Go Slow on Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is one mile by five miles of white sand atop a limestone shelf, offering Caribbean color, barefoot living and below the radar vacationing. Here’s our expert guide on how to go slow and go troppo in this tropical destination.

1. Forget the airplane and arrive by relaxing water ferry from Belize City.

2. Enjoy the laid back array of Caribbean accomodations.

3. Always stop and smell the pastries.

4. Savor the local specialties.

5. Get your laundry done at Marie’s.

6. Take care during the rush hour.

7. Go color blind.

8. Enjoy the Rasta arts and crafts.

9. At night, join the village families at the community football field.

10. Rent a bike and join the locals.

11. Sail to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve or the Blue Hole for snorkeling or diving on the world’s second largest reef.

12. Make new friends.

13. Go with the flow and go slow.

 

If You Go:

Most visitors arrive at Belize City’s international airport and catch a puddle-jumper on Tropic Air to Caye Caulker. But it’s slower to take a cab to the water taxi dock and enjoy a 40-minute ocean journey to Caye Caulker’s landing.

Where to Stay:

Accommodations can range from luxury beachfront villas to upscale hotels, simple bed and breakfasts, and hostels. Rates run the gamut from $15 for a primitive cabin to hundreds of dollars a night. Either way, don’t bring a lot of clothing or footwear – you may find yourself going barefoot in your swimsuit all day. Village roads are white sand and residents walk or ride bikes; there are no cars on Caye Caulker. Golf cart taxis are available, if you need a lift to your hotel with your luggage.

What to Do:

Dining is casual from beachfront eateries to Italian restaurants. Be sure to hit Caye Caulker’s famous pastry vendors in the mornings; their colorful pushcarts are found everywhere. In season, order the reef lobster at Happy Lobster.

Shop at the Rastafarian arts and crafts stands along Front St. and snorkel or kayak at the Split, at the northern end of the island.

Local outfits offer snorkel and sailing excursions to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve or Shark Alley in the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Or experience a world class dive trip to the Great Blue Hole.

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