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Published: March 12th 2008
Colors at the Split
Caused by a Hurricane, it now separates the island and is known as the Split.A Vacation from a Vacation
Yes, it does seem strange to take a vacation while being on vacation but after 8 months of living in Mexico we were ready for a change. So we decided we’d head to Belize for a few weeks, to join my sister, Joan, and her husband John on the island of Caye Caulker. They had been visiting the island for the past 5 years and this gave us an opportunity to take a vacation while also getting in some quality time with family. Flying there was funny, in the sense that we had to fly back to the U.S. (Houston) to get to Belize. No easy way around it and very few options. Since we were already in the USA and needed to buy a few things that are difficult to find (or outrageously priced) in Mexico, we decided to spend the night and do some shopping at the Galleria Mall. We went onto the hotel website Hotwire and found a room at the nearby Holiday Inn for $60. It was strange to be back in a mall after all this time. We got our shopping done (luxury sheets for the rental, clothes and shoes)
Sweet Sunsets
Another relaxing day comes to an end. and stopped into a sports bar for a good burger and a large Shiner Bock beer. Ummm Shiner Bock. The next morning we were off to the airport for our morning flight to tropical paradise. Oh wait, we still needed to have breakfast. We found a little retro diner in the airport and oh wait! You have Shiner Bock? And we can have some at 8AM? My breakfast was beer and toast. Wasn’t that a standard breakfast in medieval times somewhere? At this hour, Mike stuck with strong coffee…..
After arriving in Belize City, we hopped on a small plane for our 7 minute flight to the island. You can also take the water taxi, a bumpy 40 minute ride for about $7 U.S. Flying cost is $57 USD one way and much more relaxing. When you enter the country they will give you the stub from your tourist visa. Be sure and keep that in your passport as they will need it when you leave. Some people ahead of us in the immigration line didn’t have theirs and they had to step out and complete more forms then go through the line again.
Caye Caulker is a
Chilling at Sunset
The nightly ritual of enjoying drinks and watching the sunset at the Iguana Reef. very small island with only a few cars and two dozen golf carts. Consisting mostly of tourists, it still manages to retain its laid back, life is easy attitude. We spent many days walking along the sandy roads and just lazing around our bungalow. We stayed at Casa Rosado, a group of 3 bungalows next to the soccer field, and we’re pleasantly surprised to find out that they came with a resident cat. We named him Lenny and between us and other 2 units, he was fed well, given lots of attention and enjoyed a month of the good life. The bungalows are simple, consisting of a queen bed, small fridge, coffee pot, A/C, cable TV and private bath. It seemed that every other night we were treated to a local soccer match, some bigger and louder then others but all of them entertaining. There are quite a few lodging options on the island but we always prefer to stay in apartments or houses. You get a lot more privacy and space. We rented our bungalow from Caye Caulker Rentals for $75/night. The nicest hotel was across the soccer field from us (The Iguana Reef) for over $130/night. One of
Beach on Beach
Wall painting on bar at the split. the best things about the place for Mike was the split unit a/c with the motor on the outside of the building (very quiet) and for me the hammock on the porch (always my favorite place). Everywhere you go the ground is just sand (except on the soccer field). In the morning we would come out and find iguana tracks under our house. Some of them looked pretty big (the tracks not the iguanas).
Food, drink and internet can be found all over the island. The sports bar on Front Street, besides having good sirloin hamburgers, also has free Wi-Fi; if you bring your own laptop. As far as food went, several restaurants stood out; Sobre Las Osas, Rainbow Café, Amor café and the Sand Box all have decent food. If you want something a little fancier, you can try Don Corleon (Italian) or Agave (Belizean). We found the prices to be on the high side and overall quality of the food, just so-so. But we also found a nice (and much cheaper) spot to grab some lunch. Martinez Fast Food, located between the soccer field and Front Street, it has a basic menu of stewed chicken with rice
Stormy Day
Even the stormy, windy days were still peaceful. & beans, a big chicken burrito or chicken sandwich in other words they have chicken, chicken and chicken. We loved the stewed chicken and the chicken burrito. Portions are generous and cost for either is just $3 US. Martinez is open for lunch only and is closed some days. On the days he is closed, you can go over to Chan’s Fast Food near Chan’s Market which makes a great second choice. Speaking of markets, Chan’s and Crystals have most things you should need and Friendship market has anything you could imagine. We had read online a lot of raving about a place called Rasta Pasta. They have recently moved to a new location and (I think) have new owners. We went for dinner and were very disappointed. We had ordered their coconut curry dish which they advertise as a specialty so were surprised when it arrived tasting very bland. We asked the waiter about the food and he told us their kitchen was salt free but we could add the spicy pickled onions/peppers to spice it up. The place was full but no one seemed very happy with their meals. 2 thumbs down on the famous Rasta Pasta.
Scuba Divers
Snorkeling above a group of Scuba Divers. One thing we quickly learned about the restaurants with sand floors is that while looking cool also contain sand flies. Sand flies are a problem, but not a big one; just be sure to spray your legs in the evening before heading out. Belikin beer is the local brew and not a bad one. You can save money by buying a case at the local distributor, located next to the generator plant. They’ll also deliver for free.
