17 Very Best Things to Do in Caye Caulker + Travel Guide

This post will share the 17 best things to do in Caye Caulker, Belize’s go slow Caribbean paradise and our all-time favourite island! We’ll also share a handy Caye Caulker travel guide with essential travel logistics, like where to stay, the best restaurants, and transport info.

This article may contain affiliate / compensated links, that may earn me a small commission, at no extra cost to you. For full information, please see our disclaimer here. While all efforts have been taken to ensure the information included in this post is correct and current, travel information such as opening hours, business operations and prices change frequently. If you find anything in this post that is incorrect or outdated please let me know in the comments so I can update it for other readers.

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 in 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.

In this post, I’m going to share 17 of our favourite things to do in Caye Caulker, as well as a general travel guide to the island, sharing our tips on where to eat, where to stay, and how to get there and around.

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.

17 Things to do in Caye Caulker

1. Hang out at The Split 👙
2. Do a snorkel tour 🦈
3. Visit Stingray Beach 🏖️
4. Ride bicycles around the island 🚲
5. Take a scenic flight over the Great Blue Hole 🛩️
6. Explore Caye Caulker’s north island 🌊
7. Do yoga at Namaste Café 🧘🏼‍♀️
8. Watch the sunset 🌞
9. Hang out at Ice and Beans ☕️
10. Rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard 🛶
11. Scuba diving on the Belize Barrier Reef 🤿
12. Look for manatees 👀
13. Go on a sunset cruise ⛵️
14. Visit the seahorse reserve 🪸
15. Cuddle the dogs at the Caye Caulker Animal Shelter 🐶
16. Eat lobster 🦞
17. Relax and go slow 😌

1. Hang out at The Split

Yes, I know I’m being generic and starting this list of things to do in Caye Caulker the same way every other blog does. But I completely understand why. The Split is the place to be on Caye Caulker and oozes Caribbean island vibes.

So what actually is this place, The Split? For some context, Caye Caulker is actually two separate islands with a narrow channel between them.

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’.

Regardless of the particulars, The Split has become the most popular place on the island, and rightfully so!

It is home to The Lazy Lizard, the island’s most beloved beach bar, which serves up cold Belikins, strong cocktails (try the famous Lizard Juice) and a good dose of reggae tunes.

The deep channel is the best place to swim on the island, which surprisingly doesn’t actually have a lot of beaches.

You’ll find the popular jumping platform that you’ve no doubt seen pictures and videos of at the Lazy Lizard. You can make the 6 metre (20 feet) jump into the turquoise waters below, or choose to float in the shallows, sipping on a cocktail on a submerged bar stool.

You can access The Split area and hang out along the sea walls to the east and west without entering the bar.

But to enjoy the best places for swimming, the jumping platform, lounges, in-water palapas and seats, you will need to enter the Lazy Lizard and buy a drink or some snacks. Although not cheap, it’s a quintessential Caye Caulker experience and we spent many an afternoon lazing here.

DETAILS

• 📍 Where – you’ll find The Split and the Lazy Lizard at the north end of the main island. The locations are pinned on our Belize Google Map.
• ⏰ When – you can visit The Split and hang out along the sea wall at any time. But the Lazy Lizard bar is open from 10 am – 8 pm on weekdays, and 9 pm at weekends. Although we think it’s best visited during the day, once the sun has set there are better places to be on the island.
• 💰 Cost – there is no cost to visit The Split or enter the Lazy Lizard. If you are using their furniture or swimming areas, it’s expected you buy some drinks or food. Drinks aren’t the cheapest, but you’re paying for the vibe and location. Local beers are around $10 BZD and cocktails are upwards of $15 – $20 BZD.

