A Romantic Escape to Ambergris Caye

A Secluded & Romantic Stay Victoria House

Words by Ashley Bowling Photos by Ashley & Will Bowling

From the moment guests are greeted at the San Pedro airport by smiling faces ready to whisk you away (by golf cart) to Victoria House Resort & Spa, visitors know it’s going to be alright. From the friendly staff who greet you with a surprisingly refreshing ginger-lime mocktail to the low key vibes of the indoor-outdoor well-kept grounds of the resort, to the quiet breeze that gently laps in palms which are spaced perfectly for all-day hammock lounging, everything about this place softly whispers relax.

Upon arriving in the capital, Belize City, guests can hop on a Tropic Air prop plane run by what must be some of the friendliest agents we’ve come across in all our travels. Tropic Air makes getting to the cays that line the Belizean coast a breeze with flights leaving every 20 minutes to Ambergris Caye. This 15-minute plane ride is an excursion in and of itself—soaring over rainforest and canals before gazing upon the clear turquoise waters dotted with land rising up out of the sea.

Once at Victoria House, pull up a seat on the patio of Admiral Nelson’s Bar overlooking the ocean. While you wait for some of the best fare you’ve ever tasted, you might catch a glimpse of the local fishermen cleaning up the day’s catch near the dive shop, where paddle boards and kayaks wait for guests to explore the ocean by paddle.

The friendly concierge staff have plenty of options for guests to truly explore Belize’s pristine beauty and local island life. From cave tubing and ancient ruins tours on the mainland to the Great Blue Hole (a 147-mile deep dive site that Discovery Channel deemed as one of The Ten Most Amazing Places on Earth), to an all day fishing and snorkel excursion at Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley. We opted for the latter, and it did not disappoint for one second.

The entire day, Belize amazed us with its lively beauty. On our own private boat, with 3 guides in tow, they first caught large sardines as live bait in order for us to reef fish. For half the day, these gracious and encouraging fishermen baited and unhooked our lines while we reeled in mackerel and various snapper. Afterwards, we headed to Caulker Caye where we first watched large (protected) tarpon jump 3-feet out of the clear waters as if to give our guide a high-five. Next, lunch was consumed at Seaside Boozery and Grill per our guide with the best blueberry mojito we’ve ever tasted. We wandered around Caulker Caye and got a taste of the local flair, jumped off the tall pier at The Split—a lively spot on the island—and dipped in the crystal clear waters before being swept away by our boat to Shark Alley. This is a protected area for nurse sharks, and there are a lot of them. “Go ahead. Get in!” chimed Josphen. And I did, but not without butterflies and a squeal. The sharks were large, some 12 foot long, with sandpaper-like skin, but they didn’t seem to care too much about us humans touching them. We were so close we could actually hear the sucking sound they make when consuming their lunch. After that invigorating experience, we moved farther out to snorkel the largest barrier reef in the Americas, stretching along Belize all the way to Mexico’s Yucatan peninsula. The reef has been protected for years now and we’re told that snorkelers (or divers) are only able to explore it with a permit and a guide. This may seem extreme, but once you see how it’s flourishing, you will understand their caution and also wonder why you did not visit sooner.

We watched two spotted eagle rays swimming in synchronization as if they were in slow motion, a plethora of bright life-filled coral swaying in the water as if it were dancing, schools of fish close enough to touch, sea turtles feasting on the seagrass below, speckled lobster — the list goes on. We snorkeled out about 2-miles at our leisure and felt like it wasn’t long enough because there was so much to see. Once back at the resort, the guides filleted our red snapper and handed it off to the chef who turned it into the most delicious, melt-in-your-mouth dinner that evening: capers in a lemon white-wine reduction and grilled veggies with a parsley pepper sauce for dipping.

Each meal at Victoria House we enjoyed outside with a cool breeze gently rustling the palms and the friendliest servers, who were happy to share all the specialties that the talented chef had invented each day. From lobster tacos, to Greek salad, to avocado feta toast, to Ahi watermelon ceviche, to snapper tamales, to reinvented Caye-lime pie, to homemade yogurt and the freshest of fruit, each and every meal at Victoria House was carefully layered to leave the taste buds wanting more.

Though San Pedro in Ambergris Caye may be known as the most ‘touristy’ of all the Cays, we did not feel that for one second. The pitch black night sky with layers upon layers of twinkling stars was proof that we truly were in a place less traveled. Each night we walked out to the pier where loungers sit perfectly positioned for some spectacular star-gazing and wished upon those magical shooting stars, miles away from all the cares of the world.

Victoria House Resort & Spa has truly perfected what it means to be hospitable: friendly staff who greet guests by name, infinity-edge pools, secluded bungalow-style accommodations, a world-class spa, their curated menu options at each of their restaurants, and the gorgeous beaches with soft white sand that squishes between your toes. It’s no wonder that this beautiful resort has secured so many awards and accolades.