Caye Caulker, Belize – August 2016 - Work Less and Travel More

Caye Caulker, Beliz

In 2016, I made my way to the beautiful Island of Caye Caulker!

Palm trees and tasty Restaurants on the waters edge.

Caye Caulker, Belize – August 2016

I took the water taxi over from Belize City in August 2016, just a few days after a hurricane had swept the coast. Caye Caulker is a small, sandy island where bikes and golf carts rule the roads, beach bars sit in the sand, and nobody seems to be in a rush. The storm had left its marks, but the island pace was already back.

Caye Caulker waterfront buildings and boardwalk seen from the water on arrival — Arriving at Caye Caulker by boat. Colorful waterfront shops and the boardwalk coming into view.

Caye Caulker beach bar and pier from the water with a Mojo Sport Fishing sign — Looking back at the island from the boat. Beach bars, the pier, and that Mojo Sport Fishing sign on shore.

What the hurricane left behind

You could still see what the storm had done. A boat sat capsized by the pier, a green stall was blown over on a sandy street, and Lazy Lizard at the Split still had roof damage. What stuck with me was how quickly people were moving on — shops open, folks on the pier, and visitors being looked after like it was any other week.

Capsized white boat and pier pilings on Caye Caulker after hurricane damage — A boat that didn’t make it through the hurricane. Pier pilings and a capsized hull still sitting in the water when I arrived.

Sandy Caye Caulker street with an overturned green stall after a hurricane — Hurricane leftovers on a sandy street. An overturned green stall blown over, with the island already getting back to normal around it.

Lazy Lizard at the Split on Caye Caulker with roof damage and people on the pier — Lazy Lizard at the Split, still showing roof damage from the storm. People were already back on the pier like nothing had happened.

Getting around

Cars are rare here. I got around on a cruiser bike and on foot along sandy roads under the palms. Golf carts hummed past, chalkboard signs advertised windsurf specials, and everything moved at walking speed.

Selfie on a cruiser bike under a palm tree while biking around Caye Caulker — Biking around Caye Caulker. Golf carts and bikes beat cars here, and a cruiser under the palms felt about right.

Sandy road under palm trees on Caye Caulker with a windsurf special chalkboard — A sandy road under the palms. No pavement needed — just shade, a windsurf special chalkboard, and island traffic moving at walking speed.

My room

I stayed in a simple room with an orange bedspread and yellow walls. Outside there was a lounge chair by the pool, and from upstairs you could see thatched roofs, palms, and the sea. Nothing fancy — just the kind of place that makes it easy to stay put for a while.

Bedroom on Caye Caulker with an orange bedspread, yellow walls, and a painting above the bed — My room on Caye Caulker. Orange bedspread, yellow walls, and a painting over the bed — simple and exactly what I needed.

View from a lounge chair by the pool at a Caye Caulker guesthouse — Relaxing in my room’s outdoor space. Lounge chair by the pool, and nowhere I needed to be in a hurry.

Pool, thatched roofs, palms, and the sea seen from above on Caye Caulker — View from my room. Pool, thatched roofs, palms, and the sea stretching out beyond — not a bad place to wake up.

Beach bars and sandy cafes

Half the restaurants on Caye Caulker feel like they’re sitting in the sand. Picnic tables under the palms, seafoam-green open-air bars, chalkboard specials, and couples pretending to watch the view while scrolling their phones. I wasn’t complaining.

Beach bar on Caye Caulker looking out over sand, picnic tables, palms, and boats — Looking out from a beach bar toward the sand, picnic tables, palms, and boats. This is the easy side of island life.

Picnic tables under palm trees at a beach cafe on Caye Caulker with chalkboard menus — Picnic tables under the palms at a beach cafe. Chalkboard drink menus and shade that felt like a gift in the afternoon heat.

Open-air seafoam-green beach bar on Caye Caulker with a sand floor and ocean view — An open-air seafoam-green beach bar with a sand floor and a straight shot to the ocean. Hard to beat that view with lunch.

Beach cafe on Caye Caulker with a TODAY'S SPECIAL chalkboard under the palms — Another beach cafe stop, TODAY’S SPECIAL chalkboard and all. On Caye Caulker, half the restaurants feel like they’re sitting in the sand.

Four Adirondack chairs under palm trees facing the lagoon on Caye Caulker — Four Adirondack chairs under the palms, aimed at the lagoon. Stunning views and the kind of quiet that makes you sit longer than you planned.

Couple at a beachside table on Caye Caulker, both on their phones with palms behind them — A couple “enjoying the view” on Caye Caulker. Phones out, palms behind them, island pace in full effect.

Food on the island

Breakfast was eggs, ham, toast, watermelon, and coffee. Later I found ceviche with chips at a local spot — cold, fresh, and perfect after a morning in the sun.

Breakfast plate with eggs, ham, toast, watermelon and coffee on Caye Caulker — Breakfast on the island. Eggs, ham, toast, watermelon, and coffee — a simple start before another hot day.

Bowl of ceviche with chips at a restaurant on Caye Caulker — Ceviche at a local restaurant, with chips on the side. Fresh, cold, and perfect after a morning in the sun.

Out on the water

I took a boat trip to swim with the big fish, watched a silver tarpon cruise the shallows, and spent plenty of time looking back at the island from the water. The San Pedro Belize Express sat at the pier when it was time to think about Belize City again.

On a boat tour off Caye Caulker with the captain at the wheel — Out on a boat trip to swim with the big fish. Captain at the wheel and the reef waiting ahead.

Large silver tarpon swimming in shallow clear water off Caye Caulker — One of the big ones in the shallows. A silver tarpon cruising right off the island.

San Pedro Belize Express water taxi tied up at a wooden pier on Caye Caulker — The San Pedro Belize Express at the pier. Same water taxi run that links Caye Caulker back to Belize City.

Island power

Caye Caulker makes its own electricity. Generators, trailers, and a tower keep the lights on and the cold drinks cold. Not the prettiest corner of the island, but it’s the reason the beach bars stay open after dark.

Generators, trailers, and a tower supplying electric power on Caye Caulker — This is where the power for the island comes from. Generators, trailers, and a tower — not pretty, but it keeps the lights and cold Belikins going.

Heading onward

When it was time to go, I climbed back into the water taxi, green seats and remain-seated signs and all, and pointed toward the next adventure. Caye Caulker had done what it does best: slowed me down.

Inside a water taxi with green seats and remain-seated signs leaving Caye Caulker — Heading to the next adventure. Inside the water taxi, green seats, and the remain-seated signs as we pulled away.

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