Time to Chill on Caye Caulker

One of our favorite day trips is traveling to our nearby sister island, Caye Caulker. This quaint little Caye is known for its chill atmosphere, sunny days, lovely beaches, good food, and cold drinks! While living in San Pedro, spending a day on Caye Caulker is like having a mini vacation and, of course, if you are visiting Ambergris Caye, it certainly is a must do afternoon visit.

There are a few ways to get over to Caye Caulker, but we suggest taking the Belize Ocean Ferry, located right in downtown San Pedro. The 20+ min boat ride is a great way to enjoy the scenery, meet some local friends, and the best part, it is an inexpensive way to get to the Caye. They have many different departure times, so find one that works for you and hop aboard. But don’t forget to catch the last boat, otherwise you will be spending night at Caye Caulker, which is not a bad thing.

Once you arrive to Caye Caulker, no matter how you get there it is time to get your “chill” attitude on! Basically, there is one main road on the Caye, the street is a sandy beach road bustling with restaurants, people walking or riding bikes or an occasional golf cart will scoot by. As you slowly stroll down the street taking in all the vendors, we suggest to shop at some of the local street jewelers or artists. If you prefer to do a little store shopping, we highly suggest the Toucan Gift Store, tons of fun tchotchkes.

Our first stop is usually at Brisa’s, where you can grab a swing at the bar or a picnic table on the beach. We love this little gem to start with a cup of coffee or a nummy bloody mary! If we are with a few friends, we will nab a picnic table, get out our dice and enjoy a game of liar’s dice, a fun and competitive way to start our morning.

Our next stop is usually a quick breeze through to Margarita Mikes, as you can guess, they are known for their margaritas, this great little gathering place and is perfect for snapping some memorable photos. Just one drink here will suffice as it is more like US pricing versus local pricing. After our photos are complete, we will make our way down to the Lazy Lizard. First passing by the Caye Caulker sign, another great photo opp for all who visit!

The Lazy Lizard, located at the north end of Caye Caulker, known as the Split. Lazy Lizard is also called “A Sunny Place for Shady People”. This is a must stop while at the Caye. It’s a great place to meet people from all over the world, sip on the famous Lazy Lizard Juice and maybe get your courage up to jump off the high board into the beautiful blue Caribbean waters. The vibe here is chill, the music is loud and the energy is full of fun!

After you have enjoyed some time at the Lizard, we suggest you make our way back down the sandy road to a local food street vendor, where the delicious food is prepared right in front of you on a hot BBQ grill. You can order fresh Lobster, (in season) chicken, or pork ribs served with rice and beans and cole slaw! It will be the best food you will eat and so inexpensive! Our favorite is Chef Kareem’s, but they are all fabulous!

One local flair we do love to eat at is Enjoy, they too have some amazing grilled lobsters, and a full menu to choose from, and it always includes a free rum punch!

Now that your stomachs are full, it is time to chillax! We recommend you head to the “back” side of the Caye and enjoy some quiet time at Iguana Reef. This spot is a hidden gem. The beach is perfect, the cocktails are cold, the service is great, the water is calm and beautiful! You can find some shade or you can enjoy the sun on a lovely beach chair or even grab a hammock in the water. Anyway, you slice it, this is the perfect spot to relax! You can also enjoy the Sea Horse preserve, where you will spot the elegant looking little sea horses, they are spectacular! We love this place and recommend it to all who head to Caye Caulker.

If you have a little more time, we like to finish our day at the “Tree House Bar”, this quaint little place is near the Split, called the Sea Dreams Treehouse. This hidden venue is a relaxing spot to grab a drink at the top of the treehouse and overlook the Split, listen to the music coming from the Lazy Lizard and gaze at the beautiful views of the reef and the lagoon. It makes for a fabulous ending to a grand day on Caye Caulker!

After a long and fun day on our sister Caye, we are tired and with a heavy sigh as it is time to make our way back to our ferry. We like to take the last ferry out, it is right at dusk making for a calm journey back to San Pedro. We know that we will be back.

Chillaxin' on Caye Caulker

Time to Chill on Caye Caulker