numerous great food spots, with ceviche being a popular dish showcasing the freshness of the local seafood. Elvi's Kitchen, offering a Mayan buffet, and Estel's By the Sea, known for its delicious Belizean breakfasts, are must-visit restaurants.
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Belize Barrier Reef
The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300-kilometre-long (190-mile-long) section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which is the second-largest coral reef system in the world. It runs parallel to Belize's coastline, with coral reefs, offshore cayes, coral atolls, coastal lagoons, estuaries, mangrove forests, and several types of reefs. It is home to a diverse range of marine life, including sea turtles, rays, eels, nurse sharks, goliath groupers, dolphins, and manatees.
The Belize Barrier Reef is a popular tourist destination, attracting almost half of the country's 260,000 visitors. It offers recreational activities such as diving, snorkelling, sailing, and fishing. The reef also protects the coastline from wave action, tropical storms, and hurricanes.
The reef is composed of seven marine reserves, 450 cayes, and three atolls, including Turneffe Atoll, Glover's Reef, and Lighthouse Reef. Lighthouse Reef is the most easterly diving area in Belize and is home to the Great Blue Hole, made famous by Jacques Cousteau in 1970.
In 1996, the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System was designated a World Heritage Site by UNESCO due to its vulnerability and ecological importance. It covers an area of 960 square kilometres (370 square miles) and includes Glover's Reef Marine Reserve, South Water Caye Marine Reserve, Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, and Hol Chan Marine Reserve.
Despite protective measures, the reef remains under threat from oceanic pollution, uncontrolled tourism, shipping, and fishing. Other threats include hurricanes and coral bleaching due to global warming. Scientists claim that over 40% of Belize's coral reef has been damaged since 1998.
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Mayan ruins
Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club is a luxurious 4-star resort located on the island of Ambergris Caye in Belize. The resort is a 10-minute drive from San Pedro Town Airport and 10 minutes south of San Pedro.
Belize is known as the epicentre of the ancient Maya world, once home to over 2 million Mayas. The country is filled with sacred temples, pyramids, palaces, and other awe-inspiring structures built by the Maya.
Xunantunich
Xunantunich, which means “maiden of the rock” or “stone woman” in Maya, is located on the Western Highway across the river from the village of San Jose Succotz. It is easily accessible by ferry and provides a stunning view of the Mopan River valley. Xunantunich is a Classic Period ceremonial centre featuring six major plazas, over 25 temples and palaces, and impressive astronomical carvings. The tallest ruin here stands at 133 feet, making it the second-tallest temple in Belize.
Altun Ha
Located 31 miles north of Belize City, Altun Ha is a major ceremonial and trade centre during the Classic Period. The most significant find at this site is the Maya Jade Head, representing the Mayan Sun God, Kinich Ahua. It is the largest jade object carved by the Maya and one of Belize's crown jewels. The area surrounding Altun Ha is rich in wildlife, including armadillos, agouti, and tapirs.
Caracol
Caracol is situated on the western edge of the Maya Mountains within the Chiquibul Forest Reserve. It is one of the most challenging ruins to reach but offers a scenic drive. Caracol is the largest known Maya centre in Belize and holds "Canaa", the tallest pyramid or man-made structure in the country at 140 feet.
Cahal Pech
Cahal Pech is located on a hill overlooking the twin towns of San Ignacio and Santa Elena in the Cayo district. The name means "Place of Ticks" in the Yucatecan Maya language. This site features well-preserved examples of the Maya Corbel or False Arch, also known as the Maya Vault.
Santa Rita
Santa Rita is a Mayan ruin in northern Belize, dating back to 2000 B.C. It is located on the outskirts of Corozal Town and was once part of Chactemal, an ancient Mayan city. Santa Rita was a crucial trade centre, controlling routes within Mexico and Guatemala. Excavations have revealed objects pointing to its coastal importance, such as fishing net sinkers.
Lamanai
Lamanai, meaning "submerged crocodile" in Maya, is one of the longest-occupied Mayan cities, situated on the banks of the New River Lagoon. It is accessible by boat or via an all-weather dirt road from Orange Walk. Lamanai features over 719 structures, including two 16th-century Christian churches and an intact 19th-century sugar mill.
Cerros
Cerros, or Cerro Maya, was a pivotal coastal trading centre for the Mayans. Located on a peninsula across from Corozal, it features five temples, plazas, and a large canal system. Unfortunately, parts of Cerros are now underwater due to erosion.
These are just a few examples of the many Mayan ruins and archaeological sites that can be explored while staying at Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club in Belize.
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Frequently asked questions
Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club is located on Ambergris Caye, an island in Belize. It is 10 minutes south of San Pedro and 15 minutes from the San Pedro Airport.
Mahogany Bay Resort & Beach Club offers a range of accommodation options, including three-bedroom villas, family cottages, keeping suites, and garden cottages. The resort caters to different group sizes and preferences, with options for indoor/outdoor living spaces, private pools, and high-end kitchens.
The resort features a private beach club, a pool, a village, and a marina. It provides exclusive access to Belize's only private beach club, with a free 15-minute boat ride to a white sand beach. On-site restaurants, such as The Verandah, JYOTO Sushi Restaurant, and Taco Shack, offer a variety of dining options. The resort can also arrange diving and adventure tours through their tour operator.
Nearby attractions include the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Secret Beach, and San Pedro Beach. The resort is also close to restaurants like Taco Shack, Hidden Treasure Restaurant, and Robin's Kitchen.
Yes, Mahogany Bay is a new and ongoing development. It is described as an "exciting new enclave of tropical island design" with plans for a master-planned community that includes a canal system, providing canal-front homesites and access to the Caribbean Ocean.
