Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is a small island off the coast of Belize, 1.6 km (1 mi) west of the Barrier Reef. Caye Caulker is popular with backpackers and budget travellers for its (relatively) cheap prices, laid-back vibe, and abundance of restaurants and bars.

Understand
It's about 8.2 km (5 mi) in length with a population of 1,300. Temperature is usually below in the snowbird season.

There aren't really any proper beaches to speak of, but plenty of docks are spread around the island where you can pull up a plastic chair and get your sun on, or hang out at one of the ocean front restaurants or walk down to "The Split" which is a popular swimming area and if you're feeling a bit thirsty, The Lazy Lizard Bar is just a couple of steps away from the water.

There are only three main roads in town, all sandy. Front Street runs along the east coast, Back Street along the west coast, and Middle Street exactly where you'd expect it. The vast majority of places of interest to a visitor will be found along Front Street and the west coast.

The local cultural influences are Mestizo, Garifuna and Creole.

History
On early British maps the island's name is spelled "Cay Corker." Known historically for its plentiful supply of exposed fresh water at La Aguada, one theory holds that this island was a favourite stop for sailors to replenish and cork water bottles. The Spanish name of the island is Cayo Hicaco, which means "the island of the cocoplum." "Caye Caulker" could be an anglicised pronunciation of Cayo Hicaco. Another theory is that boats were caulked in the protected bay, La Ensenada, on the western side of the island leading to the "Caulker" name.

Its population started to rise when Mestizo refugees fleeing the Mexican Caste Wars (1847-1901) arrived. With few inhabitants, food could be grown with sustainable methods of agriculture. The coconut and the fishing industry became important economic staples of the island. Even today, a few of the older women continue to process coconut oil for their own use and to sell, although generally the coconuts are harvested and shipped to the mainland.

By plane


If you're coming in from Mexico you can fly from Corozal, 20 minutes from the Mexican border at Chetumal. The flights stop in Ambergris and Caye Caulker if there's demand, and will save you the more than 4-hour bus ride to Belize City.

By sea
Catch a water taxi in Belize City or Ambergris Caye to Caye Caulker and they have frequent runs to the island everyday rain or shine. The ride takes about 45 minutes, and then continues on to San Pedro. On windy days the trip can be a little rough, but most times it's smooth. Sit towards the back of the boat for a smoother ride.


 * Ocean Ferry - BZ$20 one-way, or BZ$35 round-trip. (Check their website for departures). Ocean Ferry is located at the foot of the Swing Bridge in Belize City.
 * San Pedro Belize Express - US$21 one-way and US$37 round-trip. (Check their website for departures). Boats leave Belize City from the Brown Sugar Marketplace at 9AM, 11AM, noon, 1PM, 3PM, 4PM and 5:30PM to Caye Caulker and from San Pedro on the beach by the park every hour and a half starting at 7AM.

If you are coming from Mexico you can get a boat directly from Chetumal to San Pedro and then to Caye Caulker, it runs every day, US$71 - book the tickets in advance online from the Belize Water Taxi website. Tickets can be bought at the Maritime Terminal or Muelle Fiscal if the boat isn't full. (Aug 2023)

Get around
There are only three main streets on Caye Caulker - Front Street, Middle Street and Back Street - none of which are paved. Front Street, the easternmost street, is the busiest and has almost everything for tourists on it. Everything is within walking distance, it takes approximately 20 minutes to slow-walk from the Front Pier to almost anywhere.

Everyone gets around on golf carts, bicycles or on foot. With a golf cart, you can go around the entire island in 30 minutes.

There are many places on the island that rent bicycles.

For golf carts check with C&N Golf Cart Rentals and Caye Caulker Golf Cart Rentals.

