No joke, I cannot stop dreaming about this little Central American slice of paradise nestled in the Caribbean Sea. With the clearest teal waters you ever did see accompanied by the slow vibe, friendly locals and Belizean cuisine, Caye Caulker quickly became one of my favorite places in the world .I couldn’t recommend a trip to this island enough. Whether you’re looking for a laid back atmosphere, a place with easy access to scuba or snorkel the Belize Barrier Reef or simply for a change of pace, this Caye Caulker travel guide and tips should help you make the most of your time there.
Here’s a Caye Caulker Travel Guide + Tips:
Getting to Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker is a Belizean island located in the Caribbean Sea, about 23 miles northeast from Belize City. After flying into Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE), you can choose from two different options to get to Caye Caulker.
- Water Taxi – At the docks in Belize City, two different water taxi companies can get you to Caye Caulker. Ocean Ferry Belize or Belize Water Taxi tickets can be booked online beforehand or at the ticket office. The price is about $15 one way from Belize City.
- Plane – Take a 10 minute flight from Philip Goldson International Airport (BZE) to Caye Caulker’s airstrip (CUK). Book through Maya Island Air or Tropic Air for about $70 a person.
We came to Caye Caulker from San Pedro, Ambergris Caye with a one-way, 30 minute water taxi for $15 per person.
Read my travel diary for Ambergris Caye here or check out my travel guide + tips for visiting here
Arriving to Caye Caulker
If you’re flying into Caye Caulker, golf cart rentals are available to get you to your accommodation. With the island being so small, it’s possible to walk almost everywhere so I didn’t splurge on the golf cart rental. Taxis by golf cart can take you anywhere around the island for about $5. The same situation goes for landing at the docks if you’re arriving by water taxi. Since the docks are located in a more convenient location, you shouldn’t need transport from there to your accommodation.
Where to Stay
The prices for lodging in Caye Caulker differentiate immensely by the season you’re traveling in.
- Budget-friendly – Check out the list here for the cheapest hostels in Caye Caulker, ranging from $10-$20 a night. The most inexpensive AirBnb I found was about $40 a night.
- Mid-level budget – Colinda Cabanas or Enjoy Hotel.
- Luxury – Weezie’s Oceanfront Hotel or Casa Amancer.
We stayed in a sea-front AirBnb called Diane’s Beach House that was a 1 minute walk from the docks where the water taxi dropped us off. The location is optimal as it’s literally just steps from the beach. It has every amenity you’d need, including extra bed linens and towels. The balcony with lounge chairs and a hammock was the perfect set up to spend those slow mornings.
Where to Eat
It’s important to remember that you’re on island time here in Caye Caulker so a lot of places don’t have posted hours.
- Breakfast – Caye Caulker Bakery, Crepes and Dreams. My favorite breakfast spot was the Sunshine Cafe, a walk-up shack on the beach offering egg pies and the most delectable banana bread.
- Casual – Lazy Lizard, Bryse’s Beach BBQ, Cheef Kareems, Dee n D’s, La Cubana or Barrier Reef Sports Bar & Grill.
- Vegetarian – Most places offer a separate vegetarian menu that you have to ask for. Bambooze (home of the “Arms-Length” veggie burrito), was a frequent place to eat for me while in Caye Caulker.
- Fine Dining – Blue Beard French Restaurant, Reina’s or Paradiso Restaurant
- Belize Food – Little Kitchen, Wish Willy Bar & Grill or Belizean Flavas
What to Do
- Set the alarm to wake up in time for sunrise
- Hang out at the only and only Split. The two islands of Caye Caulker were once connected until a hurricane split them in half. This is the place to hang out for the day on the island!
- Spend the day lounging in the water at Koko King on the north island of Caye Caulker
- Hike the south trail through the mangroves around the perimeter of the island
- Take a sunset cruise with Ragamuffin Tours
- Walk the dogs and visit the kitties at the Caye Caulker Animal Shelter
- Take a yoga class at RandOM (donation-only too!)
