When you arrive in Caye Caulker, you will find yourself going slow. I mean so slow that if you went any slower, you would just fall over. In fact, the motto of Caye Caulker is, “Go Slow”, and they mean it. While I was there a restaurant owner was building a speed bump out of dirt in front of his restaurant because he thought the people on bicycles were going by too fast. It is a small island, and it will only take about five minutes for everyone on the island to know that you are there. In fact, it will almost feel like they were expecting you.
The place to go for all the activity in Caye Caulker is known as, “The Split.” It is a waterway that bisects the island, and the locals and tourists have turned it into a beach. It is a lively area with a beach bar where people congregate, swim, and lie out on the fishing docks or the little bit of sand. Also, ask one of the locals to show you where the seahorses are.
They are in the mangroves because they like to wrap their tails around the tree roots. You can walk over and see them, but I got lucky and got a ride on a pretty awesome boat called, The Love Boat, that even had its own swing. I wasn’t even sure that seahorses were real before I saw my first one. Now I’m keeping my eyes open for mermaids and unicorns!
Keep in mind if you are arriving on your own boat, to bring your own sailing equipment. The island is very small, and there are no places to buy your own gear.
It is really easy to walk around the island. In fact, there are no cars. My walk was very scenic with lots of huge iguanas, beautiful views, quaint little beach huts, and interesting people. Everyone is very friendly on Caye Caulker and will want to know all about you. You can also buy interesting fruits like the cashew fruit from the sellers on the beach.
Getting there is very easy. You can get there by ferry from either San Pedro on Ambergris Caye or Belize City. I just went there for a day trip. There are plenty of places to stay though, if you want to go for a longer trip. If you are looking for a place to kick off your shoes, and experience laid-back island life, then Caye Caulker is definitely the place. Just remember, “Go Slow.”
