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Things to See and Do | Shopping & Dining | Accommodations
THINGS TO SEE AND DO
Pirates once used these waters to raid ships in search of treasure. But the real treasure remains the beauty that lies just below the surface.
A tantalizing ribbon of white surf marks the line where sea crashes against barrier reef, visible just a mile offshore. All caye life revolves around this aquamarine water and amazing reef, where diving, snorkeling, swimming, fishing, sailing, kayaking, cruising, and windsurfing top a long list of activities.
Snorkelers get out to the reef, less than 10 minutes from shore, faster than some can put on their fins. Protected by the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve, sponges, corals, and fish can't wait to display their colors.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve and nearby Shark Ray Alley, two sites combined into one trip, delight even the most experienced snorkelers. At Hol Chan (Mayan for
Narrow Channel), visitors get close to yellowtail snapper, grouper, queen triggerfish, moray eels, and diverse corals. Swim with nurse sharks and stingrays at Shark Ray Alley, in water only 6-8 feet deep. Touch the smooth skin of their powerful bodies - an experience not soon forgotten. Horse-eyed jacks, blue tangs, gray snappers, and triggerfish also dwell here. Easy for first-time snorkelers, both sites make a great introduction to the undersea world.
Depending on season, snorkelers can catch glimpses of gentle manatees, especially at Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary, 30 minutes south of Caye Caulker, usually combined with stops at Sergeants and Goff's cayes. Manatees also appear in the clear waters of Coral Gardens from April to September, where snorkelers can see lots of impressive brain, elkhorn, staghorn, and other large corals, plus tarpon, eagle rays, and lobsters.
At the Split, a popular spot for snorkeling, swimming, and socializing, stay clear of the boat channel. Strong currents and traffic can create hazards. In general, do not swim past the ends of piers. For a change of pace, swim the south end of the caye.
Half- and full-day snorkeling tours go for US$25-80, with experienced guides and well-equipped boats from reputable operators Anwar Tours, Chocolate's, Star Tours, and Tsunami Adventures. To snorkel right off the beach, just rent a mask, snorkel, and fins.
Popular scuba diving sites include Cypress Tunnels, 50 to 70 feet deep, part of Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Divers gaze at coral canyons, loggerhead turtles, yellowtail snappers, large groupers, sleek barracuda, nurse sharks, and spotted eagle rays. Pyramid Flats have eagle rays and loggerhead turtles. Other exciting sites include Swash, Rock Beauty, Turtle Canyons, South Channel, and Coral Gardens. At the Split, lobsters and moray eels come in at night to feed. Night divers also see octopus and blooming corals.
Excursions to the eerie Blue Hole, at Lighthouse Reef Atoll - site of deep-water caverns, unique rock formations, prehistoric sharks, and shallow-water sponges, fans, and fish - leave experienced divers with lifelong memories. Shallow wall dives at St. George's Caye also provide big fun.
Newbies could not pick a better place to get expert dive instruction. Choose from several operators, including long-established Belize Diving Services.
Fishermen have schooled around Caye Caulker for generations. With flats, reef, and offshore fish so plentiful, so spirited, and so anxious to impale themselves on hooks, even the greenest angler can catch the limit any time of year. Licensed boat operators run half- or full-day trips for bonefish, permit, tarpon, snapper, billfish, kingfish, and wahoo.
Eastern trade winds delight windsurfers, who enjoy above-average conditions most days. Dreamy overnight and live-aboard sailing excursions by Ragamuffin Tours provide ample opportunity to stop, swim, and snorkel along the way. Kayaking and kite boarding are also popular.
Pink and yellow sea horses hang out in the lagoon, and visitors can even cup them in their hands. Check with tour guides or the front desk.
Bird watchers go all aflutter on Caye Caulker. They can spot more than 190 species of resident and migratory birds, including the rare Caribbean elaenia, rufous-necked woodrail, black catbird, and mangrove warbler. Ideal vantage points include the Caye Caulker Belize Tourism Industry Association Mini Reserve, mangrove and forest areas near the airstrip, and the seaside trail south of the airstrip. Ask about guided birding and ecology tours by Dorothy Beveridge of Tropical Nature.
Popular mainland excursions include tours of the Maya sites Lamanai and Altun Ha, as well as cave tubing adventures. Hopping to Ambergris Caye, Caye Chapel, or St. George's Caye happens by water taxi.
Things to See and Do | Shopping & Dining | Accommodations
SHOPPING AND DINING
More than a dozen shops offer art, gifts, clothes, souvenirs, and T-shirts. Check along Front Street to find original Caribbean art. Stop at Rasta Pasta to score typical Belizean spices to perk up rice and beans, seafood, chicken, and meats, also sold in gift shops labeled Genesis in the Jungle.
Annual fairs tease the palates of both locals and visitors. Lobster Festival celebrates the new season each July. Feast on delicious lobster - stewed, broiled, grilled, baked, barbecued, and ceviche-style - as well as other seafoods. Try lobster ice cream for dessert. Restaurants serve fresh lobster only from June 15 to February 15; fresh conch only from October 1 to June 30.
Sample culinary goodies at the Caye Caulker Cool Art & Food Festival. Belizean artists display their work while chefs vie in various competitions. Patrons get to do the tasting, then vote for best salad, main course, and dessert.
Providing great value, visitors can choose from 25 restaurants, where tasty conch, shrimp, and snapper dishes dominate the menus. Great seaside dining doesn't get any more casual than Rasta Pasta, with a floor of beach sand. Excellent conch, chicken, pasta, and fried fish come with a Caribbean tang and a side of sea breeze. Don't leave the caye before sampling the freshly baked banana bread sold by bicycle vendors on Front and Middle streets.
For more about Caye Caulker, visit www.cayecaulkerbelize.net or www.gocayecaulker.com.
Things to See and Do | Shopping & Dining | Accommodations
ACCOMMODATIONS
Vibrant purple, magenta, orange, and white bougainvillea drape lodgings that include nearly 70 guesthouses, inns, and hotels. Clapboard buildings perched on stilts wear light coats of Caribbean blue, green, pink, and yellow. Storybook charming, Caye Caulker boasts many nice-yet-affordable accommodations, from rooms with shared baths, to cabanas and entire houses. Watersports enthusiasts, honeymooners, middle class families, and student groups are drawn to the idyllic caye.
Along the eastern edge, look for the Anchorage Resort, Seaside Cabanas, Vega Inn, Auxillou Beach Suites, Diane's Beach House, Rainbow Hotel, Sailwinds Beach Suites, and Belize Odyssey Resort. Near the Split, beachfront Caye Caulker Condos operates hotel style. On the west side, guests of Iguana Reef Inn enjoy spectacular sunsets, and the Lazy Iguana B&B offers panoramic views from a roof deck.
Accommodations on Caye Caulker can range from a budget-minded US$20 to a luxurious US$200 per night. Campsites go for US$10 per night per person.
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