Caye Caulker is one of those places that slows you down. Literally. Their slogan is “go slow.” This tiny Belizean island is famous for turquoise water, friendly streets, and thriving marine life. There are opportunities for world-class snorkeling and swimming with nurse sharks, sailing at sunset, kayaking through lagoons, and spotting rays and turtles through clear waters. If you just love water and marine life, then Caye Caulker is the perfect place for you. You’ll find laid-back adventures with unforgettable wildlife experiences.

1. The Belize Barrier Reef

My guide gave me a land tour of the island and then also thought it would be nice to give me a tour by boat around the entire perimeter of the island, including a trip out to the barrier reef. The crystal clear water is one of my favorite things about the Caribbean, and believe it or not, you can stand in some parts of the water. More specifically, you can get in the water and interact with the manta rays and nurse sharks; don’t worry they don’t sting or bite!

2.The Split

This is the big hangout where people swim and have drinks. This is also the literal split between the north and south islands so boats pass through often. It’s a nice little area with cafes and bars such as The Lazy Lizard, which is really popular. There are a few lounge chairs for those that want to be lazy and diving boards for those that want to be active. Either way, it’s the heart of the island and a place you’ll want to hang out , even if for just a few minutes.

3.Dive/Snorkel

Snorkeling is a popular activity on most Caribbean islands, and I had reservations to snorkel; however, my reservation was cancelled due to covid restrictions.

Diving is another popular experience, the most popular diving site being The Great Blue Hole; this was another experience of mine that was cancelled due to covid restrictions. If you are not a diver or not comfortable in the water, another option is to see it from a plane. Whether you’re able to see the island, particularly this site, in the air or in the water, it really is quite beautiful all the way around. If you can book a tour with someone who is knowledgable about the history of the island, I really suggest taking it.

4.Feed tarpons

One of the other cool things I did was feed tarpons, which are big, bony, saltwater fish. You can pay around $5 for a bowl of sardines, hold them out over the water, and the tarpons will jump up and grab the sardines from your hand. It is quite a unique but fun experiences that you could set aside fifteen or twenty minutes for.

5.Seahorses

Towards the back of the island, there is a dock where seahorses are known to be spotted, which is certainly something you don’t get to experience often. They’re pretty hard to spot if you don’t know what to look for, so I would recommend being with someone from the island who can point one out for you. It also can be a bit difficult to get a high quality photo of them because they are quite good at camouflaging themselves. Look for a place called Iguana Reef Inn for this cool activity.

6.Sunset Cruise

I took a catamaran sunset cruise on the Wanderlust, which was quite gorgeous. It was only about $50BZD/$100USD to go on the cruise. We left the dock around four in the afternoon, and it was nice to catch a breeze while enjoying some homemade items from the crew like shrimp ceviche and rum punch.

Caribbean sunsets are a pretty big deal and they look different day to day so it’s nice to just sit and watch a beautiful natural event occur. I have never seen a sunset so brilliant as the last photo I have here. It was almost like a rainbow sunset, which is something I had never personally experienced but was in awe of. I booked through my resort, but there are comparable options on sites like Viator and Expedia.

Scenery

As I mentioned earlier, it’s a small island so you’ll spend most of your time eating great food, hanging out with beautiful people, and enjoying the marine life and water activities. Having said that, you’ll have a lot of time to walk around and enjoy the scenery. There are only three streets, front, middle, and back, so it’s impossible to get lost.

I love how colorful the Caribbean is in general, but I especially loved it here. Everyone is so laid back and always in such a good mood, and although I can’t be sure, I want to attribute it to the landscape. How could you not be happy here?