DETAILS

• ⛵️ Who with – this is the exact tour we booked and we highly recommend it. We selected this option because the local operator, Salt Life Eco Tours, doesn’t feed the marine life. They also had no single-use plastics on the boat, and all our drinks, lunch and snacks were served in reusable containers.
• 💰 Cost – most operators offer the full-day tour at a fixed cost of $90 USD. This is exactly what we paid for the above tour, and most operators should include lunch. If you go for the half-day option, expect to pay around $45 USD, generally without lunch.
• 🌿 Sustainability tips – many tour operators around Caye Caulker feed the marine life to entice them towards boats. This puts them at risk of injury from boat motors and makes them reliant on humans for food, rather than naturally finding their normal food sources. If you don’t want to book with our recommended tour (where we can confirm they don’t do this!), make sure you do your research and don’t be afraid to ask questions to the operator.

3. Visit Stingray Beach

One of the most iconic images of Caye Caulker is that of giant stingrays gliding over people’s feet in the shallows. But sadly we met a few people who didn’t get to have this experience because they didn’t know where it was – so let me fill you in!

Iguana Reef Inn is one of the fancier accommodation options on the island. Situated on the west side, the hotel has a large beachfront bar area that is open to non-guests. Each day at sunset, the owner feeds the giant Southern Stingrays fish scraps from the day’s catch.

The stingrays have become accustomed to this, so at around 4 – 4:30 pm each evening, groups of 20 + ginormous stingrays start gathering in the shallows.

These friendly fellas swim right up to the water’s edge and glide around waiting for something to eat. They will swim right over your feet, allowing you to feel their soft underbelly. You can even give them a gentle scratch on their rough outer skin.

I have mixed emotions about including this activity in my list of things to do in Caye Caulker.

It’s one of those animal experiences that is ethically questionable, and deep down I know it was wrong to participate. But I’m the first to admit, I made a selfish decision. I love stingrays and I didn’t want to miss the opportunity to see them.

Without trying to justify my bad actions, there are elements of the experience that aren’t as bad as they could be. The stingrays are wild and come and go as they please. They are known to be friendly creatures, and I have scratched and patted wild stingrays in many different places, so this behaviour isn’t totally out of the ordinary. The rays aren’t being drawn towards boats with dangerous motors, and there is plenty of signage around alerting people to take care of stingrays in the water. They are being fed fish scraps, which is at least similar to what they would eat naturally.

But of course, knowing there is a free and easy meal coming every day is not healthy for the ecosystem. And any wild animal becoming so accustomed to humans can have dangerous consequences.

So with that, I’ll leave you to make your own decision. It’s easy to say ‘the stingrays come anyway, regardless of whether I visit or not’ which is what I did. But I know that isn’t the way to solve wildlife tourism problems like this one.

DETAILS

• 📍 Where – in the beach club area of the Iguana Reef Inn. Find it on our Belize Google Map.
• ⏰ When – each day at around sunset the stingrays are fed. They start arriving at the beach around an hour prior to sunset. This is also a fantastic place to watch the sunset, so stick around!
• 💰 Cost – there is no official cost to enter the Iguana Reef Inn bar area. But you should buy a drink from the bar if you plan to use their facilities. Their cocktails are excellent!

4. Ride bicycles around the island

Part mode of transport, part activity, part exercise, riding bicycles is quintessentially Caye Caulker.

Do as the locals do, and cruise down sandy roads with glimpses of blue ocean, beneath swaying palm trees and past a rainbow of pastel-coloured houses.

Riding bikes is something we always enjoy doing when we travel, and Caye Caulker was no exception. It is the best way to explore the island, and it’s so much fun cycling around with the wind in your hair!

Spend at least a day riding aimlessly, exploring down side streets and into the further reaches of the island.

DETAILS

• 💰 Cost – you might have bikes included with your accommodation, many offer this. If not, you can expect to pay around $15 BZD upwards for one day’s rental, with discounts for multiple days.
• 🚲 Who with – your accommodation should be able to organise a bike rental for you if they don’t already include them. If not, just wander down the main street, there are bikes everywhere!

