Is San Pedro a safe town. Can I walk through the town late at night? If i am out in the town at a bar and want to go back to hotel...should i walk it or take a taxi?

San Pedro is like any other town in the world, be careful. There are people out to rip you off. There are crackheads, rapists and worse. Just be aware and careful like you would in any other city.

san pedro is a very safe town. however you must use your common sense as in any town. don't walk into dark areas, stay in well lit areas and where people are around, if your hotel is close i recomend walking on the street instead of on the beach as there are many dark areas on the beach. its always safer to travel in numbers. i've never had a problem. just be aware of your suroundings and enjoy!

Just got back from SP a week ago. My wife and I felt very safe.

oh my GOSH! What a horrible way to say what you think. If this is your opinion, by all means the message board is here for you to tell the truth, but could you put it any horribly? CRACKHEADS, RAPISTS AND WORSE? WHAT DO YOU MEAN WORSE?

JOEBON, you need to be careful anywhere you travel as anything can happen anywhere, no such thing as a perfect place. Yes, San Pedro is extremly safe, extremly! I traveled to San Pedro 6 times as a single female in my 20's and NEVER ONCE felt unsafe or had any issues or threats.

I NOW LIVE HERE, WALK ALONE ALL THE TIME, HAVE NEVER HAD ANYTHING HAPPEN TO ME...EXCEPT HELLOS AND NICE GESTURES FROM THE KIND HEARTED PEOPLE OF THIS TOWN! I FEEL MUCH SAFER THAN IN NEVADA WHERE I WAS THE PAST 5 YRS.

Glen, are you stateside or still stuck in the musical mud of SP?

The truth is the truth no matter how you slice it.

Joebon: Ke is right!! I know everyone longs for paradise, free from ALL worries, but you can't bury your head in the sand-- Just like anyplace else, you will always, always have to use some common sense.

I've traveled alone or w/another female a number of times all around Mexico and once to Honduras. My 2 daughters, both now in their early 20's,have traveled w/a group of medical missionary's--nun's during summer breaks. Among a few of their longer trips have been to Russia each x2, & my eldest just returned from Guatamala before the fall semester began.

Traveling as single females, they (& I) know that many of the small towns they are in have many fewer "threats" than our city. We have also taken precautions & educated ourselves. There's plenty of info on travel sites.

Things that have worked for me so far besides the obvious mentioned above is to BLEND IN & NOT look like a target! Study all you can, maps, etc. so you don't bumble around too much & draw a lot of unwanted attn.

I traveled alone a year ago this past June to Cabo San Lucas to get a break from my grumpy husband & marriage woes. I had no trouble at all. BUT--I listened to my instincts & talked w/a number of locals & hotel staff on which places to avoid. The best advice came from a real estate agent. It was well worth it!

I was in San Pedro last DEC.'04 (hmmm) but only for a day after snorkling at Shark Ray Alley. My husband was tired & I left him at the bar while I spent the whole day walking around town & meeting the kindest Belizians! I exhanged addresses & ph # w/a family & I just happened to save it!

Last wk, after reading Capt.Jeffs health report, which his words hit me down to the core of my soul...yes, better than Dr. Phil... I made the final decision to make the move. So I found that little piece of paper, took the chance & called their cell ph# & spoke w/both the husband & wife--they remembered me! (I think this is how all of this has been miraculously set in place...)

When I met my new friends in SP last Dec, I had given them "grumpy's" inexpensive dive watch because it had rubbed his wrist too much & he had put it in my pocket. My new Belizian friend didn't know I had it, but happened to mention that he would sometimes "free-dive" for lobsters to sell. I said it sounded dangerous & his wife said only because the face on his watch was white & she worried about it attracting Barraccuda's! The watch in my pocket had a dk blue face! You would have thought I had given them the most precious gift in the world! He's still wearing it and something I didn't think was a big thing, meant so much to him and his wife!! They & their 3 children (2 of whom I got to speak w/on the ph. & I just fell in love with them!) now call me part of their family! Wow!

(Ok, I got off on a long rabbit trail, but I wanted to share w/ Joebon that the people are truly gracious & warm. Expect good things; just be safe.)

I felt so much safer in SP than I do here in Austin! I am almost single again & will be making a fresh start in AC by late Jan. My divorce will be final in DECEMBER '05!! (Is'nt that odd? I didn't file either! But I still think it's a blessing--Somebody must be trying to trying to tell me something being that it will be final the same week I was in SP last yr!!)Hmm

I need to find an apt. or buy a hm very soon afterwards anyway. So, w/ it being only a 2 hr. flight, why not go there vs. the same 'ol thing here? I am soooo excited! At first my family thought I was nuts, now they are thrilled & incredibly supportive!

Belize was always my dream, not his.(I was ready to moved down to AC almost 25 yrs ago but found out I was pregnant just 3 wks before I was to leave!)

