Where to stay at Caye Caulker? This tropical island in Belize is known for its relaxed vibe and ‘go slow’ motto, attracting many travelers to this island. As one of the most popular island destinations in Belize, there is a huge range of hotels on Caye Caulker. Don’t expect luxury resorts or beautiful boutique hotels though, as the relaxed vibe of Caye Caulker mainly attracts backpackers looking for lovely beach hotels and beach cabanas. This blog will help you choose between the great places to stay at this Caribbean island. What are the best places to stay on Caye Caulker? And which hotels on Caye Caulker will give you the best travel experience?
Booking.comHow to get to Caye Caulker in Belize
Caye Caulker is a small island off the coast of Belize in the north of the country. The popular counterpart of Caye Caulker is the island of Ambergris Caye with San Pedro as its main town. The two islands are close to each other and are two of the most popular destinations in Belize.
You can get to Caye Caulker by ferry from two directions: by normal ferry from Belize City or by speed ferry from Mexico. From Belize City, there is a regular ferry to first Caye Caulker and then Ambergris (San Pedro). You can also travel to the island by speed ferry from Mexico – or vice versa. It is a bit more expensive, but it will save you a lot of time. We regretted afterwards that we had not taken this speed ferry when we traveled from Caye Caulker to Mexico, as the regular ferry and then the bus took us an entire day of traveling.
Are you traveling with a big travel budget? Then consider booking a local flight to the island.
Why Caye Caulker is worth a visit
If you want to experience island life in Belize, you will quickly end up at Caye Caulker. The relaxed atmosphere, idyllic sunsets and beautiful marine life attract many tourists to the island. Caye Caulker’s motto is ‘go slow’, creating the perfect place to do absolutely nothing for a few days. Do you still like to do some activities? No worries, there is plenty to do as well.
Read more: best things to do on Caye Caulker.
The most popular activity on Caye Caulker is a snorkeling or diving tour to the Great Belizean Reef or a diving excursion to the bucket list spot among divers, The Great Blue Hole. Other activities on Caye Caulker include renting a golf cart to cruise around the island (there are no cars on the island), enjoying cocktails at happy hour, watching the sun go down every night, spotting seahorses and pelicans at Iguana Reef and seeing where the island was once split in two by a hurricane. In fact, besides snorkeling and diving, travelers don’t do much more than relax at the many beach bars, with Lazy Lizard and Iguana Reef being by far the most popular and best places to spend your day.
By the way, did you notice that we don’t list lounging on the beach among the highlights of Caye Caulker? Although Caye Caulker is a Caribbean island, it actually pretty much has no beach (just like Ambergris by the way). If you are looking for beautiful sandy beaches with swaying palm trees, we recommend visiting (also) the coastal town Hopkins.
Where to stay on Caye Caulker
Though Caye Caulker is only a small island, it is packed with nice restaurants, fine cocktail bars and wonderful hotels. These are concentrated on the southern part of the island – it was split in two by a hurricane in the 1960s – wherever you arrive by ferry. Although Caye Caulker is a Caribbean island, don’t expect luxury resorts, boutique hotels and luxury beach cabanas. Caye Caulker is a more back-to-basic destination and so are the hotels on the island.
#1 Colinda Cabanas for a small-scale accommodation with 14 rooms and cabanas. Colinda Cabanas is located directly on the coast and has a magnificent view of the sea. This hotel is particularly popular because it has a private beach, where you will find lounge chairs, hammocks and sun beds which is very rare on Caye Caulker. Bicycles, kayaks and snorkel gear can also be borrowed free of charge.
#2 Caye Reef Condos for a lovely hotel with an outdoor swimming pool, hot tub, terrace, spacious rooms and a view of the sea. This place to stay only receives high review scores from guests. Almost all rooms have their own kitchen and sitting area, making this accommodation very suitable for families.
#3 Island Magic Beach Resort for a wonderful hotel with the best reviews. The pickup at the ferry, on-site restaurant with outdoor tables with hanging chairs, pool, and spacious rooms make this a top choice for Caye Caulker. The location right on the main street on the island is perfect for exploring everything on the island.
#4 El Ben Cabanas for one of the few resorts on Caye Caulker and one of the rare places to stay on the northern part of the island. Guests stay in beautiful beach cabanas in a tropical waterfront setting. There is an outdoor pool, on-site restaurant and bar. You can borrow kayaks for free to paddle around the island.
#5 Barefoot Caye Caulker for a popular hotel in the heart of the island. The reviews praise the hospitality, the free bicycles, the comfortable rooms and the sea view. The hotel has an outdoor swimming pool, a bar and a terrace.
#6 Weezie’s Ocean Front Hotel and Garden Cottages for a beautiful hotel with an on-site restaurant and not just one, but three outdoor swimming pools. Of all the hotels on Caye Caulker, this is the closest thing to a boutique hotel. You can borrow kayaks and paddleboards for free to explore the waters around the island.
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