This post will share everything you need to know to plan a visit to Caye Caulker, Belize – aka our favourite island ever! With a motto of go slow, this is a laidback, barefoot, tropical heaven.
We’ll cover essential travel logistics, like getting there and around, where to stay, top things to do and the best restaurants on the island.
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About Caye Caulker, Belize
Ahh, Caye Caulker. Where do I even start with this tropical paradise? Located off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea, Caye Caulker is easily one of the best islands we have ever visited!
Despite a huge influx of tourism to the country, most of the cookie-cutter tourism development has been contained to neighbouring Ambergris Caye, and Caye Caulker remains blissfully laid back, with a (mostly) local tourism industry. You won’t find any big resort chains, fast-food restaurants, or raucous nightclubs here.
Caye Caulker’s motto is ‘go slow’, and it really does epitome life here. The streets are sandy, the locals are friendly, and the rasta Caribbean vibes are strong. There are plenty of things to keep you busy, but the island has a blissfully slow undercurrent to it. We fell in love almost immediately after arriving, and one week here didn’t feel long enough.
This is my travel guide to the island, sharing our tips on where to eat, where to stay, and how to get there and around to help you plan the best possible trip to Caye Caulker. I hope you love this island as much as we did!
Caye Caulker quick facts
- 🛥️ How to get there – by boat from Belize City, Ambergris Caye or Chetumal in Mexico, or by air from Belize City.
- 🛏️ How long to stay – no less than 5 nights, a week wouldn’t be too long!
- 🗓️ Best time to visit – is during the dry season, which is typically December – April.
OUR CAYE CAULKER TRAVEL GUIDES 👇🏼
South and north Caye Caulker
Most people aren’t aware, but Caye Caulker is actually split into two islands.
This wasn’t always the case, but Hurricane Hattie, which hit the island in 1961, supposedly tore it in two (I think this story is somewhat embellished, though!).
Many locals clarify that they deliberately dredged the small channel that appeared between the two islands after the hurricane to create a shortcut for boats.
This deep channel between the two islands has now become known as ‘The Split’, dividing Caye Caulker into two islands: south and north.
- 👇🏼 The south island is what most people know as ‘Caye Caulker’. It’s where the airport is, where the water taxis arrive, where the main village is, and where the majority of accommodations, restaurants and activities are. Most visitors won’t leave the south island.
- 👆🏼 The north island is the more remote and secluded island. To get there, you need to take a short five-minute ferry ride from the south. Two companies offer the service: Split-to-Split Ferry and North Side Ferry Service. The boats run back and forth on demand all day until around 10 pm. It costs $5 BZD per person, each way, and you can bring your bike on the barge too for free, or pay extra for a golf cart. There are just a handful of accommodation options and a few restaurants. It’s developing quickly, but for now, it is a remote and peaceful island, outside of the main hustle and bustle.
🧭 Read our detailed guide to the Caye Caulker North Island
How to get to Caye Caulker
Being an island, there are only two ways to get to Caye Caulker: by boat or by plane.
- ✈️ By air – local airlines Tropic Air and Maya Island Air offer flights from Belize City to Caye Caulker multiple times daily. You can’t fly internationally to the island; a stop in Belize City is required. Be careful timing your connecting flights if you’re coming into Belize and connecting straight to the island. We saw a lot of stressed people on our delayed flight from LA. Flying isn’t really that much quicker than getting the ferry, plus it’s less sustainable and costs a whole lot more.
- 🛥️ By boat from within Belize – the most affordable and common way to arrive at Caye Caulker is by boat. San Pedro Express Belize Water Taxi is the most reputable company, and they offer services from Belize City (45 minutes) and from San Pedro on neighbouring Ambergris Caye (45 minutes).
You can buy tickets online in advance or turn up on the day (I wouldn’t do this in peak season though!). It is $24 USD per person.
If you’re coming from the airport, the cheapest way to get to the dock is by shared shuttle. Be aware that the last ferry of the day from Belize City is 5:30 pm, so if you’re arriving late, you might need to stay over in the city for a night and catch the first ferry the following morning (8:00 am).
