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We've compiled the best of the best in The Cayes and Atolls - browse our top choices for the top things to see or do during your stay.
Moon Bar has made a splash as an atmospheric beach bar and "flame-fired" pizza joint on a secluded stretch of beach. This is a spot to come and play for hours: recline on daybeds, drink your "grammable" craft cocktail in the pool, or borrow paddleboards and kayaks (free for customers). The tasty, customizable pizzas are made with excellent homemade dough. At night, cool-color purple and blue lighting gives Moon Bar a sultry lunar feel. Note that this hip hangout is 18-plus.
This waterside palapa is your spot for---you guessed it---a beautiful sunset. The Pelican is known for its many ceviches (they may be a little overhyped, but still nothing to sneeze at), and seafood in general is tasty here. The bartenders make amazing things happen from fresh juices and local rum. The joint has a lively atmosphere and seating can get crowded, but it's good fun.
Simple decor and few walls make space for this rooftop's real ambience: the Caribbean horizon and watercolor sunsets. Some of the prices are jaw-dropping, but so are the culinary creations: executive chef and sampedrano Samuel Gonzalez has a way with local ingredients and all things seafood. From-the-land dishes shine, too: options such as the bleu cheese-crusted filet mignon use ingredients the island seldom sees. It's possible to pop into Rain for a cocktail and watch the sunset. Just below Rain is Aqua, another of Gonzalez's high-profile restaurants, known for exquisite sushi. Both are attached to the resort Grand Caribe.
Line up beside the smoking grill for a delicious, no-nonsense plate of jerk chicken with sides. Homemade sauce is dished from a big plastic mixing bowl, and Fanta and juices are in the back (but don't expect mixed drinks). Eat under the thatch and chat with the lovely Jamaican-Belizean owners, or get your meal to go. Bring napkins---and cash, as no credit cards are accepted.
The less rowdy competitor of Lazy Lizard, Sip n' Dip is a playful spot to kick it in the water, rum punch in hand. Though the swimming here isn't as good or deep as at the Lizard, you're a stone's throw from that area; plus the inner tubes and submerged tables make up for it. It's more family-friendly, with a modest playground and a little upcycled water slide into the sea. The basic lunch menu is surprisingly tasty.
Someplace South is a new hot spot---or, to use an old Belizean phrase for a roadside joint, a "cool spot"---beloved for its friendly faces, delicious grub, and nooks of stylish seating. The lush courtyard is a lovely place to have brunch (their specialty, served all day) or to sip a rum drink while you wait for your Caribbean dinner. Someplace South is so refreshing you might not even miss sea views; plus, when sargassum seaweed stinks up the beach, this is a nice refuge. Live music gets going several nights a week.
This open-air favorite is your spot for handmade pupusas (pockets of masa filled with meat or veggies and cooked on a griddle). The huge pupusas will only run you about BZ$3–BZ$6 each, and range from spinach to pork to the idiosyncratic "crazy" flavor. An array of (more expensive) seafood and meat dishes is also on offer. For tropical decadence try the coconut cream burritos filled with seafood or chicken while you enjoy the town's bustle just feet away. Waruguma is a great, low-key family dinner spot.
