“Last night I dreamt of San Pedro” – Madonna Ciccone.
Three Days in Madonna’s Island: La Isla Bonita, San Pedro, Belize
I’m a fast mover. I’m a fan of pop music. I loved Madonna in the 1980s and can still remember playing ten pin bowling in Bangor for the first time when Like a Prayer was number one single in the UK.
“Life is a mystery. Everyone must stand alone.” – Madonna Ciccone
Madonna Ciccone
But we miss so many things in life. I can’t believe what I found out this week, something my Immaculate Collection should have told me as I stuck my iPod in my ear and listened to Madonna again.
“Tropical the island breeze, all of nature wild and free.
This is where I long to be, La Isla Bonita” – Madonna Ciccone
Relaxing in San Pedro, Belize, 2014
So the story goes, I went out for drinks in Bishkek with two friends here, Aigul and Elvira. We headed to a bar called Center Bar. In there, they had karaoke. There were a few songs we were singing, some in Russian, some in French and some in English. Then this Spanish – English – Latino number was volunteered by Aigul and she got up to sing.
Aigul sings La Isla Bonita in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
I remembered the song fondly from the 80s and 90s when I also owned Madonna’s “Immaculate Collection” album. It was the Madonna song “La Isla Bonita”, i.e. “Beautiful/Pretty Island”. Yet on my travels around the world, I never put two and two together with this one. But wouldn’t you know it, I spent three nights on Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita” and had no idea at the time, September 2014.
Staying at Xanadu Island Resort: A Luxury Paradise in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize
So two years on, here are some of my photos and memories from our three incredible days touring San Pedro, which is a town on Ambergris Caye in Belize – you need to get a boat out here from Belize City, normally via Caye Caulker. We stayed in the simply magnificent Xanadu Resort – well recommended by the way, especially for couples. Was Madonna right about this being “La Isla Bonita?” I’ll let you make up your own mind…
Cocktail on arrival at La Isla Bonita
On a golf cart on La Isla Bonita
Nachosl at La Isla Bonita
The beach on arrival at La Isla Bonita
Downtown San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Dinner in San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Patio View in San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
On the boat to San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Downtown San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Central San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Central San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Breakfast in San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Relaxing in San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Xanadu in San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Totally tropical in San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Last Night I dreamt of San Pedro
San Pedro, La Isla Bonita, Belize
Only one song could possibly appear here, thanks Madonna:
Jonny thanks for give us a wonderful natural presentation of La Isla Bonita, Belize.
Hi Sukanta, thanks for the comment. Glad you liked it. It’s a really cool place. Safe travels. Jonny
I stayed at Caye Caulker for a few days when I went to Belize years ago, but did manage to take the ferry over to San Pedro for a couple of hours one afternoon. Unfortunately, all I saw on San Pedro was various resorts in different stages of construction, so I really couldn’t understand what all the hype was about.
I also met a rather arrogant American ex-pat who was totally dismissive about visiting mainland Belize. He kept saying the mainland was unsafe and not worth visiting, but all he ever saw was Belize City. I had already spent the past 10 days travelling the bulk of the country before I met this guy, so I knew he was full of shit.
Mainland Belize is a very beautiful country with gorgeous scenery, interesting history, awesome eco-tour adventures, and a very chilled, laid-back “small town” vibe. Every local I met in Belize were very hospitable and friendly towards my friend and I. As such, Belize is my favourite country to date. So my encounter with the American ex-pat really soured my experience of San Pedro to be quite honest.
Glad you had a much better time, though. The pictures you took is what I was expecting of San Pedro, but I guess the timing of my visit was just off. I will have to give it a second try if I ever return to Belize again!
Hi Ray, I’ve got a feeling your experience with this guy in Belize is because this is a guy who just wanted the luxury life and not to take in the culture and ways of the country as a whole. As you say, the mainland part was also cool – we toured Belmopan, Xunantunich, Spanish Lookout and a few other spots. Safe travels. Jonny
Madonna clarified to Rolling Stone: “I don’t know where San Pedro is. At that point, I wasn’t a person who went on holidays to beautiful islands. I may have been on the way to the studio and seen an exit ramp for San Pedro.”
https://www.smoothradio.com/features/madonna-la-isla-bonita-meaning-facts-translation/
Hi Star 69, thanks for the update. We should backpack with Madonna and ask her what she really thinks of San Pedro! Safe travels. Jonny