DETAILS

• 💰 Cost – this isn’t a cheap activity, and tickets start from $250 USD per person. But it really is a bucket list experience, that is worth every cent!
• ✈️ Who with – there are two local airlines that offer flights, Tropic Air and Maya Island Air. We can personally recommend Tropic Air, and you can read in-depth about our experience here.
• 🗓️ Schedule – each airline offers flights 2 – 3 times a week on alternating days. Flights generally depart mid-morning, around 10:30 – 11:30 to ensure optimal viewing of the Great Blue Hole without reflections. Be sure to check the schedules in advance and factor this into your itinerary. You don’t want to leave the booking too late.

6. Visit the north island of Caye Caulker

Remember when I said Caye Caulker was actually split into two islands? The south island is where the main village is, and for most visitors, is where they will spend all their time.

North Caye Caulker is often forgotten.

It is less developed and doesn’t really have too many attractions besides a handful of hotels and small local restaurants. Although this is changing, and the pace of development (and destruction of natural areas) has really sped up in the past few years.

But Caye Caulker’s north island has something the south island doesn’t have – sandy beaches!

Despite being a verified island paradise, Caye Caulker doesn’t have many swathes of sand where you can walk into the calm, blue waters. Except on the west coast of the north island!

There are a handful of places where you can enjoy a day on a pristine sandy beach.

🏖️ NORTHSIDE BEACH CLUB (FORMERLY KOKO KING)

The situation is a bit weird here. The beach club has technically been closed since October 2022. On Google, you’ll see it listed as ‘permanently closed’.

However, someone still opens up the property each day, and the gate is open for visitors to come and enjoy the beach.

You won’t be getting the full beach club experience – the bathrooms aren’t open, the restaurant is shut and the bar is not fully functioning.

But the old beach furniture is still there (although in varying states of disrepair) and some locals have set up a very informal, make-shift bar selling beers and limited cocktails. So you can lounge on a day bed, swing on a hammock and sip on a Belikin beer without paying a cent for entry!

Whether the beach club is operating or not, this is still one of the best beaches in Caye Caulker, with clear, calm waters and powder-white sand. Laying in a lounge half submerged in water under a palm-thatched palapa was paradise and we had the best day here.

I can’t guarantee the access will remain open and free, but it is 100% worth trying to visit Northside Beach Club on your visit to Caye Caulker.

If you attempt to visit Northside Beach Club, I would love to know about your experience in the comments. I will try and keep this information updated and as accurate as possible. But until (if?) the beach club officially reopens, the best source of information is generally other travellers.

🏖️ BLISS BEACH CLUB

Since our last visit, a new beach club has opened on the north island. Bliss Beach looks like a similar vibe to Northside, with a big open sandy beach, lots of lounges and hammocks, a bar shaking up some tasty cocktails and of course, some crystal clear blue waters to swim in.

The owners are from France, and they even have charcuterie boards on the menu, what a treat in Belize! Stick around for sunset if you can, the view is perfect from here.

It’s only just opened at the start of 2024, but it’s already gained a lot of traction. I think this is definitely going to be the new go-to spot.

Bliss Beach is a lot further north on the island than Northside, so you’d definitely want to bring a bike or a golf cart across on the ferry to get up there, as it would be quite a long and hot walk.

DETAILS

• 📍 Where – Northside Beach Club and Bliss Beach are on the north island of Caye Caulker, both pinned on our custom Belize Google Map.
• ⛴️ How to get there – to get to the north side, you need to catch the ferry that plies between the two islands. The Split-to-Split ferry runs all day until 8 pm, and it is $5 BZD per person, each way. You can bring your bike on the barge too for free. Once you’re across, it’s a short walk or cycle to the beach club. It departs here.
• 💰 Cost – neither beach club has an entry fee or minimum spend. You can BYO drinks and snacks to Northside because it is currently closed. At Bliss Beach, you can purchase drinks and food.
• ⏰ When – Bliss Beach is open from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm daily. I wish I could provide more solid details on when Northside is open, but it is very unclear and informal while it is technically shut. What I can tell you is that there is a gate with a padlock at the front, so if it’s not open, there’s no way you could sneak your way in (unless you arrive by kayak).

