Caye Caulker is a small island off the coast of Belize. And when I say small, I mean it is only 5 miles (north to south) by less than 1 mile (east to west). You can only get to it by little puddle hopper planes or by water taxi. This makes for an even longer, not at all beautiful, or adventurous travel day.
When you get to the island, you either have to walk to your accommodation or catch a golf-cart taxi. There are no cars on the island. You can rent bikes or golf carts, or you can utilize the US$5 taxi services. Getting to different places around the island can take some time due to the sandy pathways for roads. This is an annoyance as you are probably used to your fast-paced lifestyle at home. Unironically, Caye Caulker's motto is actually "Go Slow."
All of the locals go super slow. They are also the only people to communicate with as Caye Caulker is not at all touristy. Caye Caulker natives are some of the nicest people I have ever met, and I always wonder how it is possible to be that nice all of the time.
This is Cannon (on the left) & Carlos (on the right). Cannon is one of my dad's besties. He takes us fishing and then cooks us the fish we caught for dinner. Carlos has been taking us on snorkeling trips since the first time I went when I was 14.
Speaking of there being no tourists, this means there is no commercialization. There are no massive or all-inclusive resorts, only quaint beachy hotels or Airbnbs.
The food is suspiciously really fresh and really cheap. During lobster season, you can get a whole lobster tail and sides for like US$8. The best food is found by locals on the side of the street or in backyards. Wish Willy's, one of Caye Caulker's most popular restaurants, is literally in someone's backyard. There are no chains, only authentic Belize restaurants.
There is not much to do there other than relax, lay in the sun, snorkel, and drink $3 rum punches. Oh, there is also this rooftop yoga place, Namaste Café, that gives free yoga classes. Isn't that sketch? The full-day Hol Chan Marine Reserve snorkeling tour on a 40-foot sailboat I have done a few times with Carlos Tours comes with all-inclusive gear, lunch, drinks, and fresh fruit snacks. Not to mention, it was also only $90. How do they make their money by not screwing us over like in other places? Weird.
The ocean in Caye Caulker is the clearest, bluest water you'll ever see. Belize does not even have the largest barrier reef in the world, it has the second largest.
The sun does not quite rise or set anywhere in the world as it does over the ocean in Caye Caulker. You have to wake up really early to see the sunrise though, which is annoying.
Overall, I think it is best that nobody travels to Caye Caulker so it can keep its go-slow, non-touristy vibe.
With love,
MLC
Ps. My idea for this blog stemmed from a gatekeep TikTok trend, and if you did not catch my sarcasm, Caye Caulker is really the best place in the world. Everyone should experience this one-of-a-kind island, just not all at once ;)
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