You can also get a shuttle to Belize City from San Ignacio, or from Flores just across the border in Guatemala, to then connect with a water taxi to the island.
- 🇲🇽 By boat from Mexico – it’s possible to take a boat from Chetumal in Mexico to Caye Caulker in Belize.
The entire journey will take around 3 hours. 1.5 hours to reach Ambergris Caye, where you will do Belize immigration, and another 45 minutes or so to Caye Caulker. A few different companies offer this service a few times per week, and you can book online.
How to get around on Caye Caulker
There are no cars at all on Caye Caulker, and the only way to get around is on foot, by bike or by golf cart! There’s something special about no cars, and it just adds to the laidback vibe and rustic charm of the island, we loved it.
- 👣 By foot – the central area of the south island where most restaurants, accommodations and tourist services are located is a small grid of sandy streets and is easily walkable. There aren’t any footpaths, but golf carts and bikes are slow, and are used to pedestrians on the road.
- 🚲 By bike – a bike makes things quicker and is a lot of fun. If your accommodation doesn’t include bicycles, ask them about renting one at an additional cost. Basically every accommodation on the island has them or can organise one for you.
Cruising around under the palms with the breeze blowing in your hair is one of the quintessential things to do in Caye Caulker, so be sure to rent a bike for at least one day!
- 🛒 By golf cart – lots of accommodations have golf carts, and if you’re lucky will collect you from the ferry with your luggage. Otherwise, there are golf cart taxis zooming around the island, and usually, some are waiting at the ferry dock.
Golf carts are also available for rent. They’re pretty expensive (upwards of $80 USD per day), and in our opinion, unnecessary. Although if you had kids or a bigger group, it might be worth considering.
We don’t have any specific company recommendations as we stuck with bikes. Your accommodation can probably recommend a reputable cart rental agency.
Where to stay in Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker has a range of great places to stay for all styles and budgets. However, do be aware you won’t find any 5-star luxury hotels and resorts here, which is what makes the island so special!
We’ve written an accommodation guide, sharing our best recommendations for budget stays and hostels, comfortable mid-range options, and the best fancier accommodations on the island.
Here’s a quick summary of our top picks for different budgets.
BUDGET 💰
MID-RANGE 💰💰
HIGH END 💰💰💰
🌴 Read our detailed guide on where to stay in Caye Caulker
Things to do in Caye Caulker
There are SO many amazing activities in Caye Caulker, I’ve got a detailed post about the best things to do in Caye Caulker, which I’d highly recommend checking out.
As a little sneak peek, here are some of the top things to do on the island.
- 🐢 Go snorkelling: hands down the best snorkelling I have ever done was in Caye Caulker. Turtles, rays, sharks and even manatees in some of the clearest, bluest water I have ever seen! This is a MUST do. Book the exact tour we took, or read more about our snorkel experience.
- 🦎 Hang out at The Split: the deep channel that divides the island is the best place to hang out and swim. You can chill on the sea wall and jump in for free. Otherwise, the Lazy Lizard and the Sip N’ Dip are popular beach bars with submerged palapas where you can sip a cocktail from the crystal clear blue waters!
- 🔵 Scenic flight over the Great Blue Hole: the icon of Belize, this incredible marine sinkhole lies in the middle of the Belize Barrier Reef and seeing it from above on a scenic flight is a bucket list activity. It’s expensive, but so so worth it. It’s possible to scuba dive inside the hole instead, but we think flying is the best way to appreciate this amazing natural spectacle. Read more about flight vs dive.
- 🌞 Catch a sunset: sunsets on Caye Caulker are special. Head to the west (back) side of the island for the best vantage point, or join a sunset cruise. Pelican Sunset Bar and Iguana Reef Inn are great places for a sunset beverage. Otherwise, you can park up on the seawall at The Split or the little sandy beach area in front of Sophie’s Guest Rooms.
- 🧭 Visit the North Side: the underappreciated Caye Caulker North Island is home to the best beaches in Caye Caulker! Take the Split-to-Split ferry across the channel (you can bring your bike) and ride up to Northside Beach Club (officially closed, but you can still access the beach) or to Bliss Beach for a day on a powdery white sand beach.
