Sandbar Beachfront Hostel & Restaurant

Located on the southern end of San Pedro’s main beachfront drag, Sandbar Beachfront Hostel & Restaurant feels like it’s in the center of everything San Pedro has to offer. There are restaurants and supermarkets nearby, beachfront bars next door, and several dive shops within walking distance. Golf carts and bicycles are constantly whizzing past the property, and there’s always a continuous stream of people walking around. This lively atmosphere continues within the hostel as well. The hostel’s sandy-floor bar and restaurant serves as its entry point, and sets the tone for its casual, comfortable atmosphere. Guests are always hanging around in this open-air space, conversing with fellow travelers, connecting to the Wi-Fi, or grabbing food and drinks at the bar. Unfortunately, the lobby is a bit of a let down, and could use a bit of tidying. The reception area has a strong feline odor, likely from the cat and its food that's set on a corner table. Furniture is haphazardly scattered across the space, empty vodka bottles sit on worn end tables, and random knick-knacks are strewn across the entire space. Thankfully, the messy lobby is false advertisement for the hostel’s room cleanliness. Both shared and private rooms are spotlessly clean.

Like most hostels, guests at the Sandbar range in age from 20 to 30. The atmosphere here is fun and communal, and the majority of guests are eager to mingle and get to know one another. Because of this, Sandbar is an ideal spot for solo travelers who enjoy meeting other travelers. It’s also great for large groups who can rent entire 12-person dorms.

Sandbar Beachfront Hostel & Restaurant is, like its name suggests, a beachfront hostel in San Pedro town on Ambergris Caye. Sandbar is within walking distance of great restaurants, fun bars, large grocery stores, and a handful of dive shops. Guests who plan on exploring the farther reaches of Ambergris Caye can rent a golf cart (the only form of motorized transportation on the island) at one of the nearby supermarkets. 

San Pedro is the largest town on Ambergris Caye, Belize’s largest island. Ambergris Caye is best known for its proximity to the Belize Barrier Reef, which is a mere 20-minute boat ride from the island. The Belize Barrier Reef is part of the larger Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which extends from eastern Mexico to Honduras -- making it the second largest reef system in the world, after Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. Needless to say, travelers visit Ambergris Caye to experience its rich marine life and exceptional dive sites, such as Hol Chan and the Blue Hole. Ambergris Caye is an ideal destination for divers and avid snorkelers, and it's an excellent place for those seeking scuba certification. It’s not an ideal destination for travelers in search of beautiful beaches (check out Placencia or Hopkins instead). Nearly, all of Ambergris Caye’s beaches are manmade, and the beaches in San Pedro town -- like the one in front of Sandbar -- are used as a thoroughfare for golf cart traffic.  

The ramshackle town of San Pedro is a sight to behold. Brightly colored facades line the sandy streets, where golf cart traffic crisscrosses between pedestrians, cyclists, and street dogs. San Pedro is exciting, and frenetic, but it’s probably not the best spot on the island for rest and relaxation. Travelers seeking quieter surroundings should head north or south of town, where the atmosphere mellows significantly.  

Like many parts of the Caribbean, Ambergris Caye is currently dealing with a massive seaweed problem. Due to rising ocean temperatures, large amounts of seagrass accumulate along the shoreline and wash up on the beach. The piles of dried seagrass are unsightly and foul smelling, and the problem seems particularly bad on the northern end of the island. The stagnant seaweed prevents a lot of people from swimming directly off shore, and the sulfurous smell may aggravate some travelers more than others. This is a natural phenomenon, and there isn’t much hotels can do to get rid of the seaweed, but it’s something travelers should anticipate when visiting Ambergris Caye.  

Sandbar has two mixed 12-person dormitories and several private rooms that can each accommodate up to three people. All units are spotlessly kept and feature simple, island-inspired decor. Rooms are painted in varying shades of blue, offset nicely by white bunks and furniture. In the dorms, beds are dressed in colorful Belizean coverings and are equipped with sheets and pillows. Each bunk has adjustable privacy curtains, a locked storage unit, a wall-mounted nightstand, and a personal electrical outlet. Dorm occupants use shared (single-sex) bathrooms and shower facilities. Private rooms are tiny but can accommodate up to three people with double beds and single bunks. Additionally, private rooms have their own private bathrooms, and have access to a shared balcony with hammocks and bean bag chairs. One major pitfall is the amount of noise rooms are subject to at night. San Pedro is a lively town, and the Sandbar’s restaurant and bar is a popular nighttime hangout. Sometimes the partying continues through the wee hours, and many guests find it difficult to sleep.  

There aren’t a ton on features at Sandbar Hostel, but its on-site bar and restaurant and its ocean dock are quite popular with guests. As we’ve mentioned, Sandbar’s restaurant is more than just a place that serves food and drinks. It’s a common gathering area, where guests come to hang out, socialize, and connect to the free Wi-Fi. Guests munch on pizza, wings, and ceviche during the day, then stick around for drinks at night. The atmosphere is always fun and lively, which attracts non-guests as well. The restaurant even has its own roadside stand that serves great iced coffee, milkshakes, and ice cream. 

Across the street, the hostel has its own dock that extends into the ocean. The water around to dock is calm and typically great for swimming, though the beach is often plagued by seaweed. The dock is equipped with colorful lounge chairs and umbrellas, and there are several entry points into the water. A few nights per week Sandbar hosts happy hour on the dock, with food and drink service on the water.