Reason 5 – Belize’s Best Secret Beach is Near

A few years ago, National Geographic published an article listing the 20 best beaches in the world. Number 16 was the South Beach on South Water Caye, one of Pelican Beach Resorts locations in Belize.

“It’s the only place in Belize where you can swim safely to the reef within minutes and explore the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, full of colorful coral, angelfish, blue tang, sea turtles, all in less than 20 feet of water,” says guidebook author Lebawit Lily Girma.

This is the hideaway where other resort owners in Belize go when they want to feel coral sand in their toes, let the Tradewinds ruffle their hair, and swim with turtles and rays on the colorful corals of the Belize Barrier Reef.

South Water Caye lies at the southern end of the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, part of The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System (BBRRS), inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1996.The BBRRS is one of the most pristine reef ecosystems in the Western Hemisphere and was referred to ‘as the most remarkable reef in the West Indies’ by Charles Darwin. And South Water Caye’s reefs are some of the most remarkable reefs in Belize.

The white ring of waves on the east side of the island (left side as seen above) is the actual barrier reef. From the South Beach, a snorkeler can be in beautiful coral teeming with marine life within minutes.

South Water Caye is a short 40 minute boat ride from Dangriga, but the journey will transport you to a different world. While day trips are possible, an overnight or two at Pelican Beach Resort at South Water Caye is recommended to not only get the full experience of a tropical island, but to also witness the stars of the Milky Way at night free from city or village lights.