One of my favorite places in Belize are the islands along the coast, called Cayes. The two most northern Cayes are Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. While Ambergris Caye is bigger and more touristy, Caye Caulker still has the small-town charme and is more attractive to backpackers as their prices are still moderate and there are many simple accommodations there.
Caye Caulker
Don’t get me wrong, of course you can live splendidly on Caye Caulker as well. You can rent a house or a condo with AC and all kinds of extras. But most ppl on the island don’t. Especially not the budget travelers!
Caye Caulker is a charming place to spend some time and unwind. The island is the epitome of the motto “No shoes, no shirt…no problem”. Nothing seems to be a problem on this lil patch of paradise, where dogs nap in the sandy roads and tanned cyclists pedal around them. In fact, you may not once see a car on the island. There are very few and the only thing that comes close to it in transportation is the golf carts.Those are very fun though.
The general directive on Caye Caulker is “Go slow” and you will realize after a couple of days that you lose the fast stride and begin to immerse yourself into the island life. You, too, will start to “go slow” and enjoy it!
With roughly 1000 residents on the island the main two sources of income are tourism and fishery. There is an abundance of tour providers on the island to chose from. My advise would be to look around and talk to other travelers. Maybe they already went with someone and can point you where you need to go. If not, the other reason to look around for a bit would be comparing prices (which are pretty much the same whereever you go) and in the end, picking a tour provider that YOU feel comfortable with. Personally i love the company Raggamuffin Tours! Great people, great sailing and absolutely safe and reliable! All their tours were tons of fun!
isn't this paradise?
No matter which tour provider you decide on, make sure you do not miss out on the vast opportunities for snorkeling, diving, fishing, sailing, kayaking, surfing and animal watching. It is a one of a kind spot to do so with the 2nd largest reef in the Western Hemisphere right at your doorstep!
The island is an ideal base for trips to The Blue Hole and the more remote locations along the reef such as Tobacco Caye, Rendevouz Caye or Halfmoon Caye (just to name a few). It is easiest done by going with a boat of divers. I chose Frenchie’s Dive Shop to do the tour to The Blue Hole and it was a lot of fun. We did three snorkel stops and even got to see Reef Sharks!
For all of you that are not into the watersports, don’t despair! Caye Caulker has plenty to offer for you, too. At the northern end of Caye Caulker there is the “split”, a waterway separating the North island from the main Caye Caulker south island. It is a good spot to swim or snorkel of the beach, as well as get a couple of drinks at the “Lazy Lizard”. The split was created by Hurricane Hattie in 1961 and the broken wall laying in the water is a perfect spot to put your towel down and soak up the sunshine.
the north end of the southern island of Caye Caulker, called The Split
Other than that you can lay in a hammock all day, enjoy the breeze and plenty of great food. There is no way anyone would not be able to find a place to eat. From Italian, to Belizean, to Chinese, to Mexican to fast-food-type stuff. It is all here. My tip would be to try the lil comidas on front street. Fran’s Grill was one of my favorites. She has a delicious lobster menue. Also i heard a lot of good about Rosa’s Café on Dock Street, it was recommended to me and i will be sure to check it out when i am back to the island in roughly 3 weeks.
When it comes to accommodations they are as abundant as places to eat and you will hardly not find a place to hang your hat at night. It all depends what you are looking for. With backpackers most popular is Tina’s which you practically almost stumble into when you get off the water taxi.
In any case, take my advice here! DO NOT stay at Mara’s Place next to the split! We did for two nights and encountered bed bugs. If you don’t mind them, go right ahead but i could have done without the experience.
Look around until you see a place you like, then just walk in and ask. Belizean in general and people on Caye Caulker especially are very friendly. Even if that particular place does not have rooms available they will sure know about somewhere else you may wanna check.
As you can tell, Caye Caulker quickly became a second home for me and i miss being on the island. The vibe and laidback attitude is why i love it so much. The locals are friendly and helpful and there has never been a “bad day” to be had on Caye Caulker. If you have specific questions about places to stay or eat at, or anything else concerning “Caulker”, please drop me a comment and i will get back to you as soon as i can!
“Go slow” and enjoy! I left my heart on Caye Caulker and i am sure so will you very soon!
