Why Pelican Beach Resort on South Water Caye

There are islands that advertise themselves with hotels, bars, and crowds, and then there are islands that seem to have slipped through the cracks of the modern world. South Water Caye belongs to the latter—a narrow ribbon of sand and coconut palms resting atop the Belize Barrier Reef within the South Water Caye Marine Reserve. Pelican Beach Resort on the southern end of the island is a place of endless trade winds and gentle cooling breaths from the Caribbean that blow day and night. Herons, egrets, and kingfishers feed on the reef flats to the east; pelicans glide low before plunging into schools of minnows along the western shore, while above, ever-vigilant frigate birds float motionless against the clouds.
Beyond the barrier reef, the great sweep of sapphire sea is broken by a swirling line of surf. Inside, the water is calm, almost lake-like, with coral sand here, turquoise there, and every shade of aquamarine between. The water is so clear that you can see waving turtle grass, schools of bonefish, the spotted wings of eagle rays, and even the drifting shadows of clouds crossing a sandy patch.

To the south, the reef lies only a hundred yards offshore. A few kicks from the beach and the sounds of wind in the palm fronds fade into silence, replaced by the soft clicks and pops of tiny creatures hidden within the coral. Sunlight dances across seagrass and reef in shifting patterns. At first, there are only flashes of color—a blue tang slipping behind a coral head, a yellowtail snapper turning suddenly into the light. Then your eyes adjust, and what seemed deserted becomes wonderfully crowded. Eagle rays, barracuda, tarpon, turtles, angelfish, groupers, lobster! Every crevice shelters life; every stroke of your fins reveals something new. After a morning of snorkeling, kayaking, or paddleboarding, find a hammock, spread a towel on the beach, or settle beneath the palm’s shade with a good book.

Pelican Beach Resort on South Water Caye is a tranquil retreat on this small island little known outside Belize. Serenity is not something they’ve created for visitors, but simply the island’s natural way of life that they have carefully preserved. It is not a dramatic place, nor does it need to be. Its beauty lies in its simplicity, its unspoiled surroundings, and the rare sense of peace that settles over those who spend even a few days here.
Perhaps the essence of paradise is found quietly in the caress of the trade winds, the gentle rhythm of waves lapping the shore, the evening call of an osprey, golden sunsets behind Victoria Peak, and a night sky brilliant with stars and galaxies.
You have to experience it to truly understand.