- Stand below the planes as they take off from the Caye Caulker airstrip
- Rent a jet ski through Tsunami Adventures
- Test your balance with stand up paddle boarding through Contour Belize
- Go deep sea fishing with Chasin’ Tail
- Kite and wind surf through the Kite Explorer company
- Take a trip to the Lamani Mayan Ruins or the Belize Zoo on the mainland with Jose Tours
- Visit the Belize Barrier Reef, Shark Ray Alley & the Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Tips & Things to Know for Caye Caulker
The biggest tip I can give for visiting Caye Caulker is to set that early alarm for the sunrises! These are easily the most beautiful moments of the day here on the island. It’d be an absolute shame to miss the stars and moon disappear as the sun takes hold of the day.
Annoyances
There are more bugs on Caye Caulker than I expected. While I didn’t experience any mosquitoes or flies, I did come home from the beach with tons of little bites all over my feet and legs. Be sure to check where you’re standing, sitting or laying so you don’t get bit!
Transportation
While I did recommend having a golf cart in San Pedro, I don’t think it’s necessary in Caye Caulker unless your accommodation is way out of town. The roads on the island are completely pedestrian-friendly and covered in sand, a far cry from San Pedro’s paved roads.
Read More: San Pedro, Ambergris Caye Travel Guide + Tips
Accommodations
In reference to accommodations, it depends on what type of environment you’re looking for in Caye Caulker but, in my opinion, it’s way better to stay in town. You’ll get a taste of that slow-paced vibe no matter the location you’re in and it’s a plus to be closer to the majority of restaurants, markets and especially to the Split.
Volunteer at the Animal Shelter
If you’re an animal lover like me, give some attention to the dogs and cats over at the Caye Caulker Animal Shelter. Kenny, the man who started the shelter and runs it, will welcome you into the fenced in area and tell you all about the pets he has here, even inviting you to walk a dog in the afternoons.
Weather
Be sure to bring an extra sweatshirt or a pair of paints for the evenings because it gets pretty windy after the sun goes down! I was quite chilled in my tank top and shorts, having to borrow a sweater to go out for dinner every night. Just like other tropical destinations, the weather can change in an instant here. If going out for the day, bring your rain gear along with your bathing suit and a change of clothes to prep for anything!
Food Options
If you’re a vegetarian like me you won’t have any issues at all finding food here in Caye Caulker. Almost every restaurant offers a separate vegetarian menu and, if they don’t, each place is more than willing to accommodate your dietary restrictions. The best vegetarian menu I saw while on the island was at Bambooze where I enjoyed an “Arm’s-Length” Burrito. And yes, I almost smashed it all!
Locals
Caye Caulker is probably the first place I’ve been where the locals don’t have ulterior motives to helping the tourists. I know it’s pretty hard to believe but we were asked by many people if we needed help finding our accommodation or if we needed info on what to do and where to eat. Everywhere we went in Caye Caulker, it felt as if we were treated like a bunch of old friends returning home and not just some visitors on vacation.
The locals who are selling their crafts and goods are ridiculously friendly too and never push anything on you. They aren’t trying to scam you and, if you simply say no to what they’re offering, they’ll respond with a smile and a thank you and continue on with their day. How many places in the world can you experience unpushy locals?!
Take a Snorkel Tour
I can’t recommend snorkeling the Belize Barrier Reef more on your trip. Definitely embark on the tour from Caye Caulker rather than San Pedro because the boat ride was only 5 minutes from here. This allows you to do a tour in a smaller group. Check out the Anwar Tours company! Family-owned and operated, we were so impressed with their hospitality. Omar the owner uses his own boats driven by his family members who are incredibly knowledgable of Caye Caulker and the reef. While snorkeling, they would point out every piece of marine life we were seeing. They even took us out to feed the tarpon and show us a sea horse haven! The price was only $35 a person for a 3 hour tour as well, one of the best budget-friendly yet awesome experiences I’ve had.
Don’t Miss a Sunset
You must catch the sunsets here in Caye Caulker and the most popular place to do so is on the west side of the Split. If you plan on watching it from here, be sure to snag a seat early as the entire ledge over the water fills up about a half hour before the sun goes down. Not satisfied with this spot? Walk about a half mile south on the west side in front of the scuba diving place to get the best views for sunset.
Soak in the Slow-Paced Island Life
And, last but not least, the biggest Caye Caulker travel guide tip is to completely embody that slow-paced lifestyle. If you’re worried about relaxing when you arrive, you’ll literally feel it the moment you step off that water taxi dock. From the locals to the dogs to the whole island itself, Caye Caulker is the absolute epitome of a slow-living type of paradise.
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