Family Vacation Ideas Winter


|
|
Cheap Cruises - for families You are here: About > Travel > Travel with Kids Travel Travel with Kids Essentials Family Vacation Ideas Winter and Spring Break All-Inclusive Resorts Ten Latest Family Travel Deals Family Resorts: top places; photos Articles & Resources Family Travel: What's Hot Top Vacation Spots VT, ME, NH, CT, MA, NY, PA Mexico Family Vacations Caribbean Vacations More Beach Vacations Florida Family Vacations Resorts with Water Park More Family Resorts Fun Places for Kids Disney Vacations Family Cruises Babies;Teens;Single Parents Lots More Destinations Family Travel TIPS, GAMES Buyer's Guide TAKE ALONG: Christmas books Christmas flicks Activity Kits more CHRISTMAS GIFT IDEAS Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Travel with Kids newsletter! See Online Courses Search Travel with Kids Family Cruises: Deals It's no surprise that thousands of people search the Web for"cheap cruises": bargain-hunting is the name of the game. Scroll down, below. See also: tips and info on onboard programs and activities for families. Find Cheaper Cruises! latest listings: Disney Cruises: Magical Rates Disney Cruises are known for excellent kids' programs and entertainment with pizzazz; and docking at private island Castaway Cay isn't too shabby either. [p[Every week, Disney Cruises publishes "Magical Rates" on its Specials page. For example, rates posted Monday December 5, 2005 are valid until Sunday, December 11, 2005. You might find a 4-night Bahamian cruise for $479, for Sept. 200 dates; or a 7-night Easter Caribbean cruise for $859 (per person, based on double occupancy.) Chidren's rates are available for kids 3 to 12 in a room with two parents. Under-three's are a bargain as they're free-- unless you want to sign up for Flounder's Nursery. (Other kids programs are free.) Costa Cruises: Kids Sail Free Kids 17 and under are free-- on most Caribbean 2005/2006 sailings, on the new Costa Magica or the Costa Mediterranea-- when sharing a stateroom with 2 adults paying Early Booking Discount rates. Book by August 31, 2005. (Read the web site for some fine print.) Sample price, for adult: from $479, for. a Dec. 18 departure; 5 nights. . Costa is a classy cruise line, "Italian Style"; read about Costa Cruises for families. Single Parents' Cruise Single Parents Tours is an offshoot of the Single Parent Network site, and plans several trips a year, negotiating low rates and ensuring that penalties aren't charged for single-parent families. (Most travel industry pricing is based on two paying adults; the single parent often has to pay a "single supplement".) This trip -- June 26 to July 1 2006-- is on a Carnival ship, and departs from New York for Canada, with port calls in Saint John and Halifax. Royal Caribbean: new ship, with waterpark The new Freedom of the Seas ship, debuting in June 2006, has an on-board kid-friendly waterpark, in addition to rock-climbing wall and other fun. Find 7-night Western Caribbean cruises as low as $700/person. Read more about Freedom of the Seas for families. Booking Buddy A helpful online tool for finding deals; part of the budget-saving Smarter Living network. Alaska and Oregon Adventures Glacier Bay Cruise Line is a small-ship line that aims to take you to "wild and special places", with onboard naturalists and adventure activities such as sea kayaking. Family trips during summer have special activities for kids, and a price break: kids save 50%. (Click "Itineraries", then "Themes".) Hotwire The popular discount travel site has a section just for cruises. Disney cruise savings Brought to you by the excellent money-saving site, Mousesavers .com: a frequently-updated set of all the ways you can save money on Disney cruises. Disney: Specials Check the Specials page at the official Disney site for bargains, such as early booking prices. Kids' rates are available for children under 12 as 3rd and 4th passengers in a cabin. (See photos at Travel With Kids of Disney Cruise ship The Wonder , and article about Disney Cruises .) Disney Cruises Check this page at AllEarsNet for discounts on the Disney Wonder on specific sailing dates: 3 nights land, 4 nights sea. There are many sailing dates, and booking deadlines. Windjammer Barefoot Cruises: Kids Free Forget the Loveboat, and picture instead a tall-masted sailing ship: every summer, (June, July, August), Windjammer has a great deal for families with kids 6 to 17. For ages 6 to 11, "Junior Jammers" program has many fun activities, and kids sail free. "Teen Jammers" is