Mike gets Certified (not mentally)
While on the island it was the perfect chance for me to get Open Water Certified. Kathy has been scuba diving off and on for the past 20 years and went out several times while we were in Thailand. I realize that I would never know if I liked it unless I tried, and that sooner or later we would be some place really cool for scuba (like the Galapagos Islands) and I’d regret not getting certified. I signed up with Belize Diving Services; a 4 day course with 4 dives. One day of watching videos and trying to stay awake, a day of playing with the equipment in class and then in 15
Nurse Shark
Snorkeling with the sharks; yes, a very cool experience. feet of water, followed by 2 days of real diving. Breathing through the regulator underwater for the first time is a strange feeling, followed by an even stranger feeling of doing it under 60 feet of water. There are so many things going through your mind the first few dives, giving you little time to actually enjoy the experience, but then by dive 4 you stop thinking and start enjoying. I must note that a good friend of ours died last year while scuba diving and yes this did run through my mind on several occasions. We miss you Lotta.
We had planned on scuba diving at the very famous Blue Hole (a collapsed sea cave) together once I had finished the course, but we were getting reports from other divers that the visibility was poor. So, after considering the cost of over $200 US each and the 2 hour boat ride to get there, it didn’t seem worth it.
There's Sharks in them Waters
John and Joan, over the many years of coming to Caye Caulker, had made good friends with Carlos. Carlos runs snorkeling tours and is located next to the Sand Box restaurant.
Chasing the Stingray
Kathy in pursuit of a Stingray. No, she didn't catch up with it... We went out for an all day snorkeling trip at the reef, including Shark Ray Alley. As you can see from the photos, we did see several rays and sharks. Overall visibility was not the best, as compared to Thailand, but still it was a great day on the water and Carlos did a fantastic job as both captain and guide. Carlos does cost more to snorkel with but the sharks and rays seem to know him and play with him like a puppy. One of the drawbacks to the island is the lack of good beaches to swim and snorkel at so for decent snorkeling you need to go on one of the many snorkel boat trips offered around the island. But of course, this is also a good thing as it keeps the tourist population down and the atmosphere less commercial. The closest island, Ambergris Caye is an example of what Caulker would be like if it had good beaches; very crowded and very commercial.
Up the River to Altun Ha
On one of our slow days (weren’t they all?) we took an excursion to see our first Mayan ruins called Altun Ha. An easy day
Altun Ha
Just a short boat ride from the island, it's worth the visit. trip from the island and built around 2,000 years ago, Altun Ha is a nice intro into the ancient Mayan civilization. Our day started with a 30 minute boat ride back to the mainland which brought us to the entrance of the Belize River. We followed the river inland for about 5 miles through heavy mangroves, filled with tree bats, crocs, beautiful orchids and colorful birds. The bats were incredibly hard to see, for they hook them selves on the tree bark for sleeping. They blended in so well with the bark we almost had to either see them in profile or almost shift our eye focus (like on those frustrating posters) to spot them, even from 6 feet away. We docked at a small village where an old school bus was waiting to take us to the ruins. Once we docked we were given a chance to look through the many shacks filled with carved wood for sale and play with the dogs. The road was bumpy and the day was hot, but once at the ruins, all that was forgotten. Most of Altun Ha has been reclaimed by the rain forest (it doesn’t take long), with only the
Mike at Altun Ha
Not far from Belize City, and worth the day trip. main plaza now cleared. The temples were wonderful. The precise mathematics that went into construction are amazing. From the base the temples it doesn’t appear that strenuous to climb but looks are deceiving. The angle at which they rise is very steep. The biggest temple had wooden stairs to climb, what a workout. When you get to the top the view is always beautiful since many of the temples rise above the rainforest canopy and you can see for miles. Also because of the angle of the walls you get the feeling you are standing on a small tower and the walls go straight down. The angle of the stairs is so steep you have to lean out and look down to be able to see the stairs. If you have a bit of acrophobia (fear of heights) this may be a difficult climb for you. Both Joan and I have this but to different degrees. If I know I can’t fall then I’m fearless but Joan... well, let’s say she is very conservative about coming to the edge. I have to give her credit though. Even with her fear of heights she still climbs, she just comes back down
Mojitos at Sunset
This is how each day should end for everyone.... a little slower than the rest of us.
After a few hours of exploring the ruins with our guide, it was back on the bus and back to the boat. We did make a stop at a nearby resort for some lunch and a swim in the pool, giving us all a chance to recharge and cool down.
So to wrap up Caye Caulker; not a lot of excitement (but that’s the draw for the place), a little on the pricey side and food was so-so. But we did have a great time visiting with Joan and John, enjoyed lots of beautiful sunny days, Mike got certified, we snorkeled and we enjoyed many hours of relaxing and reading. After 2 weeks of island life, it was time to head inland for a road trip through Belize and up to the great ruins of Tikal, in Guatemala. We made a 2 day stop in San Ignacio, and that will be our next blog.
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