How to Get from Belize City to San Pedro

If you decide to visit the vibrant country of Belize, it is likely you will spit out in Belize City. However, as bustling as it is, chances are this will not be your final destination!

Unsurprisingly, many people who travel to Belize don’t have their eyes on the mainland. Instead, they are drawn to the colorful islands that lay off the shore, such as Ambergris Caye (San Pedro).

But working out how to get to San Pedro doesn’t have to be a stressful experience, especially with a bit of forward planning and buying your tickets in advance! Here’s how…

Table of Contents

How to Get From Belize City to San Pedro
Tips For Going From Belize City to San Pedro
More Around Belize

How to Get From Belize City to San Pedro

Ready to just book your ferry ticket and not think about it anymore? Trust me, I did the homework. This is the easiest and cheapest way!

CHECK PRICE AND SCHEDULE:

Belize City to San Pedro

Need more info and tips? No worries, I got you!

Dockside Belize City on the way to San Pedro — Dockside in Belize City on the way to San Pedro

Ferry From Belize City’s Pier to San Pedro Ambergris Island

Getting from Belize City to San Pedro is a straightforward journey that involves traveling by water—you are heading to an island, after all! Your journey should start at the Water Taxi Terminal, conveniently located just a short taxi ride from Belize Airport.

We recommend buying your ferry tickets here as it’s the easiest and cheapest way:

CHECK PRICE AND SCHEDULE:

Belize City to San Pedro

This ferry route is ideal if your final destination is San Pedro, as the boat stops at both San Pedro and Caye Caulker. You don’t need to change ships when you reach the first stop at Caye Caulker. You will wait for the second stop the boat makes at San Pedro.

Here is the information for the piers: (where you’re picked up and dropped off at)

How to Book Your Ferry From Belize City to San Pedro

We recommend booking your ferry ticket online. It will save you a lot of time and stress. This way, you can see all the different schedules available, the times the boats leave, and how much the trip will cost.

Not only will this save you the hassle of buying a ticket once you get to the water taxi, but it will also save your desired time and a bit of money. If you know when you want to travel, this is the way to go.

Roaming the pier after going from Belize city to San Pedro, Belize. — San Pedro Pier

The ferry ticket to San Pedro is a little more expensive than the one to Caye Caulker, as it is further away. If you are heading to San Pedro, you can expect to spend around 75 to 90 minutes on the water and only about 45 minutes to Caye Caulker.

On a map, it may seem close, but the journey can seem quite long if you are packed onto the small boats, which are usually pretty busy.

CHECK PRICE AND SCHEDULE:

Belize City to San Pedro

Why Visit San Pedro?

Sitting just off the coast is Ambergris Caye, home of San Pedro and one of Belize’s most popular spots. The town just oozes cool, with fresh seafood tumbling out of restaurants, luxury beach resorts lining the shores, and enough bars for you to choose a new one for every day of your stay.

Me in San Pedro on a seat in the ocean — After your Belize City to San Pedro ferry, you can crack open a beer out on the water!

The island and town are famous for many reasons, but one of the biggest is its proximity to the Belize Barrier Reef, where diving and snorkeling are some of the best in the world. The beaches are vast and picturesque, and water sports are abundant. Sounds pretty idyllic, right?

Nurse sharks at Hol Chan Marine Reserve in Belize — Snorkel with sharks.

There are so many things to do in San Pedro! So don’t worry; getting from Belize City to San Pedro is easy and can be part of the fun.

READ MORE: Top 12 Things To Do in San Pedro, Belize!

Tips For Going From Belize City to San Pedro

Expect to pay around $25 for the cab fare from the airport to the water taxi terminal. Plus, if traveling with more than two people, you should also expect to pay $5 for every additional passenger. Or you can prebook a shuttle from the airport to the pier or vice versa. Give yourself around 30-45 minutes to make this journey.
If you are prone to seasickness, you tend to get the smoothest ride if you sit at the back of the boat. Get there early to nab a back seat and have a more comfortable ride. You should also plan ahead with seasickness tablets.
If you don’t want to take a boat, you can take a flight. But this will definitely take longer overall and certainly be more expensive.
If you have luggage with you, drop this off at the terminal in exchange for a luggage tag. You can then collect your luggage when you reach your final destination. They load and offload all your big pieces of luggage on and off the boat, which is nice and convenient.
The water taxis are regular and well-run. If one ferry is too full, there will be another not too far behind. They are almost hourly boat rides going back and forth.
If you want to reserve your ticket but are still a bit unsure of the time, buy it anyway, as they are flexible with the times. As long as there’s room, they will put you on a ferry that day, even if it’s for a different time than on your ticket. You can also change times with them via What’s App (I had to do this as I wanted to change my time after I purchased!)
You can also buy round-trip ferry tickets or your onward travel from San Pedro to Mexico if that’s your next stop. DON’T go back to the mainland to get to Mexico unless you’re flying! It’s a much longer route. There’s an easy ferry to take instead.
Read my article on the best things to do in Belize before your trip!