See

 * The Forest Reserve covers the northern 40 ha (100 acres) of the island. It's mostly dense mangrove forest.  The local Audubon group sometimes organizes morning birdwatching tours.
 * Caye Caulker Marine Reserve, also known as the local reef. The local reef is close enough that you can see the waves breaking on it from the island itself.
 * Shark and Ray Alley. Tour operators will toss food into the water in order to attract nurse sharks and southern sting rays.  You can swim with them, and even touch them if you're quick.  Nurse sharks can bite, contrary to myth, but they are also territorial so these sharks are very used to humans.
 * Shark and Ray Alley. Tour operators will toss food into the water in order to attract nurse sharks and southern sting rays.  You can swim with them, and even touch them if you're quick.  Nurse sharks can bite, contrary to myth, but they are also territorial so these sharks are very used to humans.

Every tour-operator has signed an agreement so they all have the same prices for the Hol Chan & Shark Ray Alley-Tours - which is US$90 for the full day trip (Aug 2023).

Do
Caye Caulker is a small, very laid-back Caribbean island. In fact, its motto is "Go Slow" and that is exactly what you should do. It is an ideal place to spend a few days while taking a break from travelling around the rest of Central America. The Belizean dollar (BZ$) is officially pegged to the US dollar (US$) at a rate of BZ$2 to US$1.

Chill out at The Lazy Lizard at "The Split," a little bar on its own near what can only be described as the island's only beach, however, do not expect Rio or Hawaii - there is no sand here. The "beach" is a sunken area of a picnic area surrounded by concrete seawalls. On the walls you'll see the young and hip lazing about, catching a tan. When it gets too hot, you can jump into the water and climb back again, or make the short walk to the Lazy Lizard to refresh your drink.

Snorkelling and diving
Much of the activity on the island centers around snorkelling and diving (about a dozen operators offering trips) and scuba diving. The prices at all the shops are basically the same. The local diving is at Hol Chan Marine Reserve, a 30-minute boat ride away. A little further out is Spanish Bay, Caye Chapel, and some other sites. Long distance trips to Turneffe Atoll and the famous Blue Hole are regularly available.

Snorkeling
Short "half-day" snorkeling tours are offered by numerous local businesses for approximately BZ$70 per person (April 2015). They usually leave at 10:30AM (back at 1PM) and 2:30PM. Stops include the local reef, the Coral Garden, and Shark and Ray Alley.



Longer "full-day" snorkelling tours are offered by numerous local businesses, for approximately BZ$180 (Aug 2023). They usually leave around 10AM and return around 4:30PM. Stops include the Coral Garden, Shark and Ray Alley, and Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Be sure to check whether your tour guide will include lunch, since some only include snacks. Some of them include lunch, snacks, and a rum punch "happy hour" on the way back. With all operators, check to make sure they have equipment that is in good shape.

Every tour-operator has signed an agreement so they all have the same prices for the Hol Chan & Shark Ray Alley-Tours. (Aug 2023)

The creation of Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary - a manatee reserve near Belize City is due to the efforts of a Caye Caulker local named Chocolate. He offers guided tours to the Manatee reserve approximately every other day, as do a few other tour operators. Be warned that you don't get to swim with the manatees in the sanctuary and some days may be more difficult to see them. Most manatee tours include one or two snorkeling stops. Manatees can be seen all year long, and in the summer months can be seen near Hol Chan Marine Reserve as well as other local areas. The younger ones are curious and will swim close to you, unlike the more mature manatees, which generally avoid people (for good reason).


 *  do eco-tours. They explicitly don't feed the sharks, they use reusable boxes for lunch and let you refill your bottle with water.
 * Seagull Adventures, about a block from the Front Pier, offers snorkeling tours to more distant locations that most other tour guides will only go to for diving. Examples include Blue Hole (about BZ$230 per person), and Tourneffe Atoll (about BZ$120 per person). Ask the owner a few days in advance to find out what the schedule is. The best time to catch her is in the evening, around 6PM, during the day she's usually gone on the snorkelling trips.
 * Juni's, sailing/snorkelling trips to Hol Chan marine reserve. Authentic experience on a beautiful self built sailing boat. Small groups to maximum of 6 people. Only for those who respect the ocean, the fish and the locals. If you like drinking and smoking with more than 20 people on a sailing boat, then don't go to Juni. Go to Raggamuffin instead. Find Juni in his office behind the police station, best before 9:30AM and after 5:30PM, or at his boat Trinity at the dock.
 * Juni's, sailing/snorkelling trips to Hol Chan marine reserve. Authentic experience on a beautiful self built sailing boat. Small groups to maximum of 6 people. Only for those who respect the ocean, the fish and the locals. If you like drinking and smoking with more than 20 people on a sailing boat, then don't go to Juni. Go to Raggamuffin instead. Find Juni in his office behind the police station, best before 9:30AM and after 5:30PM, or at his boat Trinity at the dock.

