Caye Caulker, being only 4 miles long by 1 mile wide at its widest has three primary roads (made of sand) and is always bustling with golf carts and bikes. In fact, the only vehicles allowed on the island are the trash truck, cable company truck, and the truck that puts new sand on the streets to fill “potholes.”
You have to remember that up until about five years ago, this island only had one stop sign. To this date, there are only a couple of stop signs and they are more of a suggestion.
With all of this information I still get asked by people when they vacation here: Do I need to rent a golf cart while visiting?
No worries! I am here to put your mind at ease and answer that question.
Why should I rent a golf cart?
If you are traveling with more than five adults in your family and I can see some benefit of renting a golf cart.
But…..
Only if all of those adults aren’t able to ride a bike.
Why do I NOT need a golf cart?
Most locals on the island travel by bicycle, and I am here to tell you that that is definitely the way to get around. The island itself isn’t big enough to warrant renting a golf cart. From about the furthest place in the south to the “Split” takes less than 10 minutes to reach at a leisurely pace.
All of the bicycles you can rent have a basket on the front for storage. This makes running to the store or taking your snorkel gear to the beach very simple.
Furthermore, renting a bicycle for a week is much more cost efficient than renting a golf cart. Often you will find your rental will offer a bike at no additional charge or you can rent one for a few dollars from any of the local grocery stores on the island.
What if I have problems riding a bike?
Please remember that taxi’s are very inexpensive her on the island. For about $5 you can take a taxi round trip to anywhere on the island. So if you have someone in your group has problems getting around the island still has a simple and inexpensive solution.
What if I have kids?
If you are bringing little ones that can not ride their own bike, no worries there is a solution! You can rent a bike on the island with a child seat on the back.
My sister has brought Lexi and Liam (my 4 year old niece and 2 year old nephew) many times and always rents one with a child's seat. This makes it easier for even a family to get around much more efficiently. It is surprising how well the kids ride along with us and enjoy looking around.
How much is bicycle renting vs. golf cart renting?
Before I go any further, please keep in mind that all prices below are in US dollars. Bicycle renting for 24 hours is currently $7.50 (and you get a discount if you rent for a week).
On the other hand, Golf cart rentals usually rent for $80-$150 US per day and up to $360 on a weekly basis. As you can see, bikes are definitely a much better choice.
But I really need a golf cart....
I completely understand that on vacation, there will definitely be times that you may not want to ride your bike. For example, we vacationed there during the rainy season a couple years ago and there were a couple times that we wanted to be covered for our ride into the village.
Therefore, we decided riding a golf cart would be better. No worries, though! You can ride a taxi for $2.50 per ride. In order to be as expensive as renting a golf cart, you would have to take over 100 rides in a week.
I think that sums it up!
In summary, I think it is definitely in your best interest to rent a bicycle when vacationing on Caye Caulker. All you have to do is walk down Front Street or talk to your host and you can have a bicycle within the hour. If you absolutely have a time that you need a golf cart then I would utilize a taxi that is always driving around the island. After all, saving a couple hundred dollars on transportation around the island means a lot more pina colada's during your trip!