Getting to Caye Caulker From Belize City

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 Air

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.

Maya Air

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!

10 Reason To Live On Caye Caulker

Why do we live here on Caye Caulker?

My family and I meet many people here on the island and the conversation starts the same way usually.

Us:  Where are you all from?

Them: Toronto (or some other wonderful place in the world).

Us:  How long are you here for?

Them: One week (or some other very short time).

Us:  Well you should try this, or go there or enjoy that while you're here.

Them: Thanks, where are you from?

Us: We live here on Caye Caulker.

Them:  What?  How?!?!?

We then start a conversation about how we got here and when but really deep down they want to know why we choose to live here.  I got us all together tonight and asked everyone to chime in on a reason to live here on Caye Caulker, in Belize.

1: Small Town Feel!  When I was a kid my family and I knew all of our neighbors and they knew us.  We looked out for each other, rarely with judgment.  As I have grown to adulthood that community desire has really changed and often today a person doesn't even know the name of their neighbors.    For some people that ns a choice but for us, we wanted to live in a place where everyone looked out after each other and here on Caye Caulker that is the norm.

2:  Variety Of People!  I know this sounds contradictive to my first point but here on Caye Caulker it is very true.  We are a tourist location here and that means there is a constant flow of new and exciting people coming to our island.  We have met amazing and friendly people from just about every country on the planet.  Want to meet an Italian, Canadian, German, Australian, Russian and/or Rastafarian? Just walk down Front street!

3:  No McDonalds!  This is my wife's favorite reason.  The food here isn't all good for you but none of it is processed to oblivion.  Eating healthy has never been so easy because of the variety of fresh food that is available here on the island.

4:  No Cars (or very few)!  We don't own a car here on the island.  Many folks own a golf cart but frankly, as many just own bikes (we are part of the later).  If you ride a bike every day to the village and back multiple times you will by default become healthier.  Don't even get me started on the cost savings of having no automobile.

5:  Vitamin D!  It is rare we don't see (and enjoy) the sun.  We do have rain here but it is rare that we have a storm go more than a couple of days.  Truth be told, it usually rains at night and we get to enjoy the sunshine during the day.

6:  Fresh Seafood!  There is a fishing co-op here on the island and a fresh catch comes in every day.  We get to enjoy lobster, conch, snapper and lionfish that were caught the very day.  This also makes the seafood very affordable, but that is for another discussion.

7:  Streets Belong To Pedestrians:  When you stay here for very long you realize that although there are some vehicles on this island the streets primarily are designed for pedestrians and bikes.   In any place in the " States" you hear of people being hurt or killed in auto accidents every day.  Here if two bikes run into each other it is a funny story, not a tragic one.

8:  Artist Concentration:  I know that in almost any place in the world you can find artists in the community, but here on Caye Caulker there is an unfair concentration.  For such a small island I am always amazed at the music.  I can go listen to live music almost every night somewhere on this island.  If you walk down Front Street you will see an artist producing and selling their wares every 50 feet.

9:  Diversity!  My friends here on the island run the ethnic gambit.  Every color and creed you can imagine and on a daily basis I forget to notice that an individual is not the same color as me.  My granddaughter's best friend is Philip.  He is a little Mayan boy who has grown up on the island.  Tonight I asked her to describe Philip and his family and nowhere in the conversation did the color of their skin enter her description.  My granddaughter is growing up color blind, how cool is that?

10:  Random Acts Of Conversation!  The island has an amazing power to let you talk to any stranger.  Sitting at a restaurant or just walking down the street we are often stopped and asked if we are from Kansas City (because we wear our Royals gear in the summer and Chiefs stuff during the winter).   The small vacation setting makes it easy to start that conversation and that tends to lead to amazing friendships.

Bonus Reason:  The Reef!  We live in eyesight of the second largest barrier reef in the world.  It is literally our back yard and we get to enjoy it.  When I snorkel the reef here is is almost a religious experience.  I quickly realize that this earth is special and we must take care of it.

Well, those are some of the reasons we live here and would recommend it to many.  Ever want to talk about it?  Come by our place and we can enjoy a beer, watch a sunset and experience the reasons to live here!

Money, ATM's and Credit Cards.....Oh My!

Every guest that comes to our little island has a question or two about money.

How much cash will I need?

Should I use traveler checks?

Are there ATM machines I can use?

Will most places accept credit cards?

What credit card should I use?

In many ways coming to Belize is like stepping back in time 15 years and money is no different.  The banking system feels very 1970's even to the physical looks when you walk into the lobby and there are three security guards standing around.  

Let's start answering the questions from the bottom.

What credit card should I use?

Visa and Mastercard are accepted throughout Belize and on Caye Caulker.  You will find very few places (I only know of two) that will accept your American Express card.  This is because the local banks only issue the "Big Two".  You can also bring and use your debit cards but be warned that some places (car rental and hotels) will put a security hold on your card and this can put you in a bind on some debit cards.

Will most places accept credit cards?

You will find that most of the restaurants, bars and stores on Front street will accept your credit/debit cards.  Many, however, will charge a fee to it you (3% usually) to take your card.  There are a couple of reasons they charge you this fee.  Banks charge a hefty fee for credit card transactions and even more importantly almost every business in Belize runs two sets of books (a real set and the ones they pay taxes based on).  Let me say that not every cash transaction seems to make it in the "taxes" version, so this fee is to encourage you to pay cash.

Many (half) of the excursion companies on Front street will only accept cash.  I am sure for the same reasons I mentioned above.  If you are going to go on a full day snorkel trip you can assume you will need to pay about $70US per person in cash although many of them will give you time to go to the bank and take the cash out. 

As you move towards the back of the island on to Middle street you will find fewer places will accept credit cards.  Some restaurants (Syd's) will and some businesses like golf cart rental companies will but it gets harder to find a place to use your plastic.  On the bright side, the bank is on Middle street so it is quicker to get cash.

By the time you reach Back street plastic currency is rarely accepted.  Visit the barber or Little Kitchen and you will need to bring cash.

Are there ATM machines I can use?

ATM's are few and far between here on the island.  Each ATM is privately owned and the owner must fill it with cash as needed.   This means that more often than not, the ATMs are empty and not working.  With that being said I have marked them all on our interactive map.

The most reliable ATM are the two at Atlantic Bank.  It is rare to find these units out of money except on an occasional Sunday or holiday.  Be aware that the ATM's will only give out Belize currency.

Should I use traveler checks?

I have never seen traveler checks used on the island.  I would highly recommend you avoid using them.

How much cash will I need?

This is the hardest question to answer because it depends on your spending habits.  You can easily get by on less than $50US per day (not including hotel) but if you eat at some of the more expensive places and/or do a number of excursions that number could go way up.  I would suggest you use a debit card that does not charge you international fee's, but if that is not a choice consider bringing $100US per person per day and then you should be in good shape  

Bonus Questions:

What is the best Credit card and ATM card to use?

Ok, this one is completely based on my experience.  I would use the Chase Saphire Card as a credit card (it has amazing travel benefits) and for my ATM we use Charles Schwab.  There are no international fee's and the ATM here on the island (in the bank) does not charge a fee to get cash through Charles Schwab.

How do I protect my money when I am in Belize?

There is little crime that occurs here on the island, except crime of opportunity.  For that reason we highly suggest you reduce the opportunities that criminals get.  A simple way to do that is to keep cash and credit cards in a concealed pouch.  While you're at it why not get a pouch that is waterproof to keep your stuff dry.  This is our recommendation based on our time here on the island. 

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I hope this answers some of your questions but if you have a question I can help with just ask in the comments below.