Diving
Caye Caulker is popular with divers and there are several dive shops on the island. Contact them a few days in advance to find out what their schedule is. PADI certified dive shops are available offering recreational diving and open water courses. These courses normally take 3–4 days, providing the weather is fair. The certification includes 2 shallow-water dives, and 4 open-water dives. All dives are done in the ocean.

The local dive shops all offer dive trips to the Blue Hole, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Caye Caulker Marine Reserve, Spanish Bay, Turneffe North, and Turneffe Elbow, prices vary depending on the dive site.



There are also operators on nearby Ambergris Caye that can pick you up if the local shops aren't going where you want.

The cost of various trips varies according to the distance from Caye Caulker. Typical costs are:


 * Local dives (Hol Chan, Spanish Bay): US$90 (2 tank dives)
 * Turneffe Atoll: US$150 (3 tank dives)
 * Blue Hole: US$150 (3 tank dives) plus US$40 park permit

Other activities
You can also book various activities at many places on the island, such as


 * Sailing tours. With Raggamuffin [sic] Tours you can do a sailing trip of 3 days (2 nights). Sleeping on little islands, snorkeling, fishing your own meal, a wonderful experience.
 * Tours to Maya ruins (on the mainland).
 * Cave tubing (on the mainland).
 * Manatee watching Tours normally include a snorkeling stop at Sergeant's Caye (on the barrier reef) and a short visit to St. George's Caye. There are many tour operators out of Caye Caulker, San Pedro and Belize City who do manatee watching trips. Visit Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary that was set up by Chocolate Heredia, Belizean native and award winning conservationist. 3,600 ha (9,000 acres) of sea and mangrove became a protected area in July 2002. For more information see the Friends of Swallow Caye.

Buy
Like most of Belize, most shops accept US dollars: US $1 equals $2 Belizean. Prices will be posted in Belizean dollars, but always confirm before making a purchase.

There are two ATMs on the island. One ATM is at Atlantic Bank (no fees) and the other at Credit Union. Often on holiday weekends, ATMs run out of money, so stock up on your money in Belize City.

Gift shops along the Front Street sell mainly t-shirts, hammocks and souvenirs. Vendors can be found along the main street selling a variety of crafts and jewellery.


 * Caribbean Colors Art Gallery, Front Street. Art gallery on Caye Caulker.

Budget

 * Auntie's Fast Food, Middle Street. Delicious Belizean and Chinese take-out with a relatively low price. Stewed chicken, baked chicken, rice and bean and cow foot soup.
 * The Bambooze Grill, (next to the Barrier Reef Sports Bar). Good fish and shrimp dishes, chicken is also available. Features swings instead of chairs at some tables and the bar. Friendly hostess.
 * Glenda's, Back Street, (near the microwave tower). Serves eggs, bacon, a cinnamon roll, and coffee for just US$3.50.
 * Fran's, (across the street from the Miramar Hotel). Roger's sister, her fare is similar to that of Jolly Roger's, for the same price.
 * Caye Caulker Bakery, Back Street, (just north of Chan's Grocery). Opens at 7:30AM.  Serving a mixture of sweet and savoury foods.  The ham and cheese turnover (if available) is exceedingly delicious and is a filling breakfast on its own.