Now I get to really do it!...following my dreams...I'm just going solo is all!!

And being safe like Ke said! I hope to see all of you soon! Send me any info or advice--I welcome it all! And thanks for all the support many of you have sent my way! Divorce isn't easy at all-- even when you know it's best. & starting over alone even if doing it in your own home town is scary. I don't like this "in-between part", and I am scared as hell! But, following my dream gets my heart beating, and best of all, it renews in me love again...for life!!! Wow, I thought that was long gone...guess not!

My wife and I bought property on AC and have been traveling there since the late 90's. We just returned from living and working in San Pedro for a year and a half. I get very frustrated when I see people talk about how "crime free" SP is. Since our first trip to SP in 97, the island has changed drastically. I too remember the friendly hellos--and I'm not saying this doesn't happen now. I'm just saying that the amount of crime that occurs in SP needs to be acknowledged. We moved there with the ideal that SP was this utopian place. While living in SP, I was robbed, had personal property stolen from my apartment on a regular basis and was constantly approached by drug dealers. About a month before our return to the states, my wife was the victim of an attempted rape by one of the SP town council workers that rakes the beach. This happened during her morning walk in broad daylight. Now tell me, how idealistic does this sound? I think that anyone who travels to SP needs to be aware of these problems--especially if you are a female traveling alone. Just to name a few things that have happened over the past year in SP--a woman got into a taxi for a ride and was taken back by the lagoon and brutally raped by the driver and left for dead. Also, a security guard at Fido's was recently murdered. There is constant petty theft and American tourists are often targets. I'm not trying to be hateful or rude--this is a reality that everyone needs to be aware of. My wife and I both loved SP, and we still have great friends there, but enough is enough and we came home to the states.

BY ALL MEANS NO ONE SAID SP IS CRIME FREE!!!!
We said it is VERY safe and safer than many travel destinations (and ALL places I traveled to) This is HORRIBLE what happened to your wife, unacceptable. Rape and robbery happens everywhere in the world. This does not justify what happened to you.

About the murder...Where I moved FROM in the US there are approx 10 murders a week! That is more than 1 per day vs. one of the few murders in the past 5 years here! One murder in a destination makes you think this place is not safe! I would hate to see you move to NY or Vegas or LA!

About your comment on females traveling alone. I traveled alone here 6 times, am in my 20's, never any problems of any sort. Know SEVERAL females who traveled here alone, same thing. I now LIVE here and never had any of these issues.

To conclude, I will restate what I wrote in my other post:

you need to be careful anywhere you travel as anything can happen anywhere, no such thing as a perfect place. Yes, San Pedro is extremly safe, extremly!

HEY TERILYNN!!!!!!!!!


YOU GO GIRL

terilynn, looking forward to meeting you soon. Feel free to PM me if you have any questions before you come.

what area do you want to live in and what are you looking for?

To JoeBon who asked the original question:
Yes, San Pedro is a safe town and you can walk through town late at night like everybody else can. The key is being smart and not staggering with a 450 degree rum poisoning through dark streets, which means certain death in many other places than San Pedro. I have lived here permanently for more than five years and have yet to be attacked or harrased, and I used to walk home on the beach from work at 1 a.m. three nights a week. I have never been robbed or had my home broken into. If you live out of town: A taxi to your hotel doesn't cost much more than your last drink...
Yes, crime is happening here too. Still not even remotely like you will see it in most other travel destinations (or at home). I have lived in several different countries and have been all over the world. San Pedro is SAFE!!!

To other contributors to this discussion:
Some people buy drugs (yes, pot is also an illegal drug here) and smoke loads of it. If it weren't for the customers there wouldn't be a market for selling it. Some of the people who complain about the drug dealers are (as bizarre as it may seem) the ones who seem pretty happy to have them around when they need them. Man, it's almost like a politician complaining about corruption!

No, not defending drug dealers in any way. I think that they are at least as worthless as the abusers, who at the end of the day are the foundation for drug related crime, which is pretty much (and sadly enough) representing the majority of problems in our little world as in the rest of the world.

San Pedro is generally a great little safe haven in a big scary world. I feel blessed to be able to live here without fear of mass murder, extensive polution, terrorism and, and, and... and welcome all you visitors to our island where you will see for yourself that "crackheads, rapists and worse" is not the name of the game. I am not naive, and I realize that crime is becoming a larger source of irritation and frustration. Still, it is not related to our local culture or mentality in any way (on the contrary), but caused by the unfortunate lack of resources and education which is seen in many third-world countries.

Please come to San Pedro and see for yourselves. It is the best place in the world!

I am just happy that I didn't have to go back to where i came from, and that Belize found me before Jamaica did!!!

I moved here twenty-four years ago, not knowing anyone, as a single woman. I'm still here....(as a single woman.) I have not had any drastically horrible experiences as have been described. San Pedro has gone through many changes, but I still love living here.