for ages 12 to 17. Water fun includes snorkeling and complimentary SASY (a kiddie version of scuba-diving) and Bubblemaker intro to scuba for ages 8 to 12. Older kids can try scuba. See sample activities for both age groups. Holland America: price break for family reunions The Holland America line has a price break for families-- big families, that is. Those who book five or more cabins for a family reunion will get a price break and a bunch of perks. Holland America has new-and-improved youth programs, too. Norwegian Cruise Line NCL is a major line with several special features for families. NCL sails in both the east and the west, and offers discounts on many voyages including the Hawaiian islands. Discovery Cruises: Kids Sail and Stay Free Discovery runs popular one-day sailings from Ft. Lauderdale to Grand Bahama Island. Age 6 and under sail free; also children stay free (with paying adult) at a participating resort on Grand Bahama Island. Meanwhile, kids 7 to 11 pay only $49 for the sailing, and stay free at the resort. Discovery has a Kids Club, with focus on learning about marine life. TIPS: Advice from About's Linda Garrison, for families: The Disney family cruise line charges reduced rates for ages 3-17, and under 3 is free. Carnival has special rates that vary for those under 12. Almost all lines give special discounts for 3rd and 4th passengers in the same room. Current Deals *** A good place to hunt for cheaper cruises: the bargain page at About's Cruises site. Carnival Cruise Deals Check a bevy of deals. Carnival ships have lots of fun for all ages-- see article at TWKids . Crystal Cruises Crystal has for years been picked by readers' polls for Cond Nast Traveler and Travel + Leisure as Worlds Best Large Ship Cruise Line. Check for Specials where kids sail free. * photo courtesy of Holland America. From Teresa Plowright , Your Guide to Travel with Kids . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Advertisement Most Popular Charades -How To Play Charades Family Vacation Spots The Atlantis Resort Great Places to See Santa Disney Christmas Magic Kingdom What's Hot Grand Floridian Chinese New Year - 2006 Poconos Great Wolf Lodge photo Dog Friendly Hotels, inns, lodges -- find dog-friendly vacat... Kwanzaa Related Topics Florida for Visitors New England for Visitors Theme Parks Hotels / Resorts / Inns Parenting of K-6 Children Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Grand Floridian Chinese New Year - 2006 Poconos Great Wolf Lodge photo Dog Friendly Hotels, inns, lodges -- find dog-friendly vacat... Kwanzaa Headlines Bunch of family travel deals Latest deals added include a January Travel Special at the... First Nights! "First Night" events celebrate New Year's with family-friendly festivities-- and... Top Family Travel Trends in 2005 It's that time of year... to pause the mad dash... Bookmark the NORAD Tracks Santa site! It's not a family trip, but it's certainly a trip...
Switzerland Travel Centre Switzerland
Our partner Switzerland Travel Centre Home Switzerland Bernese Oberland Wallis Graubünden Rail passes Accommodation Swiss Shop Sitemap About us Contact Guestbook Advertisement Partners Technology Disclaimer Help MySwissAlps Our partner Switzerland Travel Centre Switzerland Travel Centre (STC) is a collaboration of Switzerland Tourism, the Swiss Federal Railways (SBB), the airline Swiss, Swiss Hotel Association, Gastro-Suisse and Europcar. Since 1998, the holidaymaker is offered a selection of over 2000 hotels, 4000 apartments and holiday homes and the most popular passes for unlimited use of the Swiss railways and other public transport. MySwissAlps.com is a partner of Switzerland Travel Centre since 2004. Switzerland Travel Centre processes orders of Swiss rail passes made through our website by Western European customers. Rail pass orders from customers not living in Western Europes are processed by our partner Rail Europe . Switzerland Travel Centre also processes bookings of accommodation made by customers world wide. For privacy reasons, we do not have access to detailed information about orders you place at Switzerland Travel Centre through our website. This also applies to personal particulars that you provide while placing your order. Switzerland Travel Centre takes care of a safe transaction and shipment of your rail passes or accommodation reservation. Do you have questions about your pending order ? Please contact Switzerland Travel Centre. Your questions will be answered quickly. For any other questions, you are welcome to contact