Bannister Island or Caye Caulker ?

[mikel24m]

Hello Everyone I know this question is all over the boards we just cant decide .

 

 

 

We want a nice beach with a beach bar ,maybe grab lunch ,just a relaxing day

 

 

Its my understanding that bannister Island has a nice beach a little bar and people who grill.seems boring and expensive for basic food

 

 

And Caye Caulker is really nice with a bar and also food but has crafters and different things than Bannister ,Our worry is the water taxi threads on here say you have to be careful to get back to the ship in time, that they are unreliable.

 

 

I have read coral breeze tours are good and reliable ,should I go through the ship or through them ,the price really isnt that much of a difference.I guess Im asking which has better service and tour guides and safest.

 

 

Any input is really appreciated

 

 

 

Thanks Mike

[crewsweeper]

I think Caye Caulker has better options for you. If you're careful on the time (understand the difference between time zones and ship's time and last tender time) you can do CC. There are several little places to eat and grab a drink or Belkin. Small gift and local crafts stores as well. Everyone heads up to the Split to swim and snorkel, but you might want to try the south end of the island. Rent a sea kayak.

[mikel24m]

thanks for the advise. this may be a stupid question but is there a beach and swimming on Caye Caulker

[crewsweeper]

thanks for the advise. this may be a stupid question but is there a beach and swimming on Caye Caulker

Yes and yes.

[Cruzinbabe06]

I went on Youtube and looked at both islands. Bannister Island beach is much prettier than Caye Caulker beach.

Try Youtube and take a look.

[World Gallery]

Caye Caulker is more "real", so to speak. It doesn't exist just for tourists. We went in March and rented golf carts and rode through the "neighborhood" (a few streets). There are beaches and my kids enjoyed them (went to the split) then we had lunch. There were locals and tourists there. The down side is the amount of time getting there and back. It really was a lot! You have to tender into tourism village, which is 20 minutes. Then walk to the water taxi, buy tickets, wait for water taxi, then go out again for 45 minutes by boat. Then back 45 minutes and 20 more minutes to tender in. The plus side of the public water taxi (for some, others may not like this experience) is that you are seeing more of the real Belize (it was 50/50 on the water taxi, tourists/locals)

I haven't been to Bannister Island but from what I hear, if you book through the ship, the tender will take you straight to the island but they do take you back to tourism village (to shop they say) so you have to take the tender back. With this tour, you probably won't see any locals.

Next time we will probably try Bannister since we have never been and have done just about everything else in Belize that a cruise passenger can do.

About Caye Caulker - Coral Breeze does a tour there but at the time we went, they didn't take NCL passengers. That is the only other option I found for getting to Caye Caulker.

[crewsweeper]

I went on Youtube and looked at both islands. Bannister Island beach is much prettier than Caye Caulker beach.

 

Try Youtube and take a look.

 

Yes it does look "prettier" but when you consider that all it is is white sand with some tiki huts and a few water toys, you've got a better/cheaper alternative in Cozumel with Paradise Beach, and others and easier getting on and off. Unless you're able to lay out in the sun for extended periods of time, CC offers more options on things to do. On BI, you're basically stuck there until the excursion boats start to bring you back.

[Cruzinbabe06]

This is true. I was also trying to decide between the two. Bannister Island won for me.

My reasons being, I wanted to keep the day simple. I want a nice beach with lounge chairs and a bar for my drinks. If there's live music that's fine, but I have my ipod and a book. I plan on eating a hearty breakfast and going back to the ship for lunch. I think Carnival tour only lasts 4 hrs. if, I'm not mistaken. I like the fact the tender takes us over and will bring me back. Depending on the time, might tender over to do some souvenir shopping.

I didn't want to be in Belize, far away from the ship, depending on other vendor tenders and taxis to get me back to the ship on time. That would probably be on my mind when I'm suppose to be enjoying my beach time and relaxing.

$40.00 is too much for the Bannister Beach Break IMO, but, this is my second time to Belize. Did the Mayan Ruins & River tour last time. We spent 2 hrs driving just to reach the Ruins and 2 hr's back. I've seen enough of Belize.

If the OP has never been to Belize, then maybe he should go to Caye Caulker, like you said, he'll get his beach time and get to see a glimpse of the country.

