Getting from Belize City to Caye Caulker?
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Caye Caulker is a five-mile long island that is approximately 20 miles northeast off the coast of Belize. With clear blue waters and a “go slow” attitude, this island is often sought after by many people as a perfect vacation stop. While beautiful, international flights do not land here and you have to book additional travel arrangements to get to paradise. Many people ask: How do I get there from the airport in Belize? Fear not, there are two great options for you to choose from:
Water taxi
Belize local airlines
Water Taxi
The water taxis are located roughly 20 minutes from the International Airport. Grab a taxi from the airport and have them take you there for roughly $25 US dollars.
The water taxi starts running to Caye Caulker at 8 am and leaves its last time each day at 5:30 pm. Typically they run once every hour (except over lunch break) so there are a lot of options.
Water taxi companies try to packs people in, but don’t worry about a ferry being sold out. The fact is they will always add another boat to the schedule to meet the demand.
There are two companies that currently run daily ferries to Caye Caulker. Ocean Ferry Belize and Belize Express Water Taxi. Although both offer similar accommodations Belize Express Water Taxi is bigger and my personal preference (Express has bigger boats which mean a smoother ride). These two companies operate from different areas of Belize City so make sure to tell the taxi driver your choice or you could end up at the wrong dock.
Although the water taxi is a fun and adventurous method to get to our island, there are some caveats to consider.
If you are someone who gets motion sickness (like my sister) then I would not recommend this travel method. You will be on the water for about 35 minutes and folks with motion sickness can have problems. If you have this issue but still want to travel via this method, I suggest sitting outside on the boat (there is a covered area on every boat) this will give you plenty of fresh air to help.
Leave plenty of time to get to the dock. The last ferry leaves around 5:30 pm, and if your plane does not land till 4:00 or later you run the risk of not making the ferry. If your plane is scheduled to arrive late in the afternoon or is delayed you will need to either spend one night in Belize City or consider flying to the island.
Flying to Caye Caulker
For those who fly into Belize City (after 4:00 pm) or just want to get to the island faster, there are two small airlines that operate what I call “puddle jumpers” to the island.
These are 6 seater planes that take you directly from Belize International Airport to Caye Caulker. The flight is roughly 10 minutes from the time you take off at Belize City and touch down at Caye Caulker Airport.
There are two Airlines you can choose from: Tropic Air and Maya Island Air. Both of these airlines fly out of Belize International Airport about once an hour to Caye Caulker. Although both of these companies puts you on the beach with a rum punch much quicker, they have some differences.
Tropic is the older and larger of the two companies. They have more flights per day and their planes tend to be larger. You will find they are a little more expensive but worth the few extra dollars in my opinion. They are also great at getting you pushed up to an earlier flight if you land early.
Younger and smaller than Tropic this is still a great choice to get you to our island fast. Often, however, I have found their flights stop at Belize City Regional Airport before continuing on to the island.
When should I book my travel?
Most people think that it is best to book all of these accommodations before they leave their home. I am here to tell you that that really isn’t true. We all know that international flights change, so why book your travel to the island before this happens?
Once you land in Belize, you can book your flight right there with Mayan Air or Tropic in the airport. Or you can grab a cab and head to the water taxi of your choice. Both options get you out so many times in one day, you will never have trouble getting to Caye Caulker safely!
What is the cost for all of this?
First, let me say that all of the following prices are in US dollars. I have written about money on Caye Caulker before and if you haven't read that post I suggest it before traveling.
If you are looking for the most cost-efficient way to get to Caye Caulker, then I would definitely take the water taxi.
This would be $15 one-way or $25 round-trip per person (kids 4-10 are $10 one-way and $20 round-trip). Do not forget the $25 taxi fee from the International Airport to the water taxi.
On the flip side, the cost for a plane ticket on one of the small charters would be rough $90 one-way or $160 round-trip per person. You pay more for the convenience and speed of this method.
Time to finish this up!
Once you land in Belize City, you have two options in traveling to Caye Caulker: water or air. You can definitely book either option after you land and still get to the island safely and quickly.
If you are trying to be frugal, then the water taxi is the way to go. If you want to get there sooner and don’t mind paying more, then utilizing one of the two airlines is the way to go.
Either way, enjoy the beautiful views and adventure that the beginning of a trip can bring!