I am going to San Pedro in a couple of months. I have one day planned of going around town alone since my partner will be out diving. I am also concerned about safety so this thread was what I needed. Thank you for all the info.

BeliGlen's statement may have come off a little bit frightening. But I think all he meant was to be careful 'coz anywhere in the world, such people exist. Don't you think you're better off warned than not, whether the place is safe or not? Coz you'll never know.

Anywhooo... I can't wait and have fun in the island!

It's funny how this topic continues to surface and how polarized our views are. I love San Pedro and own 2 homes here. Fortunately, during my stays I have only been victim to petty crimes...mainly things disappearing from my yard, which happens often. Tourists should be aware that this has been a particularly bad year for crime on the island. Most alarming to me is the increasing number of violent crimes happening in broad daylight. I do not agree that SP is an "extremely safe place." If it were, women would not be getting raped and security guards murdered. We all need to face the fact that SP has a crime problem. The more we educate ourselves, the safer we will be. And the argument that SP is more safe than your home town in the States is bogus. This is a town of 5000 or so people!! It shouldn't have the same problems as New York, Chicago or LA.

A recent analasis by officieals of NEMO (National Emergency Organization, they're the Belize government's hurricane relief, recovery etc. body) calculated that the population of Ambergris was at least 14,000 people.

I actually think it's more, but for sure it's not "5000"

You may be correct about population numbers, but my point remains...

Is San Pedro safer than other tourist destinations? I really loved the places i've been in Jamaica. It sounds as though that lady weile doesn't like it there. She seems to know alot about drugs and alcohol on the island,is this a big problem?Is it worse than Jamaica?

nothing worse than Jamaica

funny you ask if it is worse than Jamaica. 4 tourists have said to me in the past 2 months how much safer they feel here than there, how they are not hastled like in Jamica, and how much kinder the local population is.

HAVE BEEN APPROACHED ONCE IN 9 MONTHS - RE 'POT'... ONCE YOU TELL THEM 'NO' THEY USUALLY REMEMBER YOU AND LEAVE YOU ALONE... LOOK LIKE YOU KNOW WHERE YOU ARE GOING, USE A TAXI AT NIGHT, AND YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES... BE AWARE OF WHO IS AROUND YOU... AND HAVE SOME FUN
YOU CAN BE A TARGET ANYWHERE, DON'T CARRY A LOT OF CASH ON YOU, YOU WOULDN'T AT HOME, AND YOU DON'T NEED A LOT HERE ON ANY GIVEN DAY...
IF YOU WALK AROUND WITH A DART BOARD ON YOUR HEAD.... JUST HAVE A HEADS UP, AND YOU SHOULD NOT HAVE ANY ISSUES

Hi all -

First, we've really enjoyed your forum. Great combo of information and fun commentary.

Hubby and I will be arriving in Belize for our first time on 10/15 (counting down!). Will be spending time at Crystal Paradise first, then on to Ambergris for a few days, and then to Caulker.

We are not "target" types, and have pretty good common sense - but would like your opinions on something. I've read some conflicting suggestions between this forum and The Belize Forums. What are your opinions on carrying your cash/passports vs. leaving in your room? I've seen suggestions for both.

Any input appreciated - and we just can't wait to experience Belize!

Where are you staying on AC? Some hotels have in-room or office safes.

Also, think seriously about making a couple copies of the passports and store them in separate places, even trade them so that each of you has at least one full set. Then, if you think you need to carry your passport, simply carry a copy instead. Copies also help if the worst happens ayou do lose the real deal.

We're staying at Banana Beach (which from what I've seen seems to be a pretty popular place right now).

We're leaving a copy of everything with friends here, and had also planned on bringing a copy with us - but the suggestion of a full set each was something I hadn't thought of.

Thanks for the suggestions.

BB has in-room safes too.

GOOD IDEAS.... I CARRY ORIGINALS, BUT HAVE COPIES IN A SAFE HERE AND AT HOME... JUST IN CASE

I LOVE THIS MESSAGE BOARD!! SO GLAD I "DISCOVERED" IT. WOW, INTERESTING DISCUSSION REGARDING "THE STATE OF AFFAIRS" IN SP. MY HUSBAND & I WILL BE AT A FRIEND'S CONDO @ THE BELIZE YACHT CLUB FOR 3 WEEKS IN NOVEMBER. REALLY EXCITED ABOUT IT. WE WILL BE "SCOUTING" AROUND FOR A POSSIBLE PLACE TO LIVE IN THE FUTURE.
TERRILYNN'S POST MADE ME FEEL SO GOOD. I HOPE THAT I WILL RUN INTO HER WHILE WE ARE THERE. I KNOW WE WOULD GET ALONG FAMOUSLY!!