Caye Caulker is hands down one of the best places to visit in Belize. The laid-back island, surrounded by turquoise waters, is a perfect destination if you want to slow down a bit and relax. But despite its lazy vibe, there are some pretty cool things to do in Caye Caulker, and I’m here to tell you all about them so you know what to expect from this fantastic place.

When planning my Central America trip, I knew I wanted to visit Caye Caulker, Belize, yet I couldn’t explain why. It could be a random picture I found online or someone mentioning this relaxed place. Either way, I was really persistent in putting Caye Caulker on my Central America itinerary. And as soon as I arrived, I knew this was the right decision.

The place looked like a paradise, with white beaches lined with palmed trees, colorful houses, and crystal-clear water. I spent a few days on the island, being lazy, relaxing, and enjoying the easy-going vibe – after all the sightseeing before, it was the perfect ending to my trip to Central America.

If you are looking for a place to hang out in beautiful surroundings, where you don’t need to hurry, where you can feel the Caribbean vibe, and where you can recharge your batteries – consider visiting Caye Caulker. You will not be disappointed.

Where is Caye Caulker, Belize

Caye Caulker, the island on the Caribbean Sea, is located only 32 km north of Belize City, the country’s largest city and main transportation hub.

How to get to Caye Caulker

There are two ways to reach Caye Caulker: by water or by air.

If you choose the boat, there are regular connections with Belize City and Caye Ambergris, with a few departures per day. From Belize City, the journey takes around 40 minutes; a one-way ticket costs $21. For a smoother trip, it’s better to sit in the back of the boat (a rookie mistake I made on the way there). You can check-in your bags before entering the boat but be prepared to wait a bit to get them back in your destination. You can check the current departure times and book tickets here.

If you decide to fly to Caye Caulker, there are flights every hour departing from the Belize City International Airport, with a flight time of only 10 minutes. A one-way ticket costs around $75. While it can be exciting, and the views from the sky must be exceptional, with getting to the airport and security checks, it’s not the best option time-wise.

Where to stay in Caye Caulker

Since Caye Caulker is a popular tourist destination, there are plenty of accommodation options to choose from. Here are some of the recommended places to stay on the island:

• La Isla Resort (8.8/10)
• Rainbow Hotel (9.1/10)
• The Bounty (8.7/10)
• and more!

How to get around Caye Caulker

Since the island is relatively small, only around 8 km in length and 1,5 km in width, the best way to get around is either on foot or by bike (you can rent those easily). There are no cars on Caye Caulker; only golf carts are used for transportation and carrying goods.

Things to do in Caye Caulker

And now, without further ado, here are the best things to do in Caye Caulker.

Go snorkeling

One of the top attractions and the reason to visit Caye Caulker is snorkeling. The barrier reef near the island is among the most beautiful ones in the world and can easily compete with those more famous ones near Egypt or Australia. It is part of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, the third-longest barrier reef in the world. Snorkeling here is a real treat!

The barrier reef near Caye Caulker is located close to the island, only some 10-15 minutes by boat, and it’s perfect for beginners since it’s fairly shallow, yet you can easily see most of its highlights. Some of the amazing animals you can spot there include nurse sharks, sea turtles, West Indian manatees, and, of course, anthoza.

There are plenty of Caye Caulker snorkeling tours you can choose from. You can either book one online to be on the safe side or find the tour once you arrive at the island. If you decide to book in advance, here are some of the highly-rated snorkeling tours:

• Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkeling and Marine Life Tour
• All inclusive Snorkeling at Hol Chan

Try scuba diving

A more advanced way to see fascinating marine life is scuba diving, which you can also try when visiting Caye Caulker. The most spectacular place to try this water activity is the Great Blue Hole, a giant sinkhole in the center of the Lighthouse Reef. It takes around two hours by boat to get there from Caye Caulker, but this unforgettable experience is worth the effort and time.

The Great Blue Hole has almost a perfect circular size, with a diameter of 318 meters and it’s 124 meters deep. This place is considered one of the most extraordinary diving experiences in the world. Just be aware that the day trip to the Great Blue Hole can be a bit pricey, but its uniqueness is worth the money.

There are also more affordable places, closer to Caye Caulker, where you can go scuba diving.

Relax

One of my favorite things to do in Caye Caulker was simply relaxing, which was also the reason why I decided to visit the island in the first place. And I was not disappointed.

Caye Caulker doesn’t have big resort hotels, so you can find numerous small beaches all over the island. Many of them are open to the public, often have basic facilities like sunbeds, and are perfect for spending an hour or a few with a book, relaxing in the shadow of the palm tree with the turquoise waters right in front of you.

As much as I enjoyed other Caye Caulker attractions, I kept returning to the beach to do nothing for a bit more time.

Explore Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is a very laid-back place. No one is in a hurry, there are no cars on the island, and life goes by slowly. While this is a perfect environment to relax, be sure to explore a bit of the island, too.