MySwissAlps.com as well. Book a hotel room or apartment in Switzerland Order Swiss rail passes More about the partners of MySwissAlps.com Contact information Switzerland Travel Centre E-mail: Please enable JavaScript Grubenstrasse 12 8045 Zürich Switzerland Phone: ++41 43 266 2000 Fax: ++41 43 266 2001 Contact information for rail passes purchased in the UK, Ireland or Scandinavia E-mail: Please enable JavaScript 1st floor 30 Bedford Street London WC2E 9ED United Kingdom Phone: ++44 (0)207 420 4900 Fax: ++44 (0)207 420 4922 Questions about your pending order? Please contact Switzerland Travel Centre in English or German through Please enable JavaScript and include the following information in your e-mail: Your name, address (country included) and phone number; Where you placed your order (MySwissAlps.com); When you placed your order; What did you order (which rail pass, which hotel did you book); Your departure date. Please copy your message (cc) to Please enable JavaScript so that we are aware of your question and can help if necessary. If your inquiry is urgent, please call Switzerland Travel Centre and refer to your e-mail. © MySwissAlps.com 2005 MySwissAlps.com is a travel guide for your summer holidays in Switzerland HIKING TRAILS - PICTURES - TRANSPORTATION - DAY TRIPS - RAIL PASSES - ACCOMMODATION - RESORTS - LINKS
Cheap Travel Plane Tickets:
Secrets of Cheap Travel Travel Writing Home Home-Travel Agent Cheap Travel Travel Light Secretsof Cheap Travel by: Steve Gillman There are two ways to save money traveling. Thefirst way is to get the best deals on the specific things you want. There is alimitation to this type of approach though. If , for example, you find thelowest price on the best hotel in Honolulu at the height of the season, you WILLsave money, but still have a very expensive vacation. Trying to get exactly whatyou want, or what you think you want, will generally be an expensiveproposition, in travel and in life. Be a Travel Opportunist The other approach is to be a true opportunist.This will be difficult for some of you, and entirely unacceptable to others.Nonetheless, the travelers who get to travel the most, go to the widest varietyof places, learn the most and do the most, are the opportunists. This will betrue until you are so wealthy that you have no monetary limits. The first time I went to Ecuador, I went therebecause it was cheap. If it wasn't, I would have had a great time - somewhereelse. The trip lasted a month, and cost $1045, which included airfare and eventhe $130 fee for a guide to take me to the top of glacier-covered MountChimborazo. I cut the cost by taking a bus from my home inMichigan to Miami, and back again when I returned from Ecuador. The round-tripticket cost $158. The round-trip flight to Quito from Miami was only $256,because it was a courier flight, which meant I signed for some luggage (carparts), and could only take carry-on luggage. Never did I feel deprived, or bored. I had agreat time, eating wherever it was cheap and clean, doing all sorts ofinexpensive, but interesting things, and traveling across the country to climbChimborazo. I also met and fell in love with my wife Ana. How to Become an Opportunist Traveler Can you drink rum at a dollar per bottle, insteadof your favorite beer? Can you eat chicken instead of steak? How about visitingthe free sights first, and dancing in the street festival instead of the disco? Being an opportunist means you'll have just asmuch variety, and probably almost everything you want - eventually. You justhave to stop trying to get exactly what you want exactly when you want it. Ifthe guide that took me up Chimborazo hadn't dropped his price from $200 to $130,I would have spent $2 for a bus and gone hiking on El Altar, another greatAndean mountain. That would have left me with enough money for several otherminor adventures. More Secrets of Cheap Travel Plane Tickets: My wife and I were planning a tripto visit family in Ecuador. The cheapest airfare from Traverse City, Michigan toQuito, was $1720. Out of curiosity, I checked Miami to Quito, and it was only$404. Airfare from Traverse City to Miami was $300. Book two separate flightsand save more than $2000! The discount sites aren't set up to search in this way(yet), so you have to do this on your own. By the way, the whole six-week trip,which we took in 2004, cost $2400, including losing $100, and being robbed of$174. Food: Whether traveling here or in othercountries, it is usually cheaper to buy some healthy snacks in a grocery store,rather than eat every