[mikel24m]

Thanks for all the responses We did decide to do bannister Island .I think all the travel time for caye caulker (and we did look on youtube and it doesnt look really nice)I think Bannister will do it for us .As far as cozumel take a look at Nachi Cocum this time is our second time there and its really great and quiet ,all inclusive drinks and 3 course meal ,hot tub,pool, beach chairs and huts $50 pp

 

Its a steal

 

Mike

[Cruzinbabe06]

We made the same choices. Going to Nachi in Cozumel. This will be my second time also.

Our cruise is in Nov. If your cruise is before then, can you please come back and share your experiences.

 

Thanks in advance

[mikel24m]

We cruise 10/10 I will be sure to keep you posted

 

 

Mike

[Irishlinny]

We really enjoyed Bannister Island last year and are planning to go again in Nov. I am just trying to figure out another way to get there. Last year we went with Coral Breeze on a snorkeling/beach/manatee watch. Won't do that again because the manatee watch is like watching paint dry:rolleyes: And I hate to pay Carnival $40 just to bring us there...but so far that is my only option I've been able to find.:(

But I thought the beach was very nice...hardly anyone there when we went. There were plenty of palm trees for shade, nice restaurant/bar (although we didn't eat there), music, and the magroves nearby make for a pretty view. Stuff for children at the far end of the beach.

[Irishlinny]

Just found an answer to my dilemma! Booked a snorkel/Bannister Island beach break with Ecotours! I love this site!:D

[Cruzinbabe06]

We may be following in that direction. Seems the Bannister Beach Break was cancelled thru Carnival.

Have to get clarification. At least there are alternatives. I wanted to go to a nice beach since we did the Ruins last time in Belize.

[heymonkey89]

I think I'm going to book this for my family through Carnival. We have a 4 year old and can't do much in Belize. $40 a person is steep just for a beach trip but I can't find it cheaper anywhere else.

[Irishlinny]

I think I'm going to book this for my family through Carnival. We have a 4 year old and can't do much in Belize. $40 a person is steep just for a beach trip but I can't find it cheaper anywhere else.

We booked thru ecotoursbelize.com for a snorkeling/Bannister Island beach break. I notice that you can just do the beach break if you want. Price is $35 for adults and $25 for kids. Hope that helps you. I think your son would enjoy it there...not only the beach (which is very calm), but they also have a playground type of thing, if I remember correctly. Very roomy, too...there was hardly anyone there when we went last year:) We loved it there!

[Cruzinbabe06]

I just booked through Eco Tours also.

Carnival is still showing Bannister Beach Break for my upcoming cruise, but why take uncertainty over certainty.

All you guys leaving before me, please come back and post your reviews.

Thanks in advance

[Irishlinny]

I just booked through Eco Tours also.

 

Carnival is still showing Bannister Beach Break for my upcoming cruise, but why take uncertainty over certainty.

 

All you guys leaving before me, please come back and post your reviews.

 

Thanks in advance

I'd post mine, but your cruise is leaving as I'm returning! I did see some reviews of Ecotours which were good, so I felt ok booking them. And I already know we love the beach there!:)

[holdon216]

Went just this past July on the Eco tour snorkel and Bannister Island. The snorkel spot they took us was horrible!!! The water current was very strong and there were NO fish i mean NONE. Not one tour guide from Eco stayed on the boat so you had to try and get back up the side of the boat on your own. We did like Bannister Island but there is not much at all to do there. So if your there for more then a few hours you will more then likely get bored. I am not one to bash a business. But i did lots of research and read all good things about Eco. I for one will never use them again. Also the boats were over packed.

[mamajules]

Just to put my two cents in, October '09 we were in Belize and went to Caye Caulker on our own. We knew the ship's time, looked at the water taxi times, etc. When we tendered in, we walked out the back of the port area, went left and into a little center for the water taxi service. $5 pp round trip. The trip to Caye Caulker took us 35 minutes. We had around 2-3 hours on the island, then met the water taxi to go back. We had a fabulous day. We wandered the street past some vendors, etc, to the split and The Lazy Lizard - doesn't look like much from the outside but we hung out, relaxed in the tidal area, snorkeled in the channel off the split. I've attached a couple pictures from our day. If you do your homework, look at the times for water taxis, etc and DON'T take the last taxi back, you should be fine. We loved the laid-back, non-commercial appeal of the place. In fact, would love to go back and spend some time on the island.

 

 

[elliebird]

caulkers Caye is fine for sightseeing, walking down the street and going to bars, but is not a very good beach for swimming.