The best way to do it is either by bike or by walking around. Since the south side of Caye Caulker (where you will most likely stay) is not too big, you can easily see everything on a lazy stroll or a slow bike ride around. There are no monuments or famous landmarks, but it’s such a pleasant place to explore.

Take a picture with the famous sign

Caye Caulker, like numerous other places all over the world, has its own name sign. You can find it on the northern side, in the popular area of the island. The sign is colorful, with a few symbols of the island on some of the letters. A picture with the sign can be a nice souvenir from your time in Caye Caulker.

Enjoy the Split

The Split is one of the most popular places to visit in Caye Caulker. In 1961, Hurricane Hattie split the island with its strong winds of over 250 km/h, creating a narrow channel between two sides of the island. Today, the Split is one of the biggest Caye Caulker attractions.

Not only is this a perfect place for a swim in warm ocean waters, but you can also relax here in the Lazy Lizard bar located at the very tip of this side of the island. You can enjoy your drink when dipping in the shallow water or climb to the rooftop bar for the best views of the Split. Either way, this is the place to be on Caye Caulker, and you don’t want to miss it.

Discover the northern side of Caye Caulker

The majority of people who visit Caye Caulker stay only on its southern side, where you will find most of the hotels, restaurants, bars, and infrastructure. But you can also take the boat through the Split and discover the wilder northern side of the island.

There are only a few hotels around, and the whole area feels mostly undiscovered. This place can be a good alternative to the more popular southern side while still staying at Caye Caulker.

Enjoy water activities

While snorkeling and scuba diving are the most popular sports in Caye Caulker, there are numerous other water activities you can enjoy here. Fans of swimming will surely enjoy the warm and clear ocean waters surrounding the island. But you can also try kayaking, surfing, jet skiing, or kiteboarding while visiting Caye Caulker.

Try local food

Since fishing is one of the main activities for locals in Caye Caulker, you can enjoy some delicious seafood and fish here. There are plenty of restaurants, or street food stands where you can try local food. One of the best things you can eat in Caye Caulker is lobster; there is almost always some kind of lobster dish available on the menu.

For breakfast, don’t miss Fry Jacks (a local Belizean specialty) or breakfast burritos. My favorite local restaurant in Caye Caulker was Chef Juan’s Kitchen for lunch and Ice and Beans Cafe for breakfast, but there were so many good options to choose from.

See stingrays

On the western side of the island, you can find stingrays beach, which, as the name indicates, is home to stingrays swimming freely around. They arrive here in the afternoon, usually around 4 pm. If you are lucky, you can even see them during their feeding time.

But even after that, they stay near the shore so you can walk inside the water and see them up close. Just remember, they are wild animals and can be dangerous, so it’s better to keep your distance.

Visit seahorse reserve

Next to the stingrays beach, you can visit the seahorse reserve. You need to look down really carefully to see them, but once your eyes adjust, you will notice hundreds of these tiny creatures tangled in the seagrass and coral. Be sure not to touch them, though, as this is a protected place to ensure the comfort of the wildlife.

Feed tarpoons

Another wildlife attraction in Caye Caulker is tarpon feeding. You can do it on a dock a short walk up north from the stingrays beach. This large, beautiful fish is rather friendly and should do you no harm.

You can feed it yourself; it is best to do it with small sardines you can buy from the local family near the dock. You can also learn more about tarpoons and Caye Caulker wildlife from them. This is one of the cool Caye Caulker experiences you can try.

Admire sunsets

Caye Caulker has some spectacular sunsets, so be sure to admire them during your stay on the island. They are best seen from the western side of the island – there are a few beach bars from where you can watch the beautiful spectacle. You can also go on a sunset cruise for a more unforgettable experience. Stunning sunsets are always the best way to end days in Caye Caulker.

Final thoughts on visiting Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker was exactly what I needed after my busy trip around four countries in Central America (Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, and Belize). I spent my days there mostly being lazy, but it was a perfect way to recharge my batteries and simply relax.

But even if you want to spend more active holidays, Caye Caulker is still a great place to visit, especially if you enjoy water activities and want to observe sea life. No matter your reasons to visit Caye Caulker, you are in for a treat as this place is like a paradise.

Further reading

I published more articles about Central America that you might find useful when planning your trip there. You can find them here:

• Central America itinerary – What to See in Central America
• 13 Perfect Things to Do in Antigua, Guatemala
• Day Trip to Lake Atitlan from Antigua, Guatemala
• Visit Tikal, Guatemala – the Spectacular Mayan Site
• 14 Great Things to Do in Flores, Guatemala
• 7 Exciting Things to Do in San Ignacio, Belize
• El Tunco, El Salvador – the Surfers Oasis on the Pacific Shore
• Visit Copan Ruinas – the Amazing Mayan Site in Honduras

If you are looking for articles about a specific destination – check out the map with all the articles I’ve published (and their locations).

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