It’s been 20 years since we last visited Caye Caulker; at the time, we were backpacking on a Central American diving trip. This time we focused on everything there was to do in Caye Caulker outside of studying for our dive master course, and we were so excited to be back here. With a flight from Belize City, we landed on Caye Caulker, which is only a 10-minute flight from the mainland of Belize. When we flew over the turquoise waters dotted with cays and atolls, we were looking forward to visiting places like Shark Ray Alley and trying new things, such as a panoramic flight over the Great Blue Hole. Oh yes, that would be fun!
The best things to do in Caye Caulker
Backpackers have always appreciated the island atmosphere and the low prices of Caye Caulker opposite the neighboring island of Ambergris Caye. This small island is only five miles long and one mile wide, where the roads are made of sand and cars are replaced by golf carts. But you will soon see in this Caye Caulker travel guide that what Caye Caulker lacks in size makes up for it in the adventure.
Stay at El Ben Cabañas on Caye Caulker North
The north side of Caye Caulker is slowly becoming a luxurious escape from the more backpacking atmosphere of Caye Caulker South. We stayed in El Ben Cabañas, on the north side of the island, and we regularly had free water taxis to the town of Caye Caulker throughout the day. Staying here felt like a tropical paradise because we had a luxury private beach hut with air conditioning, a beautiful private veranda and two outdoor pools.
El Ben also had a great Restaurant that is worth a visit, even if you are staying at one of the Caye Caulker hotels on the south side. It is easily accessible by free water taxi or by Split water taxi shuttle, which costs per person. It remains only a five-minute walk from El Ben Cabañas.
1. panoramic flight through the Big Blue Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole is a natural wonder, an underwater chasm off the coast of Belize, near the center of Lighthouse Reef. This remarkable geological formation of about 300 meters (984 feet) in diameter and 124 meters (407 feet) deep is visible from space! (So they say)
The Great Blue Hole is part of the largest reserve system of the Belize Barrier Reef, a UNESCO World Heritage site. The hole was originally a limestone cave system before collapsing to form this spectacular vertical cave. It became famous after being explored in 1971 by Jacques Cousteau, who declared it one of the best diving sites in the world. And Discovery named it one of the 10 best amazing places on earth!
A panoramic flight over the Great Blue Hole was really impressive. The huge dark blue hole, which stretches for 300 meters (984 feet), stands out from the surrounding shallow turquoise of the Caribbean Sea. We booked a private flight on Tropic Air and spent an hour in the air admiring the view of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the neighboring reefs.
It was the most beautiful panoramic flight we have ever made over tropical waters and flew over the Maldives and Exuma Cayes! Our tour started in San Pedro, but flights to Blue Hole can be arranged from Caye Caulker and Belize City with Tropic Air and Maya Island Air.
2. Wanderlust sailing and snorkeling
There is no doubt that tourists love to visit Caye Caulker for its underwater adventures, and one of our favorite things to do in Caye Caulker was to combine a snorkeling and sailing excursion with sailing and snorkeling
The island of Caye Caulker is a gateway to extraordinary marine adventures thanks to the neighboring Hol Chan Marine Reserve on the Belize Barrier Reef. The Belize Barrier Reef is part of the Mesoamerican barrier reef system, the second largest barrier reef in the world after the Australian Great Barrier Reef.
