Caye Caulker, Belize: 14 Things To Do
By Gillian – Published 5 Sept 2026
Why we chose Caye Caulker over San Pedro in Belize and 14 things to do – Hol Chan, Great Blue Hole, Southern Stingrays, tarpons and a Pineapple House.
Belize is a small country in Central America with less than half a million people. This former British colony, known as British Honduras, gained independence in 1981.
Currently there is an historic dispute with Guatemala over borders, which is being settled peacefully in the International Court of justice, with a ruling expected in late 2027.
The Vibe
Belize has a vibrant multi-cultural identity and multi-ethnic society. A melting pot that has influenced the food and music of the country. The vibe was laid back Caribbean paradise. It seemed more American than British to us and felt safe.
Sunset at The Split in Caye Caulker, Belize
What Languages are Spoken?
- Belize is the only country in Central America that officially speaks English and this is used for government, education and media.
- Belizean Creole (Kriol) is the most widely spoken language for daily informal communication.
- Spanish is spoken fluently by more than half the population.
- Native Mayan languages (Ketch and Moran), Garifuna (Afro-Indigenous people), Plautdietsch (German) are also spoken by distinct communities.
Inside of ferry from Chetumal to Caye Caulker, Belize
Getting There
Option 1: Fly via USA or Canada
- By plane – the nearest airport is Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) which is just outside of Belize City.
Option 2: The Mexican Border at Chetumal
Getting to Chetumal:
- By plane – you can get budget friendly flights to Cancún in Mexico, then take the Maya Train (Tren Maya) directly down the coast to Chetumal which is beside the border with Belize
- 7 hour bus – we were already travelling in Mexico so took an overnight ADO bus from Palenque to Chetumal arriving at 5:30am. Timing was a bit confusing because Chetumal was 1 hour ahead of both Palenque and Caye Caulker.
From Chetumal to Belize:
You can cross the border easily via a pre-arranged private shuttle, local bus, or a water taxi can take you straight to the islands of Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) and Caye Caulker.
- Ferry – we took an Islander International Ferry (formerly known as Water Jets International), which had only one per day at 10 am to Caye Caulker. It included a stop at San Pedro for immigration and the ferry took about 3.5 hours. A large part of the time was spent waiting at immigration. San Pedro Belize Express is the other ferry company operating on this route. Check schedules as times and days vary depending upon season. A lack of alternatives means booking in advance in high season is recommended.
Split to Split ferry crossing in Caye Caulker, Belize
Where to Stay in Belize?
San Pedro
Ambergris Caye (San Pedro) is the main luxury resort centre of Belize and while our ferry stopped there during transit, we didn’t visit the town.
Friends told us San Pedro was a much larger, more upmarket, late night club place, very busy with constant golf carts being driven up and down, than Caye Caulker.
Caye Caulker
Caye Caulker is an island roughly 5 miles long and 1 mile wide. The island was effectively split in half by the hurricane of 1961 which created a narrow channel of water called The Split which is the central social hub of the island. Stay on the South Island because that’s where it’s all happening.
Go Slow
The Caribbean relaxed, laid back vibe on Caye Caulker is epitomised by the famous ‘Go Slow’ motto of the island. It is car free and completely walkable on sandy streets similar to Isla de Holbox, off the coast of Mexico.
Popular with backpackers and budget travellers, there is reggae music, colourful wooden shacks, street grills and world class snorkelling and diving. It’s more about being in the water than lying on a beach. This sounded so much more like us so we just spent our time in Caye Caulker chilling.
How Many Days?
We stayed in an hotel on Caye Caulker for 5 days during the peak season in early March.
It was nice to rest and relax but 3 days is probably enough with maybe a 4th day to allow a buffer. Staying in a hotel, we also realised we missed the social side of hostels. We also found Belize to be more expensive than Mexico.
Where To Next?
We went to Bacalaar in Mexico. This meant we had to pay the Mexican tourist tax upon entry again.
Southern Stingrays at the Iguana Reed Inn on Caye Caulker
What To Do In Caye Caulker:
1: See Southern Stingrays
On our first afternoon, we walked to the west side of Caye Caulker to the Iguana Reed Inn and paddled in the warm shallow water.
It was a complete surprise to me as Graham hadn’t told me the reason we were here, so I felt truly blessed to see about 20 Southern Stingrays coming into the shallows.