7. Do yoga at Namaste Café

A great way to start your day is with a stretch and some downtime at Namaste Yoga. The studio is located right in the heart of Caye Caulker, so don’t expect a quiet Zen garden, but the rooftop space has stunning ocean views in all directions.

There’s no need to register or book in advance. Just arrive 15 minutes before class, and grab a mat. All experience levels are welcome, and the teachers offer different variations for those more advanced yogis. No judgement or awkward cliques that come with the territory of some yoga studios!

The studio sits above Namaste Café, and we would highly recommend grabbing breakfast afterwards. It’s a beautiful space and their food is light and healthy.

DETAILS

• ⏰ When – classes are currently scheduled at 8:00 am and 9:30 am from Monday – Friday in the high season, dropping down to one per day at 8:00 am in the low season. Check the current schedule here.
• 💰 Cost – drop-in classes are $20 BZD per person. If you’re on the island for a lengthier stay, you can pay multi-class passes.
• 📍 Where – see the location of Namaste Café on our Belize Google Map.

8. Watch the sunset

Being an island, Caye Caulker is blessed with both sunsets and sunrises and let me tell you they are pretty epic!

For sunset, you want to head to the west side of the island (aka the back side). Basically anywhere along the waterfront will give you a good vantage point, but there are some especially great spots to watch the sun go down.

The Split is a popular option, with plenty of space to sit along the sea wall. You can even jump in for a sunset swim if you want! Just next to The Split is a little beach, known simply as ‘Beach Area’. It’s out the front of Sophie’s Guest House and is one of the few sandy patches where you can lay down a towel and relax with a great vantage point.

As already mentioned, Iguana Reef Inn is another good spot for sunset. Not only does it have a good vantage point, but you can also see the stingrays being fed at this time. You can order some delicious cocktails here too!

The same goes for Pelican Sunset Bar, but be sure to get here early if you want to get a seat as it is a very popular spot to watch the sunset. 

DETAILS

• ⏰ When – be sure to check the sunset times for your visit. You want to be at a good vantage point at least half an hour before to enjoy the full golden hour sparkle. In the dry winter months, the sun sets as early as 5:30 pm.
• 🌞 Insider tip – Don’t arrive too late for the sunset! Pretty much everyone on the island wants to see the show, and bars with good views can fill up early.

9. Hang out at Ice and Beans

I generally save restaurant recommendations for their own section in my travel guides, but Ice and Beans is more than just a restaurant – it’s a Caye Caulker institution!

Ask anyone who has visited the island, and they’ll tell you that hanging at Ice and Beans is one of the top things to do in Caye Caulker! This beachfront café is one of the busiest and most well-established businesses on the island and they have a constant stream of customers out the door all day.

In terms of drinks, they make great coffee, build-your-own smoothies, freshly squeezed orange juice (you even put the oranges into the machine yourself!) and a range of sweet frappes.

For food, their main offering is sandwiches or bagels (sweet and savoury), build-your-own smoothie bowls and their famous mini doughnuts that are warm, sugary and delicious. If you’re lucky, you’ll get a free one when you arrive! I’m still dreaming of their Apple Bee’s bagel with apple, cream cheese and honey on a cinnamon raisin bagel mmm….

But the real appeal of Ice and Beans is their beachfront dining area. Hammocks are strung up between palm trees, colourful beach lounges dot the sand, along with a number of picnic-style tables.

This is definitely not a place for take away, you can easily while away a few hours with a book while you enjoy your coffee and food!

DETAILS

• ⏰ When – Ice and Beans is currently open daily from 6:30 am – 6:00 pm. You can check updated opening hours on their Facebook page.
• 📍 Where – the blue and yellow painted fence around Ice and Beans will become a landmark on your travels around Caye Caulker. Situated right in the heart of town on the front beach, get the location on our Belize Google Map.
• 💰 Costs – food and drinks from Ice and Beans are pretty affordable by Caye Caulker standards. Barista-style coffee starts from $8 BZD, bagels/sandwiches are around $12 BZD and smoothies (bowls) range from $10 – $15 BZD.

