Caye Caulker gave me that real holiday feeling almost immediately. A breeze from the sea, palm trees, reggae music, fresh fish, turquoise water and sandy streets where bikes and golf carts slowly pass by. Everything feels easy here. Six days on Caye Caulker went surprisingly fast and I could easily have stayed longer. Most things to do in Caye Caulker involve the water in some way, but you don’t need a plan for every afternoon. Rent a bike, stop for coffee, jump in the sea, eat fresh fish and end the day at The Split. The Blue Hole flight was the highlight for me. Seeing the Great Blue Hole and Belize Barrier Reef from a small plane had been on my list before arriving in Belize, and it was every bit as beautiful as I hoped.

How to get to Caye Caulker

My route started near Belize Zoo. From there I took the local bus to Belize City, a taxi to the marine terminal and then the water taxi to Caye Caulker. The boat ride takes around an hour. Once you arrive, getting around is easy. Walk to your accommodation if you are staying nearby or take one of the golf cart taxis when your hotel is farther away or you have heavy luggage. San Pedro Belize Express operates several boats a day between Belize City, Caye Caulker and San Pedro. You can also compare ferry times and book Caye Caulker tickets through 12Go. Fares start at around US$24 one way, depending on the operator and departure.

Arriving in Belize City by bus? Allow some extra time to get from the bus station to the water taxi terminal. With luggage, taking a taxi between the two is much easier.

Things to do in Caye Caulker

The first answer is almost: nothing! That sounds strange in a section about things to do in Caye Caulker, but you really don’t need to fill every hour here. There is plenty to do, but an afternoon with a swim, something cold to drink and nowhere else to be works just as well.

1. Rent a bike and explore the island

Of course I rented a bike. I’m Dutch. A bike works perfectly on Caye Caulker because the island is small and you don’t need much of a route. Cycle away from the busier center and you see more of daily island life. Kids coming home from school, locals going about their day and streets you would probably miss if you stayed around the main strip. Some accommodations include bikes, otherwise you can rent one in town. Sea n Sun Guest House, where I stayed, offers bikes to guests. Stop when you see somewhere you like; that was usually how I found my favorite places.

2. Fly over the Blue Hole Belize

The Great Blue Hole was one of the things I really wanted to see in Belize, and for me the view from the air was the one to choose. I booked my flight through a small tour agency on Caye Caulker instead of directly with the airline. They arranged the Tropic Air flight for me and also organized the transfer to the airstrip, which made the whole thing very easy. This is still a good option if you prefer to arrange things after arriving on the island. It also gives you a little flexibility with the weather. Tropic Air flies from Caye Caulker and the flight takes around one hour. Expect to pay roughly US$260 to US$290 per person for a Blue Hole flight, depending on the date and where you book. Check what is included, especially transfers to the airstrip.

Once you reach the Blue Hole, the pilot circles it so passengers on both sides of the plane can look down and take pictures. From above you see the complete shape: a deep blue circle with a lighter aquamarine reef around it. The Great Blue Hole is around 300 meters wide and more than 120 meters deep, but those numbers didn’t mean much to me once I was looking down at it. The Blue Hole is famous with divers, but I loved seeing it from above. You also fly over a large part of the Belize Barrier Reef, so keep looking out of the window on the way there. The reef itself is already spectacular.

If the Blue Hole flight is high on your list, don’t book it for your final few hours on Caye Caulker. A few extra days give you some room if the weather doesn’t cooperate.

3. Where to swim and relax in Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is surrounded by beautiful Caribbean water, but don’t expect one long white sandy beach. Parts of the island have coral, mangroves and seaweed along the shore. There are still some lovely places for a swim or a few hours by the water.

Iguana Reef

I found Iguana Reef while cycling and stayed much longer than planned. The water on this side is calmer and you can spot seahorses close to the pier. Iguana Reef Inn also has one of the better sandy beachfront areas on Caye Caulker. Cycle over, have a drink and stay for a while if you like the setting. This was exactly the kind of place I liked finding without having planned it beforehand.

Around Sea Dreams

The water near Sea Dreams, close to The Split, is another easy place for a swim. It isn’t a large tropical beach, but the water is clear and you can look for fish around the dock. This works well when you simply want to cool off for an hour rather than spend an entire day at a beach club.

Bounty Bay Beach Club

For a proper beach day, take the boat across The Split to the north side of Caye Caulker. I spent a few very relaxed hours here with sand, turquoise water, music and not much else on the agenda. Today you can visit Bounty Bay Beach Club on this part of North Caye Caulker. There is a beach, swimming pool, bar and restaurant, with loungers around the grounds. A day pass costs US$20, or BZ$40, and includes the return boat from the south side, a welcome drink, pool access, a regular sunbed, kayaks and snorkeling gear. Bounty Bay is open Tuesday through Sunday from 10:30 AM until 7 PM. Go over for the morning or make a full beach day of it. Swim, have lunch, take a kayak out or stay on your lounger with something cold to drink.

Regular loungers are first come, first served, so an earlier boat gives you more choice.