meal in a restaurant. When you do eat in restaurants, itcan be cheaper to to order individual items on the menu from the list ofappetizers or side dishes. You also may get more variety in that way. Accommodation: For a long trip, you may want torent an apartment in an interesting city. We did this for two months in Tucson,for about $600 less per month, compared to even the cheaper motels. Watch forhotel coupon-books in gas stations. The coupons will often save you $10 on aroom you would have stayed in anyhow. If you have a conversion van or RV, youcan camp a couple nights a week, like we do, to save on motels. We love the hotsprings we've stayed at, for a $3 fee to the BLM, instead of $40 for thecheapest motel in the area. Travel Expenses: Do more and travel less. It isoften the traveling part that costs the most, due to the cost of gas, convenientfast food, and expensive hotels you are forced to pay for when you just can'tdrive any further. So if you find a place with a reasonable motel, and a lot todo in the area - stay for a while! About the Author Steve Gillman first hit the road on his own whenat sixteen, and traveled alone across the United States and Mexico at 17. Now40, he continues to travel and backpack with his wife Ana, whom he met inEcuador. Many of his stories, plus tips and information on travel andlightweight backpacking, can be found on his websites, http://www.EverythingAboutTravel.com ,and http://www.TheUltralightBackpackingSite.com . Home Home-TravelAgent CheapTravel TravelLight
Ski Vacation
Ski Salt Lake Vacation Deals Customer Care | My Stuff Home Travel Info Center Flight Status Destination Guides Travelocity Business About Travelocity Flights Search Flights Top Deals Web Fares Low Fare Alert Last Minute Packages Hotels Search Hotels Top Deals Trip Ideas Popular Cities Cars/Rail Search Cars Search Rail Top Deals About Neighborhood Search Popular Car Destinations Vacation Packages Search Vacations Top Deals Disney Vacations Trip Ideas Cruises Search Cruises Search by Destination Search by Cruise Line Top Deals Ship Finder Last Minute Packages Search Deals Top Deals This Weekend Next Weekend Need Ideas? Activities Activities by Destination Book Your Ski Salt Lake Super Pass for $48 a day! Book Your Trip to Salt Lake City Flight + Hotel Hotel Only Departure Airport: Arrival Airport: Salt Lake City Hotel Area: Salt Lake City Cottonwood Canyon Resort Area Depart: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Return: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Adults 0 1 2 3 4 5 Children 0 1 2 3 4 Seniors 0 1 2 3 4 5 0 1 2 3 Maximum connections Property: ------Resort----- Alta Peruvian Lodge Goldminer's Daughter Lodge Inn at Snowbird Inn at Solitude Lodge at Snowbird Alta's Rustler Lodge Cliff Lodge and Spa at Snowbird Condos at Solitude Village Alta Lodge -- -----Downtown----- Crystal Inn Downtown, A Rodeway Inn BW Plaza Hotel at Temple Square Radisson Hotel Ramada Limited South Salt Lake City -- Red Lion Salt Lake Downtown Shilo Inn Little America Hotel Marriott Salt Lake City Downtown Embassy Suites Quality Inn - Airport Hotel Monaco Salt Lake City Marriott University Park -----South Valley----- Crystal Inn Midvalley, A Rodeway Inn Super 8 Midvale Midvalley SLC Area Best Western Executive Inn Days Inn South Courtyard by Marriott - Sandy Fairfield Inn By Marriott, SLC Draper Residence Inn by Marriott, SLC Sandy Comfort Suites Sandy Country Inn & Suites by Carlson Residence Inn by Marriott, Cottonwoods Check In: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Check Out: Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec 01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 Ski Salt Lake Maps View the Salt Lake Valley Map View the Salt Lake Resorts Map Ski Salt Lake Resorts Snow Report Alta Ski Area Brighton Resort Snowbird Solitude Mountain Resort Weather Conditions Salt Lake Downtown: 53° F/Mostly Cloudy Photo Gallery View photos of Salt Lake City More about Salt Lake Dining Live Webcam Resorts Upcoming Events Through Dec 24 THEATRE Disney's Beauty and the Beast, Pioneer Theatre Company (801-581-6961) Through Dec 24 EVENT Christmas at Temple Square. Enjoy amazing lights, concerts, tours, and exhibits. December 17 EVENT Winter Solstice Festival at Salt Lake City's beautiful mountainside botanical gardens, Red Butte Garden December 24 EVENT Santa and Mrs. Clause ride Snowbird! Torchlight parade, interfaith Christmas Eve candlelight service, and lots of other fun holiday activities! December 31 EVENT First Night Celebration. A New Year's