10. Rent a kayak or stand-up paddleboard

A fun afternoon activity is to go for a paddle around the island on a kayak or stand-up paddleboard. Maybe not entirely around the island, unless you’re feeling fit, but it is possible.

The western side of the island has beautifully calm waters and is the best place if you’re a beginner, or just looking for some relaxed time out on the water. We saw plenty of people paddling around off the western side of The Split.

If you can time your rental with sunset, it would be the perfect way to end the day.

You could even rent a kayak for the day, and paddle yourself over to the north side and dock at Northside Beach Club or Bliss Beach. This saves the cost of the Split-to-Split ferry.

DETAILS

• 🛶 Who with – some beachfront accommodations include kayak rentals. If not, the Lazy Lizard has a number of kayaks for rent. For paddleboards, try Reef Break.
• 💰 Cost – most operators will rent by the hour, or by the day. Expect to pay $20+ BZD per hour.
• 🎒 Insider tip – don’t forget to use a waterproof bag to keep your stuff dry, so you can bring everything you need if you’re headed to the north side or plan to dock anywhere.

11. Scuba diving on the Belize Barrier Reef

The snorkelling is that good in Caye Caulker, it feels like those who don’t scuba dive aren’t missing out on anything! But as divers, we know it’s a whole different experience to be hanging out under the surface, rather than on top of it.

There are a ton of different scuba diving sites around the island, near and far. Diving in the local reef right near the island is obviously the closest, and therefore cheapest option. We would suggest avoiding this, as it will be full of snorkelers.

If you branch out a little further, Esmeralda (for sharks) and Spanish Bay (for epic coral walls) are popular sites but still not a full-day excursion.

The further you go, understandably the higher the cost becomes due to the long distances travelled on the boat. But of course, the better the diving gets and the more pristine the reef systems become!

Scuba diving inside the Great Blue Hole is a bucket list dive for many scuba junkies. It’s a very long, very expensive day trip from Caye Caulker but an incredible experience (read more about that here).

Closer, but still far enough to deter snorkellers, is the Turneffe Atoll, where you will find several different sites. The Turneffe Elbow area is great for strong currents and drift dives, and Turneffe North has a variety of sites with rich corals, deep walls and diverse marine life.

DETAILS

• 💰 Costs – scuba diving in Belize is expensive. There’s no other way to put it, and the costs deterred us. For local dives, expect to pay no less than $140 USD for a two-tank dive with gear. This increases the further you go from Caye Caulker and surpasses $300 USD for a dive in the Great Blue Hole.
• 🤿 Who with – there are just a handful of reputable scuba companies on Caye Caulker. Frenchies Diving and Blue Wave Divers are considered the best.
• 🗓️ When – you can dive all year round, and different seasons bring different marine life. Keep in mind the wet season (~ May – November) can bring hurricanes and bad weather that can cancel boats at the last minute.

12. Look for manatees

The ocean around Caye Caulker is a prime habitat for the big, beautiful West Indian Manatee. There are two subspecies of this type of manatee, and Belize has the largest population of the Antillean Manatee.

There is a consistent population of manatees around Caye Caulker all year, and the most common way to see them is if you get lucky on a snorkelling tour. Most tours stop at a known manatee hang-out spot, and if you’re very lucky (we were!) you’ll jump in the water and see an odd, graceful blob slowly cruising along.

They truly are the strangest creatures to look at, but we were absolutely ecstatic when we got to swim alongside one!

If you’re really into manatees and want more than just a short snorkelling stop, you can take tours to Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary.

This protected area was designed to provide a safe haven for the manatees, with extreme regulation of boat activity – the biggest threat to manatees.

Friends of Swallow Caye is a local not-for-profit organisation that lobbied for the sanctuary to be created in 2002 and continues to advocate for manatees within the community. Anda De Wata Tours runs an excursion to Swallow Caye most days.

Boats visiting the area must be under a certain size to avoid collisions and possible injuries with the manatees. Once inside the shallow, sea grass-covered area, motors must be cut, and boats hand poled through the area.

