Things to do in Caye Caulker

Best time to visit Caye Caulker

• a note or something on   ✦ an occasion worth the trip

• December to April

  Dry, sunny, best conditions; also the busiest and priciest.

• May to August

  Hot with brief afternoon showers, thinner crowds, good snorkeling.

• September and October

  Avoid if you can: peak rain and hurricane-season risk.

• November

  Transitional; can be lovely or wet week to week.

What's on

• Caye Caulker Lobster Fest mid-July

  Weekend street party when lobster season reopens; grilled lobster and live music. Book rooms early.

Best things to do in Caye Caulker

• Hol Chan Marine Reserve

  $$$

  Half-day snorkel in a protected reserve with turtles, rays and coral channels.

• Shark Ray Alley

  $$$

  Snorkel a shallow sand flat where nurse sharks and stingrays gather.

• The Split

  Free

  The island's swimming and sunset hub where the channel divides the caye.

• Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary

  $$

  Boat tour to a protected area to spot wild manatees in the grass beds.

• Turneffe Atoll

  $$$$

  Full-day dive and snorkel trip to the atoll wall, including The Elbow.

• Caye Caulker Marine Reserve

  $

  Kayak the mangrove channels around the island watching for rays.

• Playa Asuncion

  Free

  Calm west-side beach for swimming away from the boat traffic.

Best restaurants in Caye Caulker

• Pasta Per Caso Anna & Armando

  $$

  Two fresh pastas a night in a tiny room; the island's hardest dinner booking.

• Chef Juan's Kitchen and Pastries

  $

  Generous Caribbean cooking and the best-value fry-jack breakfast in town.

• Il Pellicano Cucina Italiana

  $$$

  Sit-down Italian with seafood pastas and pizza for a proper night out.

• Hibisca by Habaneros

  $$$

  The island's fine-dining room: refined international plates with local seafood.

• Maggie's Sunset Kitchen

  $$

  Barbecue lobster and grilled seafood eaten as the sun drops into the sea.

• Reina's

  $

  Cheap, filling Caribbean lunch counter on Middle Street.

• Caribbean Colors Art Café

  $

  Garden café with big salads and fresh juices; breakfast and lunch only.

• Errolyn's House of Fryjacks

  $

  The benchmark fry-jack breakfast; go early before it sells out.

Best bars in Caye Caulker

• Lazy Lizard Bar & Grill

  $$

  The swim-and-drink deck at The Split; busiest and best late afternoon.

Outdoor things to do in Caye Caulker

• Great Blue Hole

  $$$$

  Full-day boat expedition to the famous deep-blue sinkhole at Lighthouse Reef.

• San Pedro

  $$

  Easy day trip by water taxi for more restaurants, shops and beach clubs.

Best hotels in Caye Caulker

• Weezie's Ocean Front Hotel and Garden Cottages

  $$

  Long-running oceanfront rooms and cottages a minute from the action.

• Iguana Reef Inn

  $$$

  The island's best-known upscale inn, beachfront with a pool.

• Tropical Paradise Hotel

  $

  Simple budget rooms in a central spot; good value for the location.

• CayeReef

  $$

  Apartment-style rooms with kitchenettes near The Split.

• Island Magic Beach Resort

  $$

  Beachfront resort with a pool on Avenida Hicaco near The Split.

• Blu Zen Caye Caulker

  $$$

  The island's most polished newer hotel, quiet south side with pool and spa.

• El Ben Cabañas

  $$

  Thatched cabanas in a calm garden setting on the south side.

• Colinda Cabanas

  $$

  Longtime budget cabanas with hammocks near the airstrip.

Is Caye Caulker expensive? What a day costs

A day of food, drink, sights and getting around, before the room

What to book ahead

• Hol Chan Marine Reserve: a few days ahead
• Shark Ray Alley: a few days ahead
• Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary: a few days ahead
• Turneffe Atoll: a few days ahead
• Great Blue Hole: a few days ahead
• Pasta Per Caso Anna & Armando: a few days ahead
• Hibisca by Habaneros: a few days ahead
• Weezie's Ocean Front Hotel and Garden Cottages: weeks ahead

• Pasta Per Caso: reserve the morning of, or the day before in high season.
• Turneffe and Blue Hole dive trips: book 1 to 2 days ahead; boats need minimum numbers.
• Hotels December to April: book weeks ahead; the island sells out.

Is Caye Caulker safe?

• Caye Caulker is one of the calmest spots in Belize; the real risks are petty theft from unlocked rooms and phones left on beach towels. Use licensed operators. Emergency number: 911.

Caye Caulker travel tips: tourist traps to skip

• Sunscreen and snorkel gear on Front Street cost double mainland prices; bring your own.
• Tour sellers on the San Pedro docks sell Caulker trips that are mostly a boat ride; book on Caulker.
• The Split's channel current is stronger than it looks; do not swim across it.

Getting around Caye Caulker: public transport and more

• Walkable end to end in about 30 minutes; rent a bike for the south side.
• Golf carts work as taxis; agree the fare before getting in.
• Water taxis to Belize City take 45 to 60 minutes, to San Pedro about 45 minutes.
• No cars on the island.

Who Caye Caulker suits

More in Belize

Every Belize guide