When people bring up Belize, Caye Caulker is generally key to the conversation. Famous for the breathtaking blue waters and its proximity to the Belize Barrier Reef, it is considered to be a Central American treasure.
Yearning for your next diving expedition? Enticed by the Caribbean mystery of the disappearing rum? Or just in desperate need of an island escape from the stress of reality? Caye Caulker has you covered.
Two words… go slow. The island motto and your only assignment during your time here.
For an island escape take a taxi from the Belize City bus station to the water taxi station for about $10 BZ. Locate the ticket office on the right, and cut your wallet some slack by purchasing the cheaper round trip ticket (~$75 BZ). The date and time for the return trip do not need to be specified. Luggage dropoff occurs towards the building entry.
Places to Eat in Caye Caulker
Dawn’s House
Invite yourself over for a Belizean home cooked meal. Not a place for the picky eaters, Dawn prepares a single dish each day, and it is best to show up early as the lunch crowd leaves no leftovers.
Hold on to your hunger as Dawn’s is not marked on any map application. Locate Luciano Reyes Street and stroll on past the Dream Cabanas. A teal blue house with a sandy seating area holds the secret to whatever Dawn’s dishing out.
Errolyn’s House of Fry Jacks
Competitively up there for best fry jacks in Belize and obviously the uncontested winner of Caye Caulker, there is no point in skipping out on the breakfast product of champions. Regardless of your regular dining rituals, plan for an AM meal as this joint shuts shop at 1100.
Choose from an expansive list of toppings to concoct an affordably filling, personalized pastry. Similar to a lottery drawing, the surrounding flock clings to every word of the order up description, but thankfully, unlike the lottery, everyone’s a winner here with a little patience.
Earl’s Food Cart
Combining peddling with profit, Earl wheels along advertising street treats along with his wife Reina’s restaurant. Flag him down for cake or a meat pie.
Ester’s Crusty Crab
Any trip down Playa Asuncion towards the Split is guaranteed to cause some salivation as one strives to overcome the temptations of the street food corridor. Deceptive in branding, this particular street vendor sells neither hamburgers nor crabs (at least on the day I visited). What they can supply your stomach with are grilled meats and fish. Alright with slim pickings? Haggle an end of day deal as everyone will be trying to clear inventory.
Ice and Beans
A provider of the morning musts, start the day with a coffee, smoothie, or sweet treat. This tiny beach cafe also has wifi.
The Creamery
Ice cream, a dessert cherished by all (excluding lactase lackers) for its customization. Flavors? Cone or bowl? Single scoop or make it double? Create your own masterpiece as art is in the hands of the ice cream holder.
Be bold and sample the local flavors like yuca, Belizean fudge, or sour sap (guanabana). The menu changes daily so refrain from hesitation or run the risk of experimental regret.
This is a cash only establishment.
Steve’s Grill
Recommended by most for a literal step up from street food. Steve positions himself along with the object of our affection, his grill, on the corner of Pasero Street and Avenida Hicaco.
Sprawled across a table lay the models, a showcase of Steve’s daily fish line collection. Rebel against a well mannered upbringing and pick your dish entirely based on appearances. Ascend the steps to place your order at this sit down establishment.
Brisas del Mar
Island daydreams tend to bring about lazing along a sunsoaked beach. Unfortunately, the sandy perimeter of Caye Caulker is guarded by overbearing restaurants and bars.
Enjoy seaside seating permitted by the Brisas del Mar gatekeepers. A mediocre meal may not be ideal, but being served on the beach is tough to beat.
Places to Drink in Caye Caulker
Cool Breeze Cafe
Fresh off the ferry and eager to begin a path towards belligerence? Look to your left. Go ahead and knock back a Panty Rippa. The bartending optometrists provide double vision to all during their buy one, get one happy hour.
Lazy Lizard
Inaptly named, Lushy Lizard would be more telling. Intermingling day drinkers and families revel in the sunshine by gathering around a table or splashing about the Split. As the sun sinks beneath the horizon, squeals of children’s laughter are replaced by DJ shout outs as this beach bar and restaurant devolves into a night of debauchery.
Northside Beach Club – Full Moon parties, across the Split
Float across the Split for one of the club’s full moon parties. An outdoor party showcasing flamethrowers, dance contests, and mediocre MCs engage animated crowds making the price of entry utterly inconsequential.
Tapper’s Dive Bar
Keep the dive aesthetic, and swap your scuba gear for a cold beer. With zero inclination for dance floor frantics, go slow.
Lost your deck of cards? No worries! This bar is the savior of jeopardized game nights offering billards, darts, and poker. For the seemily more dire need of the addicted sports fans, fulfill the fix with televised live action instead of settling for tomorrow’s highlights.
I & I Reggae Bar
A bar for those sleepless souls in search of the late night club scene. Upon entering one sheds the “Go Slow” mentality at the doorstep like a pair of shoes to be redawned with departure. Sweaty bodies pack the dance floor like well oiled gears grinding away.
Things to do in Caye Caulker
Animal Shelter
Has your sitter failed to provide picture proof of their qualified caregiving ability? Or perhaps your dreams were dashed by a “no pets” tenant agreement? Either way, attempt to mollify the absence of a furry friend in a place where snuggling with strangers is encouraged by all.