Drink
There is not much to do in the night in regards to partying. While nearby Ambergris Caye is known for its nightlife, Caye Caulker is more relaxed and most bars shut down before midnight. The I&I Reggae Bar and Oceanside Night Club are the only bars with dancefloors. Holidays and long weekends are when events and dances are held on the island by individual committees of the island.




 * The Split is the place where hurricane Hattie split the island in two in 1961, a bit of dredging and currents subsequently formed the split. There is a bar just next to the split called the Lazy Lizard. Good place for a bench while watching large tarpons and rays just swimming by. Happy hour starts at 5PM and offers two rum drinks for BZ$5; try the "Panty Ripper" included in this deal.
 * The Split is the place where hurricane Hattie split the island in two in 1961, a bit of dredging and currents subsequently formed the split. There is a bar just next to the split called the Lazy Lizard. Good place for a bench while watching large tarpons and rays just swimming by. Happy hour starts at 5PM and offers two rum drinks for BZ$5; try the "Panty Ripper" included in this deal.



Sleep
Caye Caulker offers a good spread of high quality lodging facilities ranging from budget accommodation to higher end hotels and serviced apartments.




 * The Gumbo Limbo The Gumbo Limbo property is the home of four rentals. The Aria Kat Art Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Ocean View and Breeze Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Studio, and the latest addition the Gumbo Limbo’s Dreaded Grape. It's in a quiet neighbourhood close to the village center, but far enough to enjoy the peace and relax.
 * The Tropics Hotel offers an alternative for those on a budget who don't mind getting cosy. A "Sunset" room costs BZ$55 and comes with a shower and two double beds to share.
 * The Gumbo Limbo The Gumbo Limbo property is the home of four rentals. The Aria Kat Art Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Ocean View and Breeze Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Studio, and the latest addition the Gumbo Limbo’s Dreaded Grape. It's in a quiet neighbourhood close to the village center, but far enough to enjoy the peace and relax.
 * The Tropics Hotel offers an alternative for those on a budget who don't mind getting cosy. A "Sunset" room costs BZ$55 and comes with a shower and two double beds to share.
 * The Gumbo Limbo The Gumbo Limbo property is the home of four rentals. The Aria Kat Art Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Ocean View and Breeze Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Studio, and the latest addition the Gumbo Limbo’s Dreaded Grape. It's in a quiet neighbourhood close to the village center, but far enough to enjoy the peace and relax.
 * The Tropics Hotel offers an alternative for those on a budget who don't mind getting cosy. A "Sunset" room costs BZ$55 and comes with a shower and two double beds to share.
 * The Gumbo Limbo The Gumbo Limbo property is the home of four rentals. The Aria Kat Art Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Ocean View and Breeze Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Studio, and the latest addition the Gumbo Limbo’s Dreaded Grape. It's in a quiet neighbourhood close to the village center, but far enough to enjoy the peace and relax.
 * The Tropics Hotel offers an alternative for those on a budget who don't mind getting cosy. A "Sunset" room costs BZ$55 and comes with a shower and two double beds to share.
 * The Gumbo Limbo The Gumbo Limbo property is the home of four rentals. The Aria Kat Art Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Ocean View and Breeze Cabana, the Gumbo Limbo Studio, and the latest addition the Gumbo Limbo’s Dreaded Grape. It's in a quiet neighbourhood close to the village center, but far enough to enjoy the peace and relax.
 * The Tropics Hotel offers an alternative for those on a budget who don't mind getting cosy. A "Sunset" room costs BZ$55 and comes with a shower and two double beds to share.
 * The Tropics Hotel offers an alternative for those on a budget who don't mind getting cosy. A "Sunset" room costs BZ$55 and comes with a shower and two double beds to share.
 * The Tropics Hotel offers an alternative for those on a budget who don't mind getting cosy. A "Sunset" room costs BZ$55 and comes with a shower and two double beds to share.

Connect
Caye Caulker has internet access. With the introduction of fiber optics and wifi available at accommodations, bars, and restaurants you will be able to connect on most all of the island.

Go next
Water taxis leave the island for Belize City from early in the morning till the end of the day.