4. Explore the turquoise water

If you like being in the water, Caye Caulker gives you plenty of options. Snorkeling, diving, sailing, fishing, kayaking and kitesurfing are all easy to arrange from the island. A separate snorkeling tour didn’t work for me because I had an ear infection, so I went kayaking instead. That turned out to be a fun way to see Caye Caulker from the water, especially when the sea is so clear that you keep looking down while paddling. And then there are the tarpons. They are huge. Getting close to them from a kayak was exciting enough for me; for a moment I wondered whether one of them was going to tip me over.

If snorkeling is high on your list, Caye Caulker is close to the Belize Barrier Reef and several marine reserves. You can also combine snorkeling with a multi-day sailing trip by Ragga Sailing Adventures. I did this later in my Belize trip, and you can read about my experience in my Ragga Sailing Trip blog.

An ear problem and a snorkeling-heavy itinerary are not a great combination. Skip it if you need to; there are enough other ways to get out on the water.

5. Watch the sunset at The Split

Anyone who spends a few days on Caye Caulker will probably end up at The Split more than once. Music, drinks, boats passing, kiters on the water, people swimming and others sitting with a book all come together here. The current in the channel between the two sides of the island can be strong, so pay attention before jumping into the water. Go later in the afternoon, find somewhere to sit and watch the boats while the sun goes down. It isn’t fancy, and that is exactly what I liked about it. The Split is just The Split.

Where to stay in Caye Caulker

I stayed in two different accommodations during my six days on the island. Belize is more expensive than some other Central American countries, especially for accommodation and tours, so comparing a few options is worth it.

Vista del Mar Guest House

Vista del Mar was my simpler choice. The location on Front Street was convenient and my room was basic but clean and comfortable. My room had a shared bathroom, which was fine for this type of stay. Choose Vista del Mar if location matters more to you than hotel facilities and you want something simple in the middle of town.

Sea n Sun Guest House

Sea n Sun Guest House was my favorite of the two. The colorful cottages, garden and quiet location worked really well, especially because you are close to The Split without sleeping right in the middle of the noise. Bikes and kayaks are included, which is a real bonus on Caye Caulker. For my style of travel, Sea n Sun was exactly right: comfortable and clean, but still small and relaxed.

More comfort on Caye Caulker

For more comfort, Sea Dreams Hotel on Booking.com is a nice option close to The Split. It has a boutique feel, breakfast and bikes, while the location is still quiet enough at night. Island Magic Beach Resort on Booking.com is another option if you prefer more hotel facilities. It has a pool, restaurant, beach bar and waterfront location.

Where to eat in Caye Caulker

Food was another reason I enjoyed staying several days. You can start with coffee and breakfast somewhere relaxed and finish the day eating grilled fish outside without needing to plan much in between.

Breakfast and coffee

Namaste Café was one of my favorite breakfast spots. Go for the relaxed setting, coffee and chia pudding, or combine breakfast with a yoga class if you feel like starting the day that way.

Amor y Café is another popular breakfast option. I really liked the porch and atmosphere. My waffle was fine, although the egg dishes arriving at nearby tables looked better. I may simply have ordered the wrong thing. For coffee by the water, try Ice n Beans. The beach setting was what pulled me in, although the coffee and little donut certainly helped.

Lunch and dinner

Chef Kareem’s was my lunch winner. The BBQ and jerk chicken brought me back for a second visit, served simply with coleslaw and rice and beans. Check the location before you go, as the grill has moved around.

Get a fresh coconut with your lunch from one of the grills. Simple, cold and very welcome in the Belize heat.

Wish Willy Bar & Grill was another place I visited twice. Maurice runs things in his own relaxed way: cooking, talking to guests and keeping the whole evening very informal. Order fresh fish or meat, grab a drink and join one of the shared tables. This was one of the places where the Caye Caulker atmosphere really came together for me. For grilled fish with a sunset view, Maggie’s Sunset Kitchen is another good option.

How many days do you need in Caye Caulker?

Three days gives you enough time to cycle around, spend time at The Split and choose one activity on the water. Stay four or five days if you also want to fly over the Blue Hole, go snorkeling or take a sailing trip without planning something for every morning and afternoon. I stayed six days and never felt it was too long. Having those extra days meant I could do something when I felt like it and stay in a hammock when I didn’t.

Is Caye Caulker worth visiting?

For me, absolutely. What I liked was having plenty to do without feeling that I had to do all of it. You can ride a bike in the morning, kayak in the afternoon, eat grilled fish outside and finish the day at The Split. Add the Blue Hole flight if your budget allows it; that was one of the highlights of my entire Central America trip. Leave a little room in your plans here. That worked much better for me than trying to schedule every day.

Continue your Belize trip

Want more time on the Caribbean after Caye Caulker? Continue with Ragga Sailing Adventures and travel south along the coast. You can also read my Ragga Sailing Trip first to see what that multi-day trip was like for me. Heading in the other direction? Return to the mainland for Belize Zoo and San Ignacio, where the ATM Cave gives you a completely different Belize experience. After several days of sea and sand, the jungle is quite a change.