Scuba Diving, Snorkeling, Spear Fishing
Water the odds that the most adventurous Caye Caulker excursions all involve a dip into the surrounding Caribbean Sea?
Scuba Diving
Flipper flick your way around the northern hemisphere’s largest barrier reef. Caye Caulker offers a multitude of different diving tours, but one site trumps the rest in both fame and price.
The Great Blue Hole, artistically named and popularly listed as one of the top diving sites in the world, is a marine sinkhole and key puzzle piece to the Belize Barrier Reef. Uncertified but determined not to skip out on a world rated attraction? Settle for the astonishing aerial view via an excursion plane ride (a much dryer approach).
Favoring shadows to sunlight following a Belizean burn? Sign up for a night dive to see who else prefers the lights off.
Unfortunately for the ill prepared, Belize is not the place for obtaining scuba certification due to the expense.
Snorkeling
Not interested in getting yourself in too deep? Paddle along whilst peering through the watery window, blatantly staring at the creatures that lie below along with their coral condos. Dip and dive as you please to accompany the fish, turtles, and sharks along their travels. You may even come across a manatee (but no guarantees). Both lunch and rum punch are included.
Reminder: Forget the bucket and put the lotion on thick. Remember, it is the backside that burns.
Spear Fishing
Hunting may be the move if you are fed up with gathering restaurant receipts. Not to mention, obscure skills are always beneficial for accentuating both applications and dating profiles.
If toying between snorkeling or spear fishing, cork your internal (or group) debate as the latter includes both. Gear and lunch are provided along with some courage fueling rum punch. Explore the agua-terrestrial neighborhoods while lowering the dating pool by removing a few fish from the sea.
Stand proud with your catch and release any dinner reservations. Since you caught the food it seems only fair others prep it. The tour guide will provide you with a to go box containing the cut filets. Finally, taste the gratifying outcome from today’s excursion, prepared by a restaurant chef of your choosing or via your own kitchen if feeling territorial.
Stingray Feeding
Imagine a peaceful night of stargazing. The sea and shore’s hushed kisses are the only sounds to break the silence. Suddenly, a dreadful slurping sound instills a tidal wave of fear, imagery of a nightmarish demise flashes before your eyes. Relax, it is only a stingray enjoying a midnight munch.
End the evening with a daily two for one special located behind the Iguana Reef Inn. Starting around 1630 a parade of stingrays swarms the shoreline, piling together to form a cuddle puddle. An oddity immediately unmystified as the Inn staff begins their hand feeding.
Join the dinner table by letting your toes soak and allow these flying saucers to attempt abduction as they float across your feet. Save any tail chasing for now or you will be in for quite a shock.
Tiring of the animal amusement seems to pair perfectly with the exhaustion of the sun. Snag a spot along the pier or swim out to one of the hammock swings to enjoy the sunset.
Tarpon Feeding
Who does not enjoy a front row seat to a cannibalistic feeding frenzy? The cherry on top is that this performance becomes interactive with purchase of a sardine bag for $5 BZ. Cautiously dangle a sardine over the surface, tempting the tarpons into rewarding acrobatic leaps.
One of the oldest fish species, these archaic sea survivors are stout supporters of size matters. As if to prove their point, tarpons can grow up to the monstrous length of 2.5 m (~8 ft) and devour opposing smaller fish (such as sardines).
Yoga at Namaste Cafe
Beginning to fall victim to the lethargic spirit of island life? Maintain the Caye Caulker “Go slow” mantra by subtly adding a workout to your day. Shake out those sleeping muscles with some stretches on a provided mat. Pay what you can as price is by donation.
Places to Stay in Caye Caulker
Go Slow Guesthouse
A social crowd populates this family operated hostel. A boardwalk shaded by the building’s second floor provides sanctuary from the sand pit center. Both areas offer spaces for new friendships to form.
Splurge for a diving excursion by avoiding the dinner check and utilizing the kitchen. Kayaks are available for guest use, but for those who have consistently skipped arm day, it is advised to enlist some muscular aid for the dock trek.
Tropical Paradise Hostel
Avoiding algorithmic advertisement, this accommodation appears on neither Booking nor Hostelworld. A choice contender for the spontaneous, budget traveler undaunted by the dreaded words “no vacancy.”
From a sleepover fiesta in the dorms to a midday siesta in the row of hammocks, there is nary a need for a solo slumber. Take advantage of the kitchen for those capable of cooking.
Dorms and camping spaces are both available. A hidden treasure as the island seems to possess a deep seated resentment towards camping.
Note: Located next to the Go Slow Guesthouse and NOT on the beach
Vega Inn
Keen to camp due to a lack of affordable hostel availability? Although internet perusal may identify Vega, do not presume to have won the jackpot. It seems inflation has struck everything except their inaccurately advertised website price which still excludes access to wifi and a kitchen.
A rumpled, white cottage remains rooted to the back end of an expansive yard which gazes out upon the shimmering blues of the horizon. Sanctioned to the lawn sidelines, prepare yourself for a ferocious seaside onslaught as your tent blusters about throughout the not so easy breezy pitching process.