You’re not allowed to swim with the manatees in this protected area, but due to the high concentration found inside the sanctuary, you should have a pretty good chance of seeing them in the water and coming up for air. Plus you’ll learn a lot more about these unique animals.

DETAILS

• 📍 Where – Swallow Caye is located between Belize City and Caye Caulker, but tours depart from Caye Caulker.
• 🦭 Tour details – the tour with Anda De Wata Tours is the best manatee-focused tour I’ve found. Departing from Caye Caulker, you’ll spend a few hours looking for and learning about manatees at Swallow Caye, before having lunch served in-water at their sand bar, and two snorkelling stops on the way back to Caye Caulker.

13. Go for a sunset cruise

If you want to take your Caye Caulker sunset to the next level, experience it from the water.

The perfect way to mark the end of the day, spend a few hours cruising around Caye Caulker, watching the sky turn golden. There are plenty of tour operators offering sunset cruises, catering to different kinds of travellers.

For a family or romantic experience, you can opt for a sunset sail with Ragga Sailing Adventures. The tour lasts for two and a half hours and includes rum punch, juice and chips and salsa.

This fun tiki bar tour is another great option. Jump on board the Friki Tiki boat with a small group of a maximum 6 passengers and spend an hour and a half soaking up the sunset, drinking rum punch and spotting dolphins, sea birds and other marine life.

DETAILS

• ⏰ When – tours are of course aligned to the sunset time, and generally leave around 1 hour prior to the sun going down, so you can enjoy that beautiful golden hour! Expect to leave around 4:30 – 5:00 pm.
• 💰 Cost – most tours are priced at around $50 – $60 USD, including drinks and nibbles.

14. Visit the seahorse reserve

In addition to stingrays, the Iguana Reef Inn is also home to a small seahorse reserve. This is a quick, easy and free activity, and I don’t know about you, but I’d never seen a seahorse before!

Out on the dock, you’ll see a wooden sign marking the reserve. You’ll need all the help you can get to find these little guys!

In the waters below there is a maze of crisscrossed ropes, seaweed and other marine plants that provide a safe haven and a good layer of camouflage! At first, you think there is nothing there, but look closely and you’ve got a good chance of spotting one floating around!

DETAILS

• 📍 Where – in the beach club area of the Iguana Reef Inn. Find it on our Belize Google Map.
• ⏰ When – you can visit the seahorses at any time of the day, but it’s best to time your visit for sunset to see the stingrays being fed too to make it more worthwhile.
• 💰 Cost – there is no official cost to enter the Iguana Reef Inn bar area and see the seahorse reserve. But you should buy a drink from the bar if you plan to use their facilities. Their cocktails are excellent!

15. Cuddle the dogs at the Caye Caulker Animal Shelter

If you’ve got a spare few hours on one of your relaxing days on the island, pop into the Caye Caulker Animal Shelter.

This no-kill shelter is entirely not-for-profit and is run by the dedicated Kenny. He’s rescued dozens of cats and dogs on the island, treating their medical issues, spaying and neutering them and providing a safe and loving home. Kenny also helps facilitate adoptions and tries to find a forever home for these babies, coordinating international adoptions to the USA, Canada and the UK too!

It’s a pretty laidback and informal operation. You can drop in and spend a few hours giving some cuddles and love to the cats or dogs, and you can take a dog for a walk around the island for some exercise.

While it’s nice to volunteer some of your time, what the shelter really needs to continue its great work is donations. Either cash or supplies, so please consider making a donation when you visit.

DETAILS

• 📍 Where – the Caye Caulker Animal Shelter is located in the heart of the village, just opposite Ice and Beans. See the location pinned on our Belize Google Map.
• 🐶 How to volunteer – the shelter is pretty informal, you can just pop in and see if anyone is around to let you in. You can spend some time cuddling the dogs and cats, or ask to take a dog for a walk. You can also get in touch via their Facebook page.
• 💰 Cost – there is no fee to visit the shelter, but please please make a financial donation if you can. The shelter needs money more than anything to provide care to the animals.