They are bottom feeders living on crabs, fish and shrimp and look like small manta rays.
We stayed in the water for nearly an hour watching the rays come right up to the shore. They came so close they even brushed and tickled our feet.
Stings Can Hurt
Be careful as they have a barb sting in their tail, but it’s best not to touch any wild animal anyway.
Nurse sharks, tarpons and pelicans also frequent Stingray Beach, as it is often called, too.
Fed Everyday at 4pm
Later, he told me that around 4 pm each afternoon the stingrays appear, because they are fed by the local hotel.
Sea horse at the sanctuary in Caye Caulker
2: See the Sea Horse Sanctuary
Next door to the Iguana Reed Inn with the stingrays, is the Seahorse Sanctuary.
It is a small protected area of the sea beside a pier, so unassuming it blends into the scenery that you could miss it. Exactly like sea horses! These tiny creatures hide among the seaweed and netting so look carefully to see them.
Full worm moon glowing orange over Caye Caulker, Belize
3: Watch the Sun Set and the Moon Rise
In keeping with the ‘Go Slow’ motto of the island, take time to watch and appreciate the sunset each evening. I’m sure the sunrises would be good too, but I’m not an early riser by nature.
As Caye Caulker is a small island surrounded by sea, the light reflects beautifully so the sunsets are worthy of your attention.
We enjoyed them from various viewpoints, but mainly from the Pelican’s Nest, being the rooftop terrace at Jan’s Hotel where we were staying, with a drink or two that we had brought up.
One evening, we had watched the sun set on one side, then later as the moon rose on the opposite side, it glowed orange. It looked surreal, but we later discovered it was a Full Worm Moon and the effect was caused by the humidity, salt spray and marine haze – that’s why they are so good!
4: See the Great Blue Hole
The iconic Great Blue Hole is a massive dark blue sink hole, 300m wide and 125m deep, surrounded by turquoise sea, which was made famous by the marine explorer Jacques Cousteau.
From the air it is visible and looks perfectly round, so is popular with photographers. But it is not visible when viewed at water level.
- Scenic Flyover – you can take a 1 hour flight from Belize City, San Pedro or Caye Caulker on a local prop plane over Lighthouse Reef Atoll and the Belize Barrier Reef. Cost USD $200-300. Private helicopter flight is more expensive.
- Snorkel – you can do a snorkelling package. It includes a 2.5 hour boat ride in each direction so is a long day. Cost around USD $200.
- Scuba Dive – you can do a 3 tank Advanced Open Water dive to include the surreal geological formations and the dark abyss which are at roughly 40m deep. Also includes the Half Moon Caye Wall and The Aquarium dive sites. Cost USD $355.
As scuba divers we really wanted the underwater experience, but alas we hadn’t got our Advanced Diver Certification yet. So we still have a reason to come back to Belize someday. At the moment Frenchies is the sole operator, but other dive shops sell the package.
Sailing to the Hol Chan Reserve Belize
5: Snorkel the Hol Chan Reserve and Shark Ray Alley
Instead of scuba diving, we did the Rum Cruise and Snorkel Trip to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley which have been protected since 1987. As the name suggests this is a channel famous for turtles, rays and sharks.
1 Hour at Hol Chan
Our guide led us through Hol Chan for nearly an hour. We saw a turtle feeding and a couple of pairs of nursing sharks, who looked like they were sleeping, with their heads hidden under a rock – just like when we were in Hawaii.
What We Saw
We saw jacks, wrasse, several eagle rays, groupers, snappers, parrot fish, trumpet fish and eel. Our guide pointed out different types of coral including fire coral which can cause a nasty reaction on the skin and apparently the only way to stop the burning heat is to pee on it! Or so he said.
Shark Ray Alley and Coral Garden
After lunch, on the second snorkel we visited Shark Ray Alley and the Coral Garden for about 20 minutes each. We saw quite a few nursing sharks and rays from the boat before we actually got in as well as big fish including barracuda which were hiding in the shade under the boat.
Here, the colours of the coral were more intense indicating a health reef.
Free Swim
Our third snorkel was for about twenty minutes outside the marine reserve and this time the guide stayed on board. We swam freely on one side of the boat and just saw more of what we had already seen. But who tires of seeing rays and sharks?
