Caye Caulker, Belize

While you are in Caye Caulker, one of the best things you can do is bring along your reel and or if you do not own any, then you can ask around for fishing tour guides who will give your trip an extra boost! Go out to explore the waters around the island by going fishing either for snappers, groupers or some specific fish.You will enjoy getting of the island. One of the best tour guides that is also family oriented and is passionate about fishing is a guide by the name of Esley! He has taken out so many different tourists family, couples and individuals who always has the best time and they come back after a long day of fishing with an amazing experience. You can email him @ esleyusherfishingtours@live.com
You can ask to go fishing for half day or a full day! deep sea or reef fishing!

The only snorkeling you can do off the beach is at the split. There isn't much to see and the currents are quite strong so you have to be careful. We saw some barracuda and smaller fish hanging around. To make it worth your while you have to take a boat out, but chilling out on Caye Caulker is a lot of fun in itself!

4 more images

Here are photos from Caye Caulker. It is really a beautiful place. I was suggest spending about 3 to 5 days there. Many of the activities like scuba diving and snorkeling are offered as full day trips. There is not much in the way of night life there unless you are the type of person who likes to spend time in bars. If you visit during the high tourist season, the nightlife scene may involve a few more parties.

1 more image

Caye Caulker's motto is "Go Slow". And why not...there is not much to do. The snorkeling and diving is great. Other than that, you can have a beer at the Sport's Bar or the Lazy Lizard or cool off in the heat of the day at the split. If you hurry through town, the locals (who are all very friendly) will tell you to "go slow!".
Chocolate's Guest House is a great place to stay and Annie's shop (below the guest house) has great merchandise. Also, Chocolate and Annie are opening a nice new, very well built guest house with kitchen.
Pictures below are of the Lazy Lizard at the split and Caye Caulker just as sun is trying to come up.

Take the water taxi to Caye Caulker and spend the day. Go see the seahorse at Seahorse Park (or creek). Someone will scoop one up in a glass jar so you can look at it up close (doesn't hurt them). Walk to the "split" and have a cocktail while your feet dangle in the water off the water wall. Talk to the locals and eat at one of the cafes on middle street. The taxi runs every hour and is nominal to travel by.

My sister and I were combing the beach for some shells in Caye Caulker. While we were there, we saw some conch shells drying in the sun and sand. Being completely ignorant to the practice we picked them up adn held them to our heads just long enough to take a few pictures.
Then we realized the shells were dying conch, and just like all dying things, emit a nasty stench.
If you see this scenario, dont pick these up! The stench sticks and stays to your hands for hours! It is not pleasant.

1 more image

Our first stop in Belize was just north of Belize City, on the very small island of Caye Caulker. I say it is worth paying a bit more for accommodations (and US$40 is not bad) if you can get a good beach access like the Trends Beachfront Hotel provided. We spent some time here every day in the hotel lawnchairs, drawn up near the rustling palm trees. It was a perfect spot to catch the breezes, watch the activities on the beach, read our books and take a short stroll up to our refrigerator every now and then to replenish the drinks!

While there, we watched the antics of some of the local school boys in the back of the village's dump truck (one of the few 'official' vehicles on the island) as it was parked beside one of the palm trees not far from us. They each plucked one of the leaf strands off a branch of the tree and then, by pulling some other part of the leaf, were shooting the fronds at each other like arrows! It was just like in Africa, the kids know how to make a toy out of anything!

However, since you have come all the way to little Caye Caulker, you should also make the time to walk it's amazing beach - along the the eastern 'reef-side' of the island. With the numerous small boats bobbing on the water, the waves breaking off-shore on the reef and the many interesting buildings, there is no shortage of things to observe. It also really helps to settle you into the slow pace of life on Caulker, as both locals and tourists go about their business with no great hurry - it will only take a few days before you too can no longer remember what day of the week it is!

No Shirt, No Shoes, No Problem. This is the motto of Caye Caulker and life takes on a much slower pace here. Spending the day reading in a hammock or under a palm tree is the norm.

If you feel adventurous, there are many tour companies that will take you out for a day of snorkelling on the world's second largest reef. You can also book a tour to see the gentle sea cows of the ocean, the manatees.

There are many, many accomodations available for the budget traveller. If you are looking for something a little posher, then Caye Caulker may not be for you.

See more photos and tips on my Caye Caulker pages.