THE CAYE TO MY HEART: WHY YOU’LL FALL IN LOVE WITH CAYE CAULKER

If you read my previous post here, you’ll know that I preferred the island of Caye Caulker in Belize, over the ever-popular Ambergris Caye. The truth is, many tourists find Caye Caulker “boring” once they spend time on Ambergris Caye. For me, that simply wasn’t the case. I immediately wanted to return to Caye Caulker after only a couple hours on Ambergris Caye. As always, it comes down to personal preference, but today I’m sharing why I think you’ll fall in love with Caye Caulker. 

During the trip planning process, I spent hours reading blog posts regarding the differences between Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye. Overall, there were great cases for both sides. I figured I couldn’t really go wrong, and therefore tried to sum up the research into broad terms.

Tourists flock to Ambergris Caye, where Caye Caulker is preferred by backpackers.

This is a terrible way to generalize the islands, but I had to start somewhere.In the end, I decided to book a week on Caye Caulker. Let’s first discuss my travel style, as this factors into my decision quite a bit. I am a bit of a travel conundrum in the sense that I love “touristy” landmarks and destinations, but also prefer the road less traveled.

I’m sure some of you can relate. For example, when I am visiting a country for the first time, I usually want to see what everyone else does. In Italy I had to see the Colosseum in Rome, in Paris picnicking under the Eiffel Tower was a must, biking through the canals in Amsterdam was on my bucket list, and Big Ben is one of my favorite things to gaze at in London.

That being said, I chose to study abroad in New Zealand because I felt everyone went to Australia. I spent nearly a week in Poznan, Poland instead of Warsaw or Krakow because why not? I booked a week on Gili Air in Indonesia, over the famous Gili T. And in this case, I chose Caye Caulker over Ambergris Caye. I still want to visit a destination/region that gets hype {it’s usually for a reason}, but I want a toned down version of it.

With that being said, here are some reasons why you’ll fall in love with Caye Caulker:

It’s a backpackers paradise.

During this trip, I was traveling alone. I stayed in a small hostel with terrible air conditioning {not recommended}, and yet the entire week was a dream. At 27, I tend to avoid party hostels for obvious reasons, but regardless I ended up meeting wonderful people to share my evenings with. The internet is correct in this case {no fake news}, for backpackers Caye Caulker is a win.

You’ll feel like a local in no time. 

There are only a number of bars and restaurants on the island, therefore you get to know the locals, and tend to run into people you met previously. It’s nice because you begin to familiarize yourself with your surroundings very quickly. I eventually became a “local” at a smoothie shop, where they gave me free daily iced coffee shooters, and my own stamp card. Each afternoon I would sit outside under the palm trees, while two adorable puppies kept me company.

It’s nice to be in a foreign place and feel at ease. I felt instant comfort while I arrived to Caye Caulker, which continued throughout the week.

Speaking of locals, they’re incredible on Caye Caulker.

Everyone is extremely friendly on the island, and you’ll learn who the key players are early on. For example, you’ll inevitably walk by the ‘cake lady’ selling her famous cakes {literally she is famous, check her out on Trip Advisor}. I purchased two of them {one banana bread, one pineapple caramel} even though I can’t eat gluten. Regardless, both were divine. You’ll also see the Rastafarian tour guide {of Raggamuffin Tours} chatting up a different girl every night. He’s harmless {from what I can see}, but it’s a great opportunity to people watch.

There was never a threat from the locals on the island, albeit a bit of cat calling every now and then {not unheard of in Central America}. However, I never felt unsafe when I ventured out at night – though I rarely got home later than 10:00 PM.

Mouthwatering food at your fingertips. 

The food in Belize was catered to my taste buds. I could eat it every single day. On Caye Caulker especially, you’re spoiled for choice with such a reasonable price tag. Every morning I would eat a breakfast burrito from Jenny’s for less than $2.00 USD. It was always cooked to perfection right in front of me, and in huge portions. Lunch was usually a smoothie {as mentioned before} from Ice N Beans.

And for dinner, I hopped between two restaurants. I was taken on a date my first night in town, where we each ordered a {full} lobster for $10.00 USD {each} at Enjoy. Romantic, right? And it didn’t even break the bank. After that I returned once more to enjoy the same meal on my own – no man required.

Another favorite of mine was Maggie’s Sunset Kitchen. Although, ironically, it’s not the best place on the island to enjoy the sunset, the food and atmosphere are enough to convince you to stay. I ate here multiple times, including a night out with some new friends. There are long tables near the water, which accommodate large groups. Alternatively, you can eat at one of the tables on the outdoor patio {which I also did when I was solo}. The menu items are pretty standard for Belize which allows you to taste some local dishes.

Get your namaste on at rooftop yoga. 

That’s right, RandOM is a rooftop yoga studio that offers classes during the dry season. The classes are donation based, so you pay what you feel the class deserves. Despite being an anti-yogi, this was something I looked forward to before arriving on Caye Caulker. Unfortunately, I traveled to Belize during the wet season, so the studio was closed. Make sure you check the hours before you pack your yoga mat if this is something that interests you.

There are no cars on the island.

Therefore, do as the locals do. The best way to get around the island is via bicycle. You can rent them for just under $8.00 USD a day, and it makes life so much easier. This aspect of the island truly makes it feel like as thought you are detached from reality. It was pure bliss to hop on my bike each morning and head to the beach. The entire island is only 5 miles long, so getting from one end to the other is relatively easy.

Happy Hour is every hour on Caye Caulker.

It’s rare that I drink much alcohol when I travel alone, however a cocktail or two are necessary while on vacation. When I do drink, it’s always during the day and always at the expense of a charming beach bar. Caye Caulker was no exception. My favorite place to sip Rum Runners {along with most of the island}, was at the Lazy Lizard. Located on The Split {where the two islands of Caye Caulker meet}, this outdoor bar and restaurant offers everything you need to enjoy yourself for an afternoon.

 

Cocktails will run you between $7.50 – 14.00 USD, with beer served at $3.00 USD. I found myself in the middle of a corn hole game {of which I lost}, and the bar offers tables anchored in the ocean. In general, The Split is the best place to swim on Caye Caulker, so you’re getting the best of both worlds.

Caye Caulker hosts the same excursions as Ambergris Caye.

Therefore, if you are worried you’ll be missing out on diving, snorkeling, scenic flights, or anything else you can imagine, you won’t be. Caye Caulker offers the same excursions as Ambergris Caye. In fact, you’ll see tour boats from both islands at the same locations once you embark on your excursion. When I joined a snorkeling excursion with Anda De Wata Tours {highly recommended}, my tour guide provided so much entertainment in the water, other groups began to follow us and feed off of his energy.

A ‘Go Slow’ attitude is always present.

The mantra of the island is ‘Go Slow’. You’ll see this plastered all around Caye Caulker, and it’s not in regards to the speed limit {no cars remember?}. Laid back is too tame of a word to describe the level of slow this island functions at. No one is in a rush, time is subjective, and there is an understanding among all of the locals. You can imagine my anxious ass arriving from New York, completely bewildered as to how react to such a relaxed environment. My brain couldn’t handle it at first {hence the need for a cocktail}, but eventually I embraced the calm atmosphere. If you are looking for a bit {read: heaps} of rest and relaxation, Caye Caulker has you covered.

Just drafting this blog post made me eager to return to my beloved island in Belize. Caye Caulker completely stole my heart, and I believe you’ll feel the same if you visit. Sure, some people might find it ‘boring’, but I am not quite sure what their idea of a tropical paradise is. If you are still having trouble deciding between Ambergris and Caulker, you can read my post comparing the two here.