How to Get to Ambergris Caye, Belize: Fast and Cheap Options + Pros and Cons

While the thought of landing in Belize City and transferring to one of this incredible country’s islands may seem daunting, I assure you it is far easier than it appears!

There are many affordable and speedy options for how to get to Ambergris Caye.

To put it simply, to reach Ambergris Caye, you can either fly or take a ferry (aka water taxi) from Belize City.

The most common way is to fly from Belize City International Airport to San Pedro (the main town on Ambergris Caye) via Tropic Air or Maya Island Air. You can also take a water taxi from Belize City or Caye Caulker to San Pedro. 

Having personally tested both transportation methods—flying the 15-minute puddle jumper from Belize City airport and taking the 1.5-hour water taxi on the return journey—I can provide you with honest insights into the real costs, timing, and logistics of each option.

Whether you choose the scenic aerial route with stunning turquoise water views or the budget-friendly water taxi option, I’m sharing every detail of both experiences, so you can choose the right transportation method for you.

Please note that it’s doubtful you’ll get a direct flight from your location to Ambergris Caye. You’ll likely have to fly into Belize City first, as we did.

How to Get to San Pedro Belize

San Pedro is the main city of the Ambergris Caye. So don’t get confused, as either way, you’ll be heading to the same place.

As I mentioned, my travel anxiety sometimes kicks in, especially around transfers. Yes, I am that person who gets to the airport early or stands in line to make sure I get on the bus. And this trip to Belize, I’ll admit, was a lot of transfers, so I was a bit on edge.

However, I have survived quite easily, and I know you can too. You only need to pick whether you’d like to arrive by plane or boat. My cousin and I did both, so I’m uniquely qualified to let you know the pros and cons of how to get to Ambergris Caye.

As most do, we landed in Belize City, and from there, you can take a taxi to the water taxi terminal or stay at the airport and go on one of the puddle jumper flights.

Getting to Ambergris Caye by Plane

When we first arrived in Belize City, I decided it was best to take the puddle jumper flight over to Ambergris Caye because I really wanted to see the clear turquoise-blue waters from above.

It looked incredibly gorgeous from the photos I’d seen, and I knew this was the ‘cheaper’ of the options available to me. You may not find the price below to be cheap. Me either, but when you compare it to flights over the Great Blue Hole, which average $250-300 per person (with a minimum of people required), you’ll begin to understand why this option is ‘cheaper’ if you desire a sky-high view.

Note that flights from Belize City to San Pedro do not go over the Blue Hole. I’ve seen some reports of that, but it wasn’t true, at least for us.

The other reason I decided we’d fly was because it can be more cost-effective. Can? There are several water taxis, and I initially looked at a more pricey one.

But the other cost factor is that if you wish to take a water taxi, you’ll first need to hail a cab over to the water taxi terminal, so you’ll need to pay for that as well. Taxis from the airport to the water terminal typically cost about $25 (USD) one way for one person and $10 (USD) for each additional person.

Pros:

• Get a birds eye view of the Caribbean Sea
• Short flight time, approximately 15 minutes
• Takes off on schedule
• Smooth ride
• No need to transfer if already at the airport
• If you show up early and they have space on the plane, they’ll get you on an earlier flight

Cons:

• Can be more costly than the water taxi when including the taxi cab cost to the terminal
• Not good for people who don’t like small planes
• Some reviews I read before visiting Ambergris Caye said they allowed someone to sit next to the pilot. Ours didn’t, as that was the pilot’s personal preference, so if this is a make or break for you, don’t count on this

Cost by Air: $90.50 per person (booked with Maya Island Air)

Both Maya Island Air and Tropic Air fly directly from Belize City to San Pedro. We did Maya Island Air as it was cheaper, but do inquire which is more affordable when booking.

Getting to Ambergris Caye by Boat

But, if the puddle jumper option above doesn’t suit you, the other more affordable option is to go by water taxi.

On the way back to Belize City, we took the water taxi, but it should be noted that we weren’t heading for the airport from there. As if we were, the same rules as above would apply about needing a taxi cab back to the airport.

Remember, a taxi from the airport to the water taxi terminal typically runs about $25 (USD) one way for one person and $10 (USD) for each additional person. Taxis can be haggled a bit, but this is typically what it costs.

Instead, we were heading to San Ignacio, an inland city of Belize, so I had arranged for a bus to pick us up from the water taxi terminal to take us, making it super convenient. This was the main reason, aside from the cost, that we took the water taxi on the way back.

Pros:

• Budget-friendly as it is typically less than a flight
• It is a pleasant ride on a boat

Cons:

• There is not much of a view as they encourage sitting while on board, so you can’t see much of what is around you
• It takes about 1.5 hours
• It does not always take off on schedule

Cost by Water Taxi: $35.41 per person (booked with Belize Water Taxi)

What’s the Transportation Experiences Like?

Now that you know your how to get to Ambergris Caye options, I’ll go into what my experiences were like in detail for each option.