Sails Unfurled
On the return to Caye Caulker the Captain unfurled the sails, turned up the reggae music while they served ceviche and rum punch. The party atmosphere was fun and reminded us of our trip to Barbados and the Crop Over Festival when we took the party boat.
Although we had initially been disappointed at not scuba diving the Great Blue Hole, we had a great day snorkelling, saw a lot of wildlife and had a lot of fun on the way home.
Feeding tarpon as it jumps from sea at Caye Caulker
6: Feed the Atlantic Tarpon
7: See the Iguanas and Pelicans
Just beside the tarpon feeding station there are iguanas.
I should add you can also see the pelicans. They are everywhere on the island perched on dead branches and posts in the water or flying in formation overhead.
Relaxing on swing seats at the Lazy Lizard, Caye Caulker
8: Chill at the Lazy Lizard
Enjoy a day time drink at the Lazy Lizard. You can sit in the sun or under the palm leaf umbrellas or swing gently with your feet always in the white sand.
This is a popular spot for tour boats from San Pedro to stop at for a quick lunch so it can seem crowded for less than an hour and then quiet again.
9: Snorkel, Swim, and Dive The Split
Graham also had fun snorkelling in the water around The Split while I relaxed with a book.
There is also a high board to dive or jump off. Graham had to do it several times because the photographer was too slow (oops).
Drinking in the sea at Sip n Dip on Caye Caulker
10: Sip n Dip
Another popular spot for a drink is the Sip n Dip where you can sit at palm shaded tables in the sea and drink rum cocktails or beer. Or you can sit in the shade on land, like me.
Pineapple House on north island of Caye Caulker
11: See the Pineapple House
Take the Split to Split Ferry across to the North island. It takes about 2 minutes. You could swim across, but then both you and your belongings are wet.
Inflatable Pineapple
The Pineapple House was made by spraying concrete onto an inflatable pineapple. Yes you read that correctly!
Four stories high with randomly spaced arched windows and a thatched roof terrace with 360 degree views of the Caribbean sea, it really looked like a pineapple. My only disappointment was the colour… as it was white, not yellow.
The owners had put up a sign referring to a website so we could get more information where I later learnt that the Palapa Pineapple Dome was completed in 2020, is 12.2m high and 7.8m in diameter, with a curved staircase inside.
Custom Made
It was custom made by the Monolithic Dome Institute based on the ideas of the Texan owners who now live there. It is a private home and not open for rental. I would have loved a tour inside.
The North Island of Caye Caulker is much less developed and has a nature reserve at the far north end.
Outside of a couple of small developments, there is very little on the North island. There was an air of abandonment about the place. The only restaurant we found was closed on Wednesdays… the day we went. We spent some time swimming in the sea until hunger drove us back to the South Island.
Having fun on a canoe
12: Hire a Canoe
Caye Caulker is all about the sea, so having been swimming, snorkelling and on boats, it was now time to hire a canoe for a different view.
It was 27C in March so I wore my full sun protection rash top and leggings while we splashed around.
Pro Tip – put the most powerful canoeist at the back and it’s more effective if you can coordinate your strokes together.
Street grills in Caye Caulker
13: Enjoy Fresh Street Grills
Wander along the sandy street in Caye Caulker and you will be tantalised by the smoky aroma of meat, fish and sea food cooking on the street grills. If you weren’t hungry before, you will be by the time you reach The Split. I liked the spicy sausage.
Pro Tip – If you want to eat in the restaurants, you need to book ahead early.
Drinking English Breakfast Tea in Caye Caulker, Belize
14: Have a Cup of English Breakfast Tea
We love trying new foods when we travel, but sometimes you can get wildly excited to have something familiar.
I was so happy to get a cup of proper English Breakfast Tea, made with 2 tea bags for the enormous paper coffee cup. The currency even had a picture of Queen Elizabeth II on it and I was able to order in English.
Final Thoughts
The beaches in Caye Caulker are soft and sandy but it’s not a place to flop on a sun lounger all day. Instead it is a place to ‘Go Slow’ as their motto states. Relax, take your time, sip a drink, swim, dive, canoe, hire a bike and chill.
The snorkelling was world class and better than some scuba dives we’ve done. Then off to bed early. We were surprised that by 10 pm the place was deserted. We felt a bit lost particularly after dancing most nights or listening to live music late into the night in Mexico. Still, we caught up on our beauty sleep and recharged our batteries ready for our next adventure.