Blogs from Caye Caulker, Belize Barrier Reef, Belize, Central America Caribbean

The view from our two-storey cabin is of Caribbean blue sea and a few moored boats; on the shore are palms and mangrove trees. We've been woken by the great-tailed grackles who roost in these trees and like to sing and quark soon after sunrise. It is hard to be upset by their calls, the morning air is pleasantly cool and we will breakfast on the first floor terrace and take in that view. Getting to the island of Caye Caulker meant a 50 minute high speed ferry ride from Belize City passing many smaller islands. Most are uninhabited sandbars, covered in mangroves which hold the island's soil together – you now need a license to remove mangroves, so essential are they to the islands' existence. A few are privately owned and beautifully manicured – there ... read more

So as the Canadian winter has decided to go on and on and on and on with no sign of Spring other than the date on the calendar it was high time we got out of the chilly climes for a week, and so it was back to Belize...debated hard on whether to return to Placencia (as we loved it there) or to try somewhere new, and at the 11th hour we decided on something new: Caye Caulker! Just a week getaway to relax, get some sun, catch up on some reading and more importantly to get back to the Belikin beer and burritos, giddy up! It's a bit of a hike for one week but well worth it; again as in Placencia there were no big resorts, very laid back atmosphere, great food and the ... read more

No, he hasn’t lost me yet (Cj writes) ... We crossed from Guatemala to Belize by land, and very soon found ourselves at another Mayan site - much smaller than Tikal and somehow more manageable, with a better sense of the community that lived there. Our guides delighted in regaling us with tales of how the Mayans ritually pierced their flesh - self mortification - in order to worship their many gods. Women used sting ray spines to pierce their tongues repeatedly, men used the spines to pierce - well, let’s say that the men in the group went very pale. Then it was off to Caye Caulker, an exhilarating one hour speedboat ride out of Belize City. Came Caulker is an absolutely charming little Caribbean no cars to speak of, so everyone walks, bikes or ... read more

Sunday, 9 April 10am - I had not pre-booked the water taxi as all the blogs said you could just rock up. At first the booking agent said they only had 2 seats but she called the captain and he said he had 4 seats. So we made a reservation and was told to go to the bus station to collect the tickets. We then drove around town trying to find the mystical bus station, only to discover it had completely shut down, as in, no longer in use. So back we went to our hotel, called the water taxi people and they told us to pay online via paypal. We then sorted secure parking for our rental car for 3 days. Subway for lunch. 2pm – we arrive early to check in for our 3.30pm ... read more

Well, after a week down here memories of the coolish North are fast fading into the distant sea reef surf. Today, it's even a bit a breezy here -- the Belizeans are into their winter clothes -- while us northeners are swaying in a hammocks under (seaside) coconut palms in barefoot shorts. This is Caye Caulker, two islands 45 mins out from Belize City by water taxi, close to the Belizean reef. It's very laid back, just golf carts and bikes, coral sand roads and paths, friendly tourists and helpful Belizeans. No franchise businesses. Lots of tourists with a youthful int'l, energy and vibe -- diving, snorkeling, wind surfing, reggae beach and sports bars, and lots of budget accommodation. I'm staying at the Tropical Oasis Hostel, 6 cabanas and 2 dorms, run by a friendly Belizean/Norwegian ... read more