Eve Celebration with several great activities and attractions all over the city! Check out Salt Lake's Calendar of Events . Ski Salt Lake Vacation Deals Resorts Hotel Ratings Alta Peruvian Lodge 3 Nights + Airfare From $542 Goldminers Daughter Lodge 3 Nights + Airfare From $723 Inn at Snowbird 3 Nights + Airfare From $369 Inn at Solitude 3 Nights + Airfare From $476 Lodge at Snowbird 3 Nights + Airfare From $388 Altas Rustler Lodge 3 Nights + Airfare From $965 * Snowbird Cliff Lodge 3 Nights + Airfare From $407 Condos at Solitude Village 3 Nights + Airfare From $657 Alta Lodge 3 Nights + Airfare From $542 -- Downtown Hotel Ratings Crystal Inn Downtown 3 Nights + Airfare From $296 BW Plaza Hotel at Temple Square 3 Nights + Airfare From $271 Radisson Hotel 3 Nights + Airfare From $271 Ramada Ltd. - South SL 3 Nights + Airfare From $??? -- Red Lion Hotel Salt Lake Downtown 3 Nights + Airfare From $290 Shilo Inn 3 Nights + Airfare From $323 Little America Hotel 3 Nights + Airfare From $312 Marriott Salt Lake City Downtown 3 Nights + Airfare From $323 Embassy Suites 3 Nights + Airfare From $371 Quality Inn Airport 3 Nights + Airfare From $267 Hotel Monaco 3 Nights + Airfare From $464 Marriot University Park 3 Nights + Airfare From $296 South Valley Hotel Ratings Crystal Inn - Midvalley 3 Nights + Airfare From $287 Super 8 Midvale Midvalley Salt Lake City Area 3 Nights + Airfare From $262 Best Western Executive Inn 3 Nights + Airfare From $246 Days Inn South 3 Nights + Airfare From $243 Courtyard by Marriott, Sandy 3 Nights + Airfare From $365 Fairfield Inn - Draper 3 Nights + Airfare From $293 Residence Inn by Marriott - Sandy 3 Nights + Airfare From $379 Comfort Suites Sandy 3 Nights + Airfare From $299 Country Inn and Suites South Towne 3 Nights + Airfare From $643 Residence Inn by Marriott, Cottonwoods 3 Nights + Airfare From $381 Prices are per person based on double occupancy - air out of LAX for 12/5-12/8 (except where indicated otherwise). Our real-timedynamic Flight + Hotel packaging engine is constantly updating prices and availability. Pleasecheck pricing and availability for your travel dates and departure city on this site. * Alternative Dates Shopped: 12/12-12/15 Adding Travel Extras to Your TotalTrip SM Package is Easy! Select travel extras when booking your flight+hotel Ski Salt Lake Super Pass One Pass. Four Resorts. - From $48 '+' Means Some Taxes & Fees Additional | About Travelocity | Security Guarantee | Affiliate Program | Jobs | Site Map Partners and International Sites: IgoUgo | lastminute.com | Odysia.fr | ShowTickets.com | Site59 | Travelchannel.de | Travelocity Canada Travelocity Denmark | Travelocity Norway | Travelocity Sweden | Travelocity United Kingdom | World Choice Travel | ZUJI © 1996-2005 Travelocity.com LP. All rights reserved. Travelocity and the Stars Design are trademarks of Travelocity.com LP. Use of this Web site constitutes acceptance of the Travelocity User Agreement and Privacy Policy . CST# 2056372-50. prom.3050.dest_main|Promotions|TRAVELOCITY|ST||||| --
Central America Travel
Belize, Central America - Travel and Tourism Information You are here: About > Travel > Mexico / Central America for Visitors > Belize, Central America > Belize, Central America - Travel and Tourism Information Travel Go Mexico Essentials Packing List for Travelers to Mexico Health Information Mexico / C. America Safety Considerations Travel Books Mexico and Central America Tourism Offices Mexico/ Central America Articles & Resources Mexico Mexico City Acapulco, Mexico Cancun Yucatan Baja Los Cabos Puerto Vallarta Other Places Photos of Mexico Belize, Central America Costa Rica El Salvador Guatemala Honduras Nicaragua Panama Forums Help FREE Newsletter Sign Up Now for the Mexico / Central America for Visitors newsletter! See Online Courses Search Mexico / Central America for Visitors Image Courtesy of NURP Stay up to date! Image Courtesy of NURP Email to a friend Print this page Related Belize Resources Belize Online Resources Explore More of Belize Belize Accommodations Photos of Belize Maya Ruins in Belize Recent Discussions Travelling to Central/South America? Multi-Destination Flights Sport Fishing Charters Most Popular Mexican Music La Paz, Mexico Quinceanera Packing List Tijuana, Mexico What's Hot Buying Real Estate in Mexico Puerto Vallarta Cozumel, Mexico Whale Watching Fishing In Mexico Related Topics California for Visitors South America for Visitors Caribbean for Visitors Mexican Cuisine Belize, Central America From Apply Now , Your Guide to Mexico / Central