13 Chill Things To Do In Caye Caulker Belize [2024]

Updated Mar 28, 2024 • 6 min read

About Author

Everything written on this blog is based on first-hand experience or knowledge as a local living in Belize. No fluff, just honest information.

Caye Caulker is perfect for those looking for a laid back vacation. Besides the famous Split, it offers easy access to the reef and chill activities on the island.

To be honest, there's only so much you can do on a tiny island. So I'll do my best to squeeze in as much local tips and helpful information.

Since most travelers that visit the island are looking to take it slow or are on a budget, this post will include a healthy balance of free & paid activities.

Let's dive in.

1. Estuary At Caye Caulker

Did you ever think of visiting crocodiles on a beautiful island in the Caribbean? There's an estuary in Caye Caulker that includes a unique nature trail in the northern part of the island.

While I wasn't able to do this tour because of covid, my friends were able to recommend this tour company. It is a long tour that involves a lot of walking but you're rewarded with possibly the most interesting thing to do on the island.

2. Cruise The Caye On A Bike

Should you rent a bike or not? I think you should. Riding on a caye where there are mostly golf carts, is a special experience.

Add the cool sea breeze, and you can get lost in complete freedom and relaxation. Squeeze in a beer after sundown and you'll be riding in the clouds.

Bikes can be rented at any Chinese store, but I recommend supporting local vendors. West Coast Tours was quick and accommodating. Try them out if you'd like. The icon beach cruiser bikes even have a front basket for snacks or beer.

3. Kayak Around The Island

Caye Caulker is literally just 5 miles (8km) long by 1 mile (1.6km) wide. Kayaking around the entire caye will be a fun adventure especially if you're a beginner.

If you're not a fan of kayaking, you can try paddleboarding.

4. Visit The North Side

The north side of the caye is undergoing development at the moment, so it's somewhat of the wild side of Caye Caulker. You can also take your bike using the local ferry.

While you're exploring the north side, look out for the famous Pineapple Dome Home - strange but cool looking structure. It reminded me of Sponge Bob's house in Bikini Bottom.

How to get across the split

There are two ways to get across the Caye Caulker Split:

1. Go by canoe - there are some Rasta looking men that own canoes, and they charge you $2.50 USD ($5.00 BZD) to get across. You can find them at the split. Don't let them scam you please. One of the guys tried scamming me and I immediately told him not to do that to locals nor foreigners.

2. Take a free boat ride - a resort called North Side Beach Club (Previously Koko King) has a free ferry service for those that buy something at their bar. It's a short 2-minute boat ride and they move as soon as they have enough people on the boat.

The dirty side of travel

To be 100% transparent, I enjoyed the adventure of getting to the north side of the caye and exploring it, but there's not much on this side at the time. There's a handful of interesting locals living there along with a couple of small resorts and hotels.

The real reason I personally didn't enjoy the north side of the caye was because of all the garbage washed up at the shoreline. I took a picture to show you the reality of the garbage situation we're facing.

Other blogs don't show you the dirty side of travel sadly.

Remember throwing garbage out doesn't mean it poofs into thin air. It's stays on the planet and eventually comes back full circle straight to our doorstep.

5. Snorkel At The Reef

I've snorkeled at the reef a couple of times now, and I never really appreciated marine life until I had a guide explain to me how everything in the sea is a living breathing rainforest. I guarantee this will be one of your trip highlights.

If you can, choose a tour company that practices responsible tourism meaning they don't feed wildlife or carry single use plastic out to the ocean. I recommend walking on the main street and shopping around a bit before deciding.

6. Swim At The Split

Unfortunately there are not a lot of beaches on the island. But there is The Split — a division said to have been created by a hurricane. But guess what? That's a lie.

It was actually a man-made drench created to provide passage for canoes which grew through natural erosion. Not quite as exciting as a hurricane splitting a caye in half right?

7. Go Manatee Spotting

Belize has one of the largest concentrations of manatees in the world. If you would like to swim with these gentle giants, I suggest taking a trip to Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary. You can go by the main street and inquire with tour companies about Manatee Watch Tours.

And, remember to do so responsibly and not touch them, feed them or put them in any danger. Be patient and enjoy the magical encounter.

8. Explore The Entire Caye

Caye Caulker is so tiny. It's literally four streets with water surrounding it. But if you walk all the streets, you get to meet locals, look at unique wooden houses, mangroves, and even some birds.

9. Go On A Sailboat Trip

Described by many as the trip of a lifetime, going on a three-day sailing adventure hopping from island to island can be a magical experience. If three days is too much, you can opt for a same-day sunset tour.

The multi-day tours is designed as an island hopping adventure visiting tiny islands like Rendezvous Caye, Tobacco Caye, Goffs Caye and South Water Caye.

10. Watch Island Sunsets

One of the magical things about cayes is that it's the only place in Belize where you can watch the most perfectly undisturbed sunset ever. The cayes are special because there are no buildings or mountains to get in the way of the sunset.

11. Try All The Street Food

Street food is unique throughout Belize since it has influences from the bordering countries. It's no different at Caye Caulker. While strolling down the main street, it won't be hard to spot a food vendor.

While there, I tried my favorite treat, Coconut Tart — an open pastry with sweet coconut. I've loved it since I was a kid.

There are a myriad of barbecue vendors on the main street as well and the action doesn't stop at night. More vendors are out to feed the Belikin loving locals and tourists. It's a lifestyle here.

12. Do Island Yoga

Doing sunrise yoga on a dock is next level. If yoga classes are more your style, Namaste Cafe offers classes for $10 USD (Previously by donation). I highly recommend the food at the cafe. It's also an excellent location to do some remote work.

13. Go Scuba Diving

This isn't a local activity nor is it cheap, but I watched my friend go through her scuba diving refresher course in Belize while I snorkeled, and it struck me as a beautiful experience.

The Belize Barrier Reef hosts 65 species of coral and around 500 species of fish. It's like an underwater rainforest.

Quick Recap

10 Chill Things To Do In Caye Caulker Belize