AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye To the Palapa Bar RIP OFF

Hey JD - no offense intended - ya didn't specify you were just looking for info ONLY from bar owners and/or locals - sorry I chimed in. The info for bars available by searching is still pretty accurate, just in case you're interested. And in case no one let you know - SP is not the place to stretch hard earned $$ - it's on the upper end if you're looking to party in the bars - Simon's delivery service is an excellent option as drinking at "home" is always cheaper! But the traditional advice dispensed here about bringing half the clothes you think you'll need and double the cash holds true! As long as you bring enough money you will love your trip - SP is great, from the food to the sea to the people!
Oh - and your posts don't bother me - you just seem a little tense about getting all the details worked out before you arrive and that approach just doesn't work for a vacation in SP - IMHO.

Is San Pedro on the upper end? It can be for sure, as there is a call for it, but I am equally sure it doesn't have to be either. I live here so may lose track of prices in the US and further afield, so bear with me, and feel free disagree.

There are bars and restaurants at both ends of the scale, and plenty in between too. Each person needs to find the balance of ambiance and price that suits their style and pocket - and I think the balance is there for all the different people that visit

There are dozens of bars that serve beer and local spirits at less than US$2.50 each. Equally there are lots of restaurants where you can get a really good meal for less than US$20 each, and the million dollar view is usually thrown in free!!!

Can you get that in your home town? Not very often in what was mine, and equally the case when I've visited Miami, Houston, Dallas and Fort Worth in recent years. That also includes the added cost of food products here as the much of tourist fare has to be imported and bear all the additional costs and duties. I know costs such as labour and rent are probably different, but I suspect not as far apart as some might think. I also can't begin to imagine the headache a restaurant has in keeping stock flowing at a level and price so the menu is consistent.

I still strongly believe that San Pedro is a good value destination to visit with a huge diversity of things to do and see within easy day trip range, and suitable to many budgets from the high end to those with a lower budget.

No one was saying different, but I wanted to post a positive note of congratulations to the vast majority of San Pedro's fine restaurateurs and barkeepers. Keep on rolling.

Well said.

Thank You Very Much Casa

We are more of the "Hang out with the locals" kind of people as far as food I am not going to travel that far and then eat food I can get right here in my town. I love to eat as a hobby so I am very interested in the local Foods same with my drinking habits kind of the "when in Rome do as the Romans do" kind of thing. We still haven't put San Pedro out of our minds for retirement so we want to get to know the local folks. One thing that excited me was when I saw how much the people like beans and rice down there. As a person brought up on Cajun food red beans and rice was a constant dish that was in our home. I am excited to see if there are any similarities between the two cultures.

I guess that the biggest thing is I didn't want to go down to a Cancun kind of place. From what I have read here and other places San Pedro is everything but that. This makes me very very happy. As a former military person I do sometimes over plan some things but that isn't always bad is it? Besides if you get as much information before a trip you won't have to waste as much time on that when you get there and can relax and learn about the place and the people.

With each day the excitement is building for our first trip so I beg of all on the board please be patient with this ole Cajun boy and his silly questions. It is I guess a way I can get to know the island and tide me over until I can come down and see it with my own eyes. Sometimes I think those who live there and / or visit a lot might have forgotten the giddy feeling of going to a new place and meeting new people. As an example the one thing that I brought back from the Middle East was the exposure to a new culture. That kind of covers some of the not so fun things that happened.

Oops I am rambling again
J D
P.S. law I apologies if I sounded sharp in my reply
P.P.S. I do miss the fun easy going attitude that this board had when I first started reading it but I guess that comes in spells. All in all the people I have met here are some of the most helpful and patient folks I have ever had the pleasure to meet

I have found it very easy to get good food and drinks for a very good price in SP. My prices might be a little off, but you can get a beer for $3.00BZ at BC's and hang out with many of the locals. You can eat at the Reef restaurant and get a very good seafood dinner for around $20BZ. There are a lot of other places to go but I am just using these as an example.

SP is a very layed back place where you can easly hang out with the locals. After only three or fours days on the island, I found it difficult to walk down Front Street without seeing someone that I knew, much different than Cancun. Come down, take off your shoes, and just hang out.

I agree - there are ways to travel, even to SP, on a budget - it does seem to me that it takes some $$ to include a lot of barhoping - oh, and ont the topic of good food for little $, don't forget the Friday Night Lion's Club BBQ! Great cause, great food!

PAPI'S !!!!!!

I'd much prefer to spend $2-2.50us for a beer where i can stuff my toes in the white sand under a breezy coconut palm overlooking the beautiful emerald sea in San Pedro! Don't have that experience here in Houston/Needville ! :p

JD You can have a good time on $50 US per day per person for food and drink. Double that or more if you want to eat at the most expensive places all the time. But most important, have a good time.

When I was making reservations last year I had a slight disagreement with a hotel owner over his ad. It was in the process of being updated and I thought he should honor his current ad that Marty had not changed for him yet. He sent the email that he had sent Marty the week before to show me his intent, along with the following:

Ten Commandments for Travelers

1. Thou shalt not expect to find things as thou left them at home...for thou hast left home to find things different.
2. Thou shalt not take anything too seriously..for a carefree mind is vital to a good vacation.
3. Thou shall not let other travelers get on thy nerves..for thou paid good money to enjoy thyself.
4. Thou shalt not forget..thou are a representative of your country at all times.
5. Thou shalt not worry..for he who worrieth hath no pleasure and few things are fatal.
6. Know where they passport is at all times..for a traveler without a passport is a traveler without a country.
7. As a stranger in a strange land..be prepared to do as its people doeth.
8. Thou shalt not judge all people of a country..by the one person who hath given thee trouble.
9. Blessed is the traveler who can say thank you in any language..for this and a smile doubles the value of any tip.
10. Remember thou are a guest in every land..and those who treat their hosts with respect shall be treated likewise.

Excellent Bill. I agree completely.