My New (Temporary) Neighborhood: Tres Cocos On North Ambergris Caye, Belize

For the past two nights, I’ve been staying “up north” at the seriously well-appointed resort, Grand Caribe in one of my very favorite areas of the caye – Tres Cocos.

IMG_0280I have always heard that it was named for three prominent coconut palms that used to stand in the area.  Palms that marked the diving site and i think, a cut in the reef.  Now it is beautiful San Pedro suburbia – the Greenwich, CT or Buckhead, Georgia of San Pedro.  (AKA – the weathy ‘burbs.)    Large private homes, a very scenic sand drive and some really cool bars & restaurants.

According to this map, the area that I call Tres Cocos is actually three different subdivisions – Tres Cocos, El Tesoro and Buena Vista.  Again…who knew?

I’ll continue to call the area around the landmark Palapa Bar, Tres Cocos.

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Yesterday I walked from the resort down across the bridge to town.  Less than 30 minutes and a beautiful walk (or bike ride if you are so inclined.)

Here is some of what I saw.  Starting at Grand Caribe, about 1.5 miles south of the bridge that connects South Ambergris Caye to North Ambergris Caye.

I love that this area is a highway of bikes.  People riding to an from work and just out for a leisurely pedal.  You can see the large yoga and swimming dock of Ak’Bol Yoga Retreat and then Palapa Bar in the distance.

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Lovely beach houses.

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This one with an interesting message on the beach.  (Marijuana is still illegal in Belize – just an FYI.)

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Looking back north…so so so pretty.

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The next home is the beautiful Casa De Paradiso.  I’ve stayed there before.  Here’s the view from the front porch.

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If you take the drive away from the beach here, at the Palapa Bar, there is a new bed and breakfast being built.

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And back to the beach.

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A wish willy sunning on an old rusty anchor.

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And this wish willy look-alike underneath another.

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A wish willy is the grey iguanas – the green ones (Green Iguanas eat only veg), wish willies will eat just about anything.

So many tiny tiny perfect shells on the ground.

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Such a pretty walk.

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And then I cut back to the road.  Keeping you on your toes.  Or confusing the heck out of you…

This once bumpy, sandy, meandering drive is now being widened and readied for paving.  The grader had just been through.

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The paving could change the whole feel of the area.  But we will see…

Always mysterious, “The Hotel” was opened briefly a few years ago (my visit when I was “seriously impressed” in March of 2012), boarded up soon after and then re-opened (by new renters) a few months ago.  The bar & maybe the cafe are open now?  But I hear very little about it…

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Legend’s Burgers, which also has new ownership.  A mother/daughter team bought both Legend’s and DJ’s Seaside Restaurant and Bar – a few months ago.  Legend’s is open just Tuesday evenings for the slow season and for renovation.

IMG_0092Reef Village (called “Grief Village” by so many for the past few years) is being rebranded…

IMG_0094A few more minutes and I was at the Barry Bowen Bridge.  I stopped to chat with this kid who was swimming in “The Cut”.   I don’t blame him.  I stuck my feet in and it was actually blissfully cool.

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A bit of Crossfitting and a lovely walk back.  I had scooping to do at Grand Caribe and yesterday was my birthday after all…

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