Of the some 200 cayes that dot the coast of Belize, Ambergris Caye is the largest. Ambergris is 25mi/40km long and a little over 1mi/1.6km wide in some places, and is located in the clear shallow waters of the Caribbean Sea just off the tip of Mexico's Yucatán Peninsula. Most of the island's 4,500 residents live in the town of San Pedro, near the southern tip of the island. The people of the island are called "Sanpedranos" and speak English, Spanish, Creole, and Maya all at the same time, creating their own island dialect.
Since Ambergris Caye's coastline is protected by the Barrier Reef, the island is good for all water sports. Several nearby snorkeling and scuba sites offer excellent opportunities for coral and marine life viewing
... More >
Ambergris Caye was once a part of Mexico and therefore its wildlife is vastly similar to that found in northern Belize and southern Mexico. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded on Ambergris Caye, and other wildlife includes peccaries, raccoons and white-tailed deer. Ambergris enjoys life at a relaxed pace and is one of Belize's top destinations.
Following the Maya came European whalers and buccaneers, followed by the ancestors of present day residents who were fishermen and workers in British-owned coconut plantations. The island became significantly populated when the Yucatán's War of the Castes forced Mestizos and Mayans onto Ambergris. Eventually, lobster fishing became the island's main industry, which has been replaced by tourism in the present day.
The history of the island goes back to the days of the Maya, European pirates and Mexican refugees who fled during the Caste War. Originally, Ambergris Caye was a Mayan trading post and was part of the Yucatán Peninsula. Around 1,500 years ago, Mayans dug a narrow channel separating Ambergris from Mexico in order to create a better trade route to mainland Belize. Archaeological sites on Ambergris reveal a former Mayan population of approximately 10,000 inhabitants.
Source : planetware
Since Ambergris Caye's coastline is protected by the Barrier Reef, the island is good for all water sports. Several nearby snorkeling and scuba sites offer excellent opportunities for coral and marine life viewing
... More >
Ambergris Caye was once a part of Mexico and therefore its wildlife is vastly similar to that found in northern Belize and southern Mexico. Over 200 species of birds have been recorded on Ambergris Caye, and other wildlife includes peccaries, raccoons and white-tailed deer. Ambergris enjoys life at a relaxed pace and is one of Belize's top destinations.
Following the Maya came European whalers and buccaneers, followed by the ancestors of present day residents who were fishermen and workers in British-owned coconut plantations. The island became significantly populated when the Yucatán's War of the Castes forced Mestizos and Mayans onto Ambergris. Eventually, lobster fishing became the island's main industry, which has been replaced by tourism in the present day.
The history of the island goes back to the days of the Maya, European pirates and Mexican refugees who fled during the Caste War. Originally, Ambergris Caye was a Mayan trading post and was part of the Yucatán Peninsula. Around 1,500 years ago, Mayans dug a narrow channel separating Ambergris from Mexico in order to create a better trade route to mainland Belize. Archaeological sites on Ambergris reveal a former Mayan population of approximately 10,000 inhabitants.
Source : planetware
No comments:
Post a Comment
Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.