belize san pedro ambergris caye
Palapa is the grande dame of overwater bars in San Pedro.
Caribbean Video

Why Ambergris Caye, Belize is the Caribbean Capital of Overwater Bars

By: Alexander Britell and Guy Britton - February 8, 2024 - 5:43 pm

You can hear the ballad from Palapa halfway across Ambergris Caye; for a moment you swear the voice belongs to Dolly Parton herself. 

Palapa is the town’s most prominent stage, hosting a revolving door of talented artists for intimate concerts just about every day of the week.

But Palapa isn’t technically in Ambergris Caye’s town of San Pedro. It’s in the Caribbean Sea. 

Palapa is one of the places that makes lovable, funky Ambergris Caye so special: it’s an overwater bar, part of a seemingly endless number of them stretched out across the coastline of the island. 

In fact, there are more overwater bars here in San Pedro than anywhere else in the Caribbean, all connected via thin wooden docks to the “mainland,” unique takes on the classic beach bar that make for a quintessentially Belizean experience. 

So why does Ambergris Caye have so many overwater bars? 

ambergris caye belize
There are more overwater bars here than anywhere else in the region.

“They’re just here,” says Asher, bartender at the Overseas Bar and Grill, the home of the best burgers on this strip. “Since I was young, there have always been these bars over the water on the beach. 

Overseas is a top music spot as well. On the night we’re here, the outstanding Kelly McGuire is on the mic, playing an extended set best paired with Belikin beer and Belize’s 1 Barrel rum. 

But these bars are not just for songs and sipping. The food is rather good, too. 

At Hurricanes, you can savor world-class ceviche, a dish that’s something of an art form in Ambergris Caye, from fresh-caught barracuda to shrimp and conch. It’s a plate that goes very well, as bartender Josh suggests, with Belize’s Old Master Extra Mature Rum. 

overwater bar belize
Delicious barracuda ceviche at Hurricanes.

These are honest, laid back, watering holes that are equally enjoyable by night or by day – indeed, many of them have in-the-water stools and tables for long afternoons spent bobbing in the sea: and the list goes on: High Seas, with its high tables perched right in the water; Cool Beans Cafe, the perfect place for an overwater breakfast and coffee. The list goes on. 

ambergris caye
Hurricanes is a haven for overwater afternoons and some of the best ceviche on the island.

And then there’s the lovable Wayo bar, the farthest one down the overwater strip, representing the core of what draws travelers to this lovely little island — it’s unpretentious, fun-loving and friendly, a place to take off your sandals and unwind with a cold one.

wayo
Wayo.

At Wayo’s, you understand the moment you walk in and see the sign above the bar. 

“If you can read this you need another margarita.” 

For more, visit Belize

Popular Posts antigua long bay

25 Perfect Caribbean Beaches to Add to Your Summer Bucket List

There’s nothing like a Caribbean beach in summer. The crowds thin out, the winds relax, and the islands start breathing in a different way. The beaches you thought you knew feel new again— stretches of sand once packed with winter […]


The 15 Best Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, From Hidden Eco-Retreats to Luxury Towers

trinidad and tobago hotels where to stay

From Port of Spain to Tobago’s quiet coasts, these are the places to check in now No two Caribbean islands are quite like Trinidad and Tobago—and no two hotels here feel the same. This is a destination of contrast: Carnival […]


Jamaica Just Got an Upgraded US Travel Advisory: “A Great Step Forward” 

seven mile beach white sand

Last year’s US Travel Advisory led to a slowdown in tourist arrivals to Jamaica. But in what’s hoped to be a major shift, the US State Department just upgraded Jamaica’s rating.  Jamaica’s travel advisory has improved from Level 3 to […]


Related Posts trinidad and tobago hotels where to stay

The 15 Best Hotels in Trinidad and Tobago, From Hidden Eco-Retreats to Luxury Towers

From Port of Spain to Tobago’s quiet coasts, these are the places to check in now No two Caribbean islands are quite like Trinidad and Tobago—and no two hotels here feel the same. This is a destination of contrast: Carnival […]


A New Way to Fly Between Colombia and Curaçao

caribbean island curacao beaches

LATAM Launching Direct Bogotá-Curaçao Flights This December LATAM Airlines is launching new nonstop service between Bogotá and Curaçao, Caribbean Journal has learned. The new route, a partnership between the Curaçao Tourist Board, Curaçao Airport Partners (CAP), the Curaçao Hospitality & […]


Frontier Keeps Adding More Intra-Caribbean Flights, With Another One Between Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic

frontier airlines

Low-cost carrier Frontier Airlines is expanding its footprint in the Caribbean with a new intra-regional route linking Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic. The airline officially launched twice-weekly nonstop service between San Juan’s Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport (SJU) and […]