America for Visitors . FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Coral reefs, tropical cayes, Maya ruins, exotic wildlife and more Belize (formerly known as British Honduras) is located on Central America's Caribbean coast, bordering Mexico, Guatemala and the Caribbean Sea ( see map ). Although it is a small country of only about 8,800 square miles (about the size of New Hampshire), the country has many beautiful natural venues and interesting historical sites. In particular, Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world, a number of lush tropical rain forests, picturesque mountains fed by rivers and waterfalls, exotic wildlife, and many fascinating Maya archeological sites. Belize is unique among the countries of Central America, inasmuch as the official language is English, rather than Spanish. Further, Belize's principal ethnic group is black Creole, rather than Spanish or mestizo. The country has a population of just over 200,000 - making it the most sparsely populated country in Central America. The climate is subtropical, with an annual mean daily temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit. The breezes from the Caribbean Sea have a refreshing cooling effect, and help to offset the humidity - at least in the coastal areas. The following briefly describes some the main visitor attractions in Belize: Belize Barrier Reef The Belize Barrier Reef is the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second largest in the world. This reef lies parallel to the coast of Belize, and stretches about 180 miles in a north to south direction. The Belize Barrier Reef is widely regarded as one of the world's best diving and snorkeling sites. The water on this reef is calm and clear with water visibility usually reaching about 100 feet. The water temperature remains at around 80 degrees Fahrenheit for most of the year. The reef is home to about 375 species of fish and about 60 types of coral. Just beyond the main reef are three "atolls" - very large oval shaped formations of coral. In close proximity to the reef can be found a number of marine reserves, including Laughing Bird Caye National Park and Sapodilla Cayes Marine Reserve . These reserves are well worth a visit for those interested in marine ecology. In addition to diving and snorkeling, the reef is also a great location for water skiing, wind surfing, fishing or just plain swimming. Ambergris Caye Ambergris Caye , the largest of the more than 200 cayes (islands) located on Belize's northern coastline, lies just west of the Belize Barrier Reef . This narrow island is about 25 miles long and is perhaps the most popular tourist destination in Belize. Ambergris Caye , with its lush vegetation, pleasing climate and pristine white beaches, is the " Isla Bonit a" (Beautiful Island) referred to by Madonna in her popular song of the same name. Because it lies less than a mile from the barrier reef, Ambergris Caye attracts large numbers of scuba divers and snorkelers. However, many other activities are popular here, including windsurfing, kayaking, swimming, fishing, nature walks, visits to nearby Maya ruins, and more. The small town of San Pedro , located in the south part of Ambergris Caye , has numerous restaurants specializing in fresh seafood, as well as authentic Belizean cuisine. Street vendors serve inexpensive freshly made tacos and a variety of delicious grilled meats. San Pedro has several bars and discos, night beach parties (which are open to all), and a number of cultural festivals held on various days throughout the year. The town also has numerous small shops which sell a variety of handicrafts made by local artisans, including pottery, paintings and some truly beautiful coral and silver jewelry. Ambergris Caye has many deluxe resorts and condominiums available for visitors, but budget accommodation is not difficult to arrange. Photo image of coral barrier reef courtesy of OAR/National Undersea Research Program (NURP) - Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. 1 2 Next Topic Index | Email to a Friend Our Story | Be a Guide | Advertising Info | Work at About | Site Map | Icons | Help User Agreement | Ethics Policy | Patent Info. | Privacy Policy | Kids' Privacy Policy ©2005 About, Inc., A part of the New York Times Company . All rights reserved. Around About New Video iPod - Review POLL: Must-Have Gadgets VIDEO: Portable Gaming VIDEO: Choosing a TV Hugh Hefner's Life What's Hot Buying Real Estate in Mexico Puerto Vallarta Cozumel, Mexico Whale Watching Fishing In Mexico