A Perfect holiday at Caye Caulker

Caye Caulker is a very popular tourist destination in Belize. This tiny limestone coral island in the Caribean Ocean measures just 5 miles from north to south and less than 1 mile from east.

The island is located a good 20 miles northeast of the capital Belize City and is accessible to the capital via a high-speed water taxi and small aircrafts.

Recent years have seen this island become a very popular spot amongst tourists and the island has seen the construction of some 30 or so hotels along with restaurants and shops.

The preferred mode of traveling within the island is the golf carts. Besides, traveling on bikes and boat are also options available. However, the island is so small that there is no need to spent money on these luxuries; it is recommended that you walk around as it will take only 20 minutes. Besides, the paths are also well defined as English is the official language here.

Visitors need to take care as the sunlight can cause mild sunburns even in the shade.

In general the Caye Caulker is a sand bar set over a limestone shelf.  There are underwater caves found here and it is believed that many scuba divers have even lost their lives exploring these caves. In the present day though, it is safe for divers to venture into the waters and explore the unexplored.

This island has seen some spectacular growth on the tourism front. It was not so long ago that fishing was the bread earner for all the 80 odd families living on the island as the waters of the island house loads of lobsters, conch and other fish.

The growth of tourism is credited to, can you believe it the “Speed boat.” Tourism first kicked off in 1964 and was limited to the weekends at that point of time. Steadily backpackers started visiting the island and the only way to visit the place was via the fishing boats, besides there were no chances of one prolonging his or her stay as there were no hotels or other forms of accommodation. The late 60’s saw the introduction of Scuba diving.

The 70s’ saw the introduction of speed boats and this helped people visit the place more regularly and the information spread thick and fast about this wonderful island.

Today there are hotels, restaurants and bars, besides there’s a public library and a fire department as well. Hence, the island of Caye Caulker is ready to handle any eventuality in the present day.

Even though tourism is the main industry of the economy of the island, the fishing activities are still undertaken on large scale.  The island on the other hand is prone to tropical storms and hurricanes, which have had an adverse effect on the marine creatures of the region. However, the good news is the ecology of the island is slowly returning to the one as seen before the hurricane.

The island also has an airstrip, on which only small aircrafts can land and take off. Most people enter the island via the water taxi, which runs from the capital’s main airport.

Listed below are some of the questions which may be on your mind.

How to Get to Caye Caulker?

The Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport in Belize City is the entry point to the country. The airport hosts daily flights to the US and other countries. You can then take a small plane to Cay Caulker.  However, the cheaper option will be to take a sea taxi to the island. The entire boat journey lasts around 40 minutes. On the other hand the plane journey is short, with most of the time being dedicated to landing and take off.

Residents of the US and Canada need not carry a visa during their visit here. However, all other nationals need to compulsorily enter the country with a valid visa.

Where to Stay in Caye Caulker?

Today the island boasts of many hotels unlike the past when there were few or no accommodation facilities at all. Some of the popular current day hotels are Seaside Cabanas, Barefoot Beach Belize/Seaview Hotel, Trends Beachfront Hotel, Popeyes Beach Resort, Ignacio’s Cabins, Rainbow Hotel, Auxillou Beach Suites, Ocean Pearle Royale Hotel, and Belize Odyssey Resort.

When is the best time to visit Caye Caulker?

Considering the fact that the entire island is not even a mile from east to west and just around 5 miles from north to south, you may visit the island at any point of time during the entire year. However, if you are looking for the perfect weather conditions and the like, it is recommended you visit the island during the months from December to May. These months are part of the dry season on the islands and it will give that extra push to make your diving experience more enjoyable. Besides, it is advised you stay off the island during the months of September to November as there are chances of tropical storms and hurricanes causing destructions as seen in the past.

In conclusion, the island of Caye Caulker is the ideal holiday destination if you are looking for a short holiday of a day. To many a visitor it is like a dream as imagine you can cover the entire island walking in just around 20 minutes. You can also be assured of a safe trip as the island is well developed in the present day and boasts of all the safety facilities unlike the past. So, what are you waiting for, just go ahead and plan a short trip to this marvelous island.