Traveling by Plane

Before booking our flight, I had searched for how long it would take between landing, going through customs, and hopping on a puddle jumper flight. Turns out—not long!

I had been worried that if I booked my landing in Belize City too close to the puddle jumper that I’d run into problems if my initial flight out of the United States was delayed.

Luckily, neither my cousin nor my flights were delayed, so we landed perfectly on time, her before I as planned.

Immigration in Belize City

The process of going through customs and immigration didn’t take long either. Visiting Belize requires you to fill out a form before arrival. My airline sent it to me in advance, so I had it on my phone, but others filled out the paper form on the plane.

After handing that over, speaking to a few agents, and getting my bag scanned, I was let out into the main airport. The whole process took maybe 15 minutes. If they are rather busy, I can see this taking maybe 30 minutes, but the airport is relatively small, so I don’t think the lines will ever be really long.

Getting on an Earlier Flight

After that, I found my cousin and immediately went to the main desk as I had been told that if you arrive early they can sometimes accommodate you on earlier flights over to the Cayes.

Instead of the 4:40 pm flight I had initially booked, the agent put us on a 3:00 pm flight. I looked at my watch; it was 2:59 pm, so I asked in a bit of a panic, “Are we going to make that?

She casually said we would, and she was correct. As our names were called over the loudspeaker, we hurried through the small terminal and boarded the flight without any issues.

The flight was smooth, take-off and landing were easy, and the baggage claim upon arrival was so small that it was honestly adorable! Once you land, there’ll be many people trying to give you a ride, but we opted to walk over to our hostel as it was about a mile away.

Traveling by Water Taxi

As I previously mentioned, some water taxis are more expensive than others, so I’m super glad I asked my accommodations for their recommendation on how to get to Ambergris Caye via water taxi.

The cheaper option is the San Pedro Belize Express, which is what X’tan Ha Resort recommended.

The luxury resort also shuttled us from their location down to the pickup point for the water taxi in central San Pedro, making it super convenient.

Checking In and Checking Bags

Once we arrived at the terminal, it was a bit of a hassle as we had to check our bags. They don’t clarify when you show up that you need to do that. I only found out as I saw a couple of other people doing it, so I asked an employee, and they told me how to do it.

It’s simple: you just go to the booth toward the front of the dock, and they’ll tag your bag and hand you a ticket in return.

Do show up early, though, as merely the check-in (separate from the bag drop) was a bit of a slog. The people working there were definitely not as speedy as the airport crew, so I stood in line for quite a while just doing that while my cousin held our place in line to get on the boat.

Departing Late and Baggage Claim

We then boarded the boat and took a seat in the front row. If you get sea sick I don’t think you have to worry too much as it’s a wide water taxi that kind of felt more like a large pontoon boat.

The water taxi didn’t depart on time. It wasn’t unbelievably late, but as I mentioned, I’m a bit of an anxious traveler, I started to worry the shuttle to San Ignacio might leave without us if the delay lingered any longer.

They encourage you to sit while on the boat so you don’t really get any view which was a bit disappointing as this was my last view of the Cayes. Departing from Ambergris Caye they stopped at Caye Caulker before going to the water taxi terminal in Belize City.

We wound up arriving maybe 15-20 minutes late. Once we disembarked, we had to wait for them to unload the bags, which took another 15 or so minutes. Make sure you hold onto the ticket you got at the baggage drop as you’ll need it here to claim your bag.

From here you can take a shuttle as we did to another part of Belize or another country such as Mexico. Or you can hail a cab to take you somewhere in Belize City.

Final Thoughts on How to Get to Ambergris Caye

Depending on what your itinerary looks like and your budget will dictate your best option on how to get to Ambergris Caye.

If you’re budget-conscious, the water taxi is likely a better option. However, don’t forget to account for the fact that you’ll need to pay for a taxi to the water terminal.

For us, that would have meant paying $35 (USD) from the airport just to get to the water terminal. You then have to factor in the cost of the water taxi itself.

However, for a stunning experience, I strongly suggest taking the flight. Even though it was brief, I felt it was well worth it. The plane also saved us a lot of time, as we didn’t have to get a taxi, ride over, and wait for the water taxi. Instead, we just walked onto the hopper flight.

Do note that if you plan to go to Caye Caulker or Chetumal on your way to Bacalar, you can also take the water taxi or flight to get there.

Related Ambergris Caye Travel Guides

• Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize: My Experience on a Snorkeling Tour
• How to Get to Ambergris Caye: Speedy and Affordable Options
• What’s the Best Place to Stay in Ambergris Caye: Luxury Resort or Budget Hostel?
• Helpful Guide to “Is Secret Beach Ambergris Caye Worth Visiting?”
• The Best Ambergris Caye Restaurants: Affordable Dining Guide
• The Ultimate Guide to Ambergris Caye Belize for First-Timers
• Experience Paradise at X’tan Ha Resort: Ambergris Caye’s Hidden Gem

Want to remember this? Pin this How to Get to Ambergris Caye: Speedy and Affordable Options article to your favorite Pinterest board!