Caye Caulker: What This Beautiful Coral Island Is Known For

Caye Caulker is a small Belizean coral island located 21 miles northeast of Belize City touted as budget travelers choice destination. It is about 4 miles/6.5 kilometers long and its widest section is about 600 meters in size. Caye Caulker is Belize's second-largest island after Ambergris Caye. Belize is located on Central America's northeast coast and has an estimated 450 islands called cayes. Caye Caulker has an estimated population of over 1700 people but it could be over 2000 people, who reside in Caye Caulker Village the island's main town to the south.

Caye Caulker's less-developed and visited northern side and southern side are separated by a tiny strait called 'The Split' that was created in 1961 by a violent 165 miles per hour cyclone dubbed Hurricane Hattie. Traditionally the economic activity of the island's residents was fishing but tourism had overtaken it.

What to do at Caye Caulker?

Ideally, the best time to visit Caye Caulker is from January to April when it's sunny but it is expensive since it's high season but offseason it's cheaper. There are many things to do and places to explore there and local service providers and skilled guides are available to assist tourists thirsting for adventures there.

Do 'The Split'

Though inadvertently formed by vagaries of nature, 'The Split' is arguably the most popular hang-out spot at Caye Caulker. Local folks and tourists love to hang out there and enjoy the tipple and get serenaded by Belizean island music. The Lazy Lizard Bar & Grill is Caye Caulker's most popular bar and restaurant due to its proximity to 'The Split.' At this bar and grill, tourists enjoy their wine, beers, and cocktails like the Lizard Lick, Moscow Mule, Hypnotic Cosmo, Sangria, Mai Tai, Mango Jalapeno Margarita, Lazy Lizard Juice, Caye Caulker Iced Tea under the shade of the thatched palapas including some built-on the Caribbean Sea's crystal clear sky blue waters. The Lazy Lizard Bar and Grill has a menu with fresh seafood specials like shrimp, lobster, tuna, salmon, and conventional dishes served with pork, beef, and chicken. The Split is also a perfect spot to fish, swim, snorkel, parasail, scuba dive or laze about on the beach and watch the spectacular sunset views.

Go Island Tubing

Floating around the clear, sky blue Caye Caulker's Caribbean sea waters on an inflated tube while enjoying a drink is the perfect way to live up to the island's motto Go Slow. Tourists tour the island while floating on the tubes towed by a boat. The tubes are tied together but are spaced out so that each tourist has enough space to enjoy this unique aquatic recreation experience. During the one-hour tours around Caye Caulker, a bartender is available to serve the floating tourists cold drinks of their choice as they enjoy the scenic surroundings or watch the magnificent sunset. Up to seven guests go on these Island Tubing tours and it is suitable for all ages.

Costs

$40 USD Per Person

Visit the Marine Reserves

About 3 miles off the coast of Caye Caulker is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve Belize's oldest marine reserve. The reserve is arguably the most popular snorkeling spot in Belize because of the abundant marine life found there. Snorkelers and divers see manta and shark rays, turtles, diverse fish species, sea turtles, eels, crabs, the docile nurse sharks on the floor of the beautiful and rugged coral reef that has lush seagrass beds. Manatees can be sighted there during their season.

Night snorkel tours are also offered to skilled snorkelers who want to see the nocturnal aquatic life like the squid, electric eagle rays, octopus, and others. Because of the abundant marine life there, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve is also an ideal location to do underwater photography and video. Caye Caulker Marine Reserve is also another location to snorkel while swimming with sharks and stingrays. At this marine reserve, tourists witness what makes the Belize Barrier Reef among the world's top tourists destinations and why it's a UNESCO World Heritage site. Caye Caulker Marine Reserve provides habitat for threatened marine species like the hawksbill, green and loggerhead turtles, Western Indian Manatee, and the American crocodile.

$95 USD Per Person-Hol Chan Marine Reserves
$50 USD Per Person-Caye Caulker Marine Reserve
$65 USD Per Person-Night Snorkel Tours

Visit Caye Caulker Forest Reserve

Caye Caulker Forest Reserve in northern Caye Caulker is over 100 acres of littoral forest and is dotted with black, white, and red mangroves and other trees. The trees and lagoons are habitats to an estimated over 170 bird species some endemic and migratory making it a paradise for birders and photographers. Some birds found there include the roseate spoonbill, pelicans, white-crowned pigeon, black catbird, belted kingfisher, little blue heron, green heron, great egret heron, and others. The forest reserve also has tiny lagoons that are habitats for reptiles and amphibians. American crocodiles, lizards, turtles, the spiny-tailed iguana, boa constrictors, five crab species, brown anole are some reptiles found there that tourists can see. The northern side with Caye Caulker Forest Reserve can be reached by kayaking when it's less windy.

What else to do at Caye Caulker

Rent a golf cart or bike to tour the entire Caye Caulker
Take therapeutic beach walks and enjoy the Caribbean Sea views
Do Yoga, enjoy Belizean Coffee or Kombucha Tea at Namaste Cafe
Buy locally made handicrafts from local artisans
Jet Ski on Caribbean Sea Waters
Parasail at Castaway Caye and see manatees
Zipline at Calico Jacks Village, Bocawina Forest Reserve, and Jaguar Paw Adventure Outpost
Cave Tube Tours at Nohoch Che'en Cave