16. Eat lobster

Okay okay, I know I said I didn’t usually like to put eating as part of the ‘things to do’ in destinations. But I wouldn’t be providing you with a complete and fully informed list of things to do in Caye Caulker if I didn’t mention eating lobster!

For us at home in Australia, and I know for many others around the world, lobster is a delicacy. An expensive one at that! I can’t recall a single time I have ever ordered lobster from a restaurant at home.

Well, all that changes in Caye Caulker! Lobster is in high supply, at a fraction of the cost you can expect to pay elsewhere so that you can enjoy a boujee meal on a budget.

During the lobster season, there is so much available, that you will find lobster on every menu at a very affordable price. They’re grilling on BBQs along the beach, being slathered in curry in local restaurants, and even being served up on tours that’s how cheap they can be!

DETAILS

• 🗓️ When – lobster season in Caye Caulker generally runs from June – February. They even have a Lobster Fest in Caye Caulker in July to celebrate the commencement of the season.
• 🦞 Where to try it – the string of BBQs set up along the front beach is a good place to start. You’ll see them grilling up lobsters from around midday until the sun goes down. They serve up packs with beans, rice and some salads. There are a couple of different restaurants there, but most are similar, just head to this area. We can also highly recommend Wish Willy (the cheapest lobster we had!) and Steve’s Grill for a lobster curry.
• 💰 Cost – a good price for a lobster (generally just the tail) with sides would be anything under $40 BZD (just $20 USD). The BBQs along the beach charge around $35 BZD for a small pack. A very generous portion of lobster with rice and veggies at Wish Willy was just $25 BZD.

17. Relax and go slow

The island’s motto is ‘go slow’ and it would be rude not to oblige!

Amongst all the boat tours and water activities, be sure to take some time to read a book, laze in a hammock or lay on the sand.

The go slow motto really is a mantra for life. After chatting with our wonderful Airbnb host, we realised how meaningful it is for the locals. To take it easy, don’t rush things, focus on the moment and the beautiful place that you are in.

Caye Caulker was the first stop on our 6 month Central America adventure, and it really did take us a few days to slow down a notch from our hectic lives in Australia.

Just in case you were struggling to manage your own internal clock, expect a 10-minute wait for service, a 20-minute wait for your coffee and up to an hour for your food – you’re forced to go slow on Caye Caulker! 

There are plenty of beautiful spots to slow down all over the island.

I’ve already shared a few great locations to chill out, such as The Split and the Lazy Lizard, Ice and Beans, on the north island, and the little beach I mentioned outside of Sophie’s Guest House.

On the front side of the island, there are also several open sandy areas with lounges and hammocks. They technically belong to the adjacent hotels, but the vibe is pretty relaxed and I don’t think anyone is kicking people off public beaches, so you’d probably be safe to laze on a sun lounge for a few hours!

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.

Caye Caulker travel guide

Getting there

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. Flying isn’t really that much quicker than getting the ferry, is 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. It is just over $20 USD per person.
  
  If you’re coming from the airport, the cheapest way to get to the dock is by shared shuttle. Be aware the last ferry of the day from Belize City is 5:30 pm, so if you’re arriving late, you might need to stop over for a night.
  
  You can also get a shuttle to Belize City from San Ignacio, or from Flores just across the border in Guatemala.

• 🛥️ 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. San Pedro Express Belize Water Taxi offers this service a few times per week, and you can book online.

Getting around

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.

• 👣 By foot – the central area of the 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. 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 waiting at the ferry dock. Golf carts are available for rent. They’re pretty expensive (upwards of $50 USD per day), and in our opinion, unnecessary. Although if you had kids or a bigger group, it might be worth considering.

How long to stay

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!

Best time to visit

The best time to visit the island is in Belize’s dry season, which 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 does 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.

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.

There are so many amazing things to do in Caye Caulker, and I’m sure you’ll love it as much as we did!

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 too.

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
• 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