Island of Caye Caulker in Belize
22nd November to 6th December 2025
7 months into our ‘over 60s gap year’
Another early start catching the bus to Belize at 6.45 am.
We arrived at the San Pedro Belize Express water taxi at 6.30 pm for a refreshing 45 minute sprint to the beautiful island of Caye Caulker.
Almost as soon as we crossed the border into Belize from Guatemala we noticed the scenery becoming more Caribbean in style.
We’d had a recommendation from a man we met in Costa Rica who said that Caye Caulker was well worth visiting for its reef, wildlife, snorkelling, and relaxing laid back atmosphere.
It’s a small limestone coral island measuring about 5 miles by 1/2 mile, with a population of around 3000.
The vibe is extremely relaxed, with a focus on slowing down and enjoying the natural surroundings, with a “Go Slow” attitude, dirt roads and no cars.
After a complicated couple of days resulting in an upgraded airbnb apartment, we rode the wave…
and went to the Sip n Dip,
which is a very cool beach bar on a dock with a DJ, and tables in the sea.
Sailing out to Shark Ray Alley to go snorkelling.
So many Nurse Sharks, some Turtles and small Rays
Back to the boat and on to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which actually means ‘little chanel’, as it is a 25m gap in the Belize Barrier Reef. It covers around 18 square km of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forest.
So many fish as well, although the corals didn’t have much colour.
The crew fed us lunch on the boat in between 3 stops for snorkelling, then finished up the day with a Belizean cocktail.
A fab end to a perfect day as far as I’m concerned 😆 👌
Our airbnb also included these bikes to ride around the island 🏝 😀
The soft chalky/sandy roads and frequent rain showers provided a good obstacle course through the many dips and puddles.
We came across this extensive garden wall made entirely out of conch shells. The majority of the shells were around 8″ long – that’s a lot of shells!
A quieter more serene side of the island
Feeding time for the Tarpon 🦈
Cycling to the north island on the other side of the split, via the Split ferry, we found this little slice of paradise called Bliss beach.
Warm water hammocks…
actually not the easiest things to get in or out of…! 😆😅🤣
It rained so we went swimming of course!!
We went to the beach at the Iguana Reef Hotel as there was supposed to be a seahorse nursery there. But not anymore, plenty of tiny fish though.
Instead they feed Stingrays, Pelicans and other sea birds.
These Pelicans know they will be fed around 4 pm every day.
Stingrays everywhere!! They’re rough to the touch on top, but soft and smooth underneath.
Watch out Paul, it’s coming for you!! 😁
We unferstand that feeding wildlife disrupts natural behaviour and damages the delicate balance of aquatic ecosystems, but it was still enjoyable to see the Stingrays and Pelicans.
It also had one of the few proper beaches on the island where, although privately-owned, we could hang around provided we bought food and drinks.
As the afternoon wore on it was also a good place to see the sunset,
making a lovely start to the evening.
We were able to watch the sun set on one side of the island and then a short walk to see the moon rise on the other.
The island has many places to eat out, we stayed self-catering so we didnt try all of them, unfortunately…
A popular bar.
Most days we went to The Split, within the grounds of the Lazy Lizard bar and grill, to go sunbathing, swimming and diving into the warm crystal clear waters…
The north and south islands used to be joined but were “split” in two by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. It’s known for its clear water, jumping platforms, and shallow wading areas however there is boat traffic and frequently strong currents.
Caye Caulker is a relaxing paradise-style island.
Yet another place with no kitesurfing, but one we really enjoyed. Our 2 weeks here went by really quickly!!
Next stop the border of Mexico 🇲🇽
