Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye ( am-BUR-gris KEE; Spanish: Cayo Ambergris) is the largest island of Belize, located northeast of the country's mainland, in the Caribbean Sea. It is about 40 kilometres (25 mi) long from north to south, and about 1.6 kilometres (1 mi) wide. Many parts of the island have been modified by human development since the arrival of coconut plantations in the 17th century, but it remains largely white coral sand with mangrove forest at its centre. Its eastern coast runs parallel to the northernmost stretch of the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. A Maya community lived on the island in Pre-Columbian times, leaving behind distinctive polished red ceramics. It is widely believed that maritime trade motivated the Mayans themselves to excavate "Boca Bacalar Chico", the marine channel that separates the island from the Mexican mainland, but its origins could also have been natural (e.g. a hurricane). This canal enabled canoe-based merchants to bypass the outer barrier reef, connecting trade routes between Chetumal Bay and the Caribbean coast while supporting coastal settlements such as the Marco Gonzalez archaeological site. San Pedro Town is the largest settlement and only town on Ambergris Caye. There are also a number of small villages and resorts that serve the island's growing tourism industry, especially ecotourism and scuba diving. Although administered as part of the Belize District, the closest point on the mainland is part of the Corozal District.