🚲 Read the full list of the best things to do in Caye Caulker
Where to eat and drink in Caye Caulker
There are so many good places to eat and drink in Caye Caulker! So many that we decided to dedicate an entire blog post to our favourite restaurants on Caye Caulker.
But for a quick summary, here are some of the best spots to eat and drink:
- 🍗 Reina’s – typical Belizean food
- 🦐 Steve’s Grill – best spot for seafood curries
- 🫘 Errolyn’s House of Fry Jacks – deep-fried dough pockets stuffed with goodies of your choice
- 🦞 Beach BBQ’S – seafood, lobster, other meat and veggies grilled on a BBQ by the water
- ☕️ Namaste Cafe – fresh, healthy breakfasts
📍 All these restaurants are pinned on our Belize Google Map
🦞 Read our full list of favourite restaurants on Caye Caulker
How long to stay in Caye Caulker
Do not underestimate how long you will want to stay on this island!
We spent 6 nights here, and it easily could have been two weeks. I think between 5 – 7 nights is ideal, and gives you plenty of time to do all the main activities, but also free time to relax and go slow.
Any less than that and you’d either be skipping major sights and activities, or rushing around the entire time and not having any time to swing in a hammock, read a book or laze on the beach for a day. Trust me, these are things you will want to do here!
Is Caye Caulker safe?
We felt completely comfortable everywhere we visited in Belize, and Caye Caulker was no exception. It’s a very small and laid-back island with little crime.
I always travel with Brayden, so I know it may be a different story as a solo female traveller in Caye Caulker. I’ve heard a few stories about cat-calling and unwanted attention, but as far as I know, nothing sinister or dangerous.
Take all the usual safety precautions and you’ll have no problems in Caye Caulker.
Belize gets a bad rap for crime and safety, but the vast majority is concentrated in small areas of Belize City and is predominantly gang-related violence.
⚠️ Read more about safety in Belize
Best time to visit Caye Caulker
The best time to visit the island is in Belize’s dry season, which generally runs from December to April.
Being in the Caribbean, rain is possible at any time of the year, and short showers are common in January. But heavy or frequent rain is unusual during these months.
January and other winter months bring the northerly winds that are common throughout the region. Some days are worse than others, but the good thing about Caye Caulker is that if it is windy on the front side (the east), you can usually find a sheltered spot on the back side (the west). A light breeze in the heat of the day keeps the temperature and humidity down.
Another thing to consider when planning your visit is the dreaded sargassum, the stinky seaweed that has plagued the Caribbean in recent years. Caye Caulker is not immune, and during certain months of the year, piles of rotting seaweed wash ashore, emitting a very very pungent odour.
Again, being an island, the beauty is that usually the west side is protected from the sargassum, so you can still find those crystal clear waters and postcard beaches.
It’s hard to say exactly when the seaweed will arrive as it changes every year and is dependent on tides, winds and water temperature. It usually starts in small quantities in February and is present until the end of the wet season, around October.
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Caye Caulker travel guide: Final thoughts
We absolutely adored Caye Caulker. It ticked all our boxes for a tropical island – amazing snorkelling, good vibes, swaying palm trees, sparkling blue waters and epic sunsets.
The island really does live up to the hype, and it was by far our favourite destination in Belize. I think it might even top our list of best islands in Central America.
If you still need more time soaking up the Caribbean Sea and Belize Barrier Reef, consider the Ragga Sailing Adventures 3-day sailing tour that leaves from Caye Caulker. That was our next adventure after the island, and we had the most incredible few days!
MORE CAYE CAULKER POSTS
- Where to Stay in Caye Caulker: 16 Options For All Budgets
- Our 10 Favourite Restaurants on Caye Caulker
- 17 Very Best Things to Do in Caye Caulker
- How to Visit the Caye Caulker North Island (Best Beaches!)
- Caye Caulker Snorkeling Guide: Underwater Wonderland
- How to See the Great Blue Hole Belize – Scenic Flight vs Scuba Diving
- Ragga Sailing Adventures 3D/2N Tour from Caye Caulker Review
