Caye Caulker on our own

[Tammylyne]

We will be in Belize from 8 am to 5 pm in April. Is Caye Caulker feasible on our own? I have the water taxi schedule. Is the taxi within safe walking distance? Can we take a taxi to the water taxi?

Thanks for any help

[elklemi]

In November I used Coral Breeze to go to caye caulker for the day, I did not do the snorkel just walked around the Island and the Split, I think it was $42 and easy to do and they were great, very professional, I thought about the water taxi but thought this was a "safer" option in regard to making sure we got back to he ship on time. I believe the taxi leaves from the tender pier so no taxi needed.

[blue_water]

We will be in Belize from 8 am to 5 pm in April. Is Caye Caulker feasible on our own? I have the water taxi schedule. Is the taxi within safe walking distance? Can we take a taxi to the water taxi?

Thanks for any help

 

You just walk out the port gate, take a left and another left and you'll see the water taxi terminal, very easy and close. We took the water taxi, schedule is very regular and we just walked the island and spent time at the Lazy Lizard at the Split. You can also rent a golf cart if you want to see more.

[BrotherCraig]

Personally, the water taxi times never worked out for us. Only gave us a couple of hours. We like to use Coral Breeze Tours for Caye Caulker. Gave us a lot more time on the island. Unless the water taxi times have changes since last year anyways.

[blue_water]

Probably depends on your port times and time of year, we had a nice day there using the water taxi but would check both options. You can also fly back if the schedules work for you.

[BrotherCraig]

We have done the flying thing before as well and that was incredible.

[Darcy03231]

We used the water taxi in October and it was really easy. We had plenty of time as we managed to get on the first tender off the ship and then on the first water taxi to Caye Caulker. We had a great day there and plan to go back for a land based vacation in the near future.

[blue_water]

We did the same thing and really enjoyed our day. We now have a home a few hours north and also plan to spend a weekend on CC.

[InitialD]

Yes, the water taxi leaves very close to the cruise ship dock - practically in the same compound.

 

We did Caye Caulker on our own and loved it. Most people were going snorkeling first, but we just walked the island, had lunch, then a few drinks at the split.

[teesmc]

Be very careful, our travel-mates did Caye Caulker on their own a few years ago and almost missed the boat. Their snorkel tour people didn't get them back in time, so they literally had to hire a private boat for $300-$400 to drive them right up to the cruise ship...RC was not happy, they had already gone thru their cabin and safe and called their emergency contacts.

[Loucat]

We have been to Caye Caulker three times and want to share our experiences so you know your options. The ferry that is mentioned -yes you walk out of the gated port area and turn left. Be prepared for an onslaught of requests for money etc. The trip to the Caye is the easier part. The challenge is the return ferry. If they fill up with Belizians going back to the port, they say no room-sorry. They pick up passengers before they reach the Caye Caulker pier. Take an earlier ferry back or you could be left standing on the Caye Caulker dock with no way back to the ship. We had a booked tour and witnessed three Carnival passengers left right on that dock. I wonder how they returned and felt terrible for them.

We have used Coral Breeze. Reviews on our part are mixed. They have branched out into many more tours including Caye Caulker. These are not regulated by the US Coast Guard so be aware of that. They have too many pax on their boats of various sizes. Our engines cut out twice on trips to Caye Caulker. There we were bobbing around with no land in sight and when I looked at the engine they were trying to fix, it was a jerry rigged affair. I have boated for years and I would not have boarded that craft had I seen this engine. Hopefully, they will invest in new and reliable watercraft. Never heard a single concern about their larger crafts used for snorkeling. Caye Caulker is not as high a volume so you get what you get.

Would I go back? Not until the ferry reliability improves or an alternate reliable and safe agent provides transportation to and from the Caye.

[MomSwag]

Probably depends on your port times and time of year, we had a nice day there using the water taxi but would check both options. You can also fly back if the schedules work for you.

 

 

Do you have more information on this flying option? Is it a small plane? A helicopter? Do you have a name or number? Cost? 😁😁

[geeko1]

Do you have more information on this flying option? Is it a small plane? A helicopter? Do you have a name or number? Cost?

 

At the moment there are no flights to Caye Caulker you would have to fly to ambergris Caye. They both fly Caravans.

[MomSwag]

At the moment there are no flights to Caye Caulker you would have to fly to ambergris Caye. They both fly Caravans.

 

Ambergris Caye was on my radar, too. I hear there's a population of 25 there. Lol.

[JKAMAM]

We wanted to use Coral Breeze to get to Caye Caulker during our cruise in December. When I looked on their website it wouldn't let me book out that far in advance. I think their calendar only goes up to June. Strange, but I did email them so we'll see what they say.

 

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[theplanner2018]

We will be in Belize from 8 am to 5 pm in April. Is Caye Caulker feasible on our own? I have the water taxi schedule. Is the taxi within safe walking distance? Can we take a taxi to the water taxi?

Thanks for any help

 

I think in April the island may be 2 hours earlier than ship time so you may really be there 6M to 3PM island time which means 2 hours are gone before the morning ferries start and then an earlier ferry back. They do not do Daylight saving time there. I could be wrong just shooting off from memory of my planning a couple years ago.

[geeko1]

Belize hasn't done daylight savings time since 1983. They do however use Central Time.

[karena1]

We are still trying to figure out what to do in Belize, nothing gives you much beach time. We are seriously thinking of just staying on the ship that day unless we can find something that gives us at least 3.5-4 hours of beach time, has loungers to rent and umbrellas. Not finding much to go with.

[geeko1]

We are still trying to figure out what to do in Belize, nothing gives you much beach time. We are seriously thinking of just staying on the ship that day unless we can find something that gives us at least 3.5-4 hours of beach time, has loungers to rent and umbrellas. Not finding much to go with.

 

Belize is really about scuba and snorkel and national parks, cave tubing and kayaking rivers and stuff like that so yeah you might want to stay on the ship.

[karena1]

Belize is really about scuba and snorkel and national parks, cave tubing and kayaking rivers and stuff like that so yeah you might want to stay on the ship.

 

 

Yup that is what we figured, we are beach people. It is December, I don't want to be in the water much, just want to lay on a beach and chill.

[mickeyhereicome]

We will be in Belize from 8 am to 5 pm in April. Is Caye Caulker feasible on our own? I have the water taxi schedule. Is the taxi within safe walking distance? Can we take a taxi to the water taxi?

Thanks for any help

 

We will also be making a stop in Belize in April on the Carnival Magic and our port time is 8am-5pm. Not sure if you are on Carnival but they stay on Florida time. I have done a ton of research on this and local time will be 6am-3pm. You might want to double check all your water taxi times to this. We wanted to do the Hol Chan and shark alley tour and were told be the company we will not have enough time because the tour is 5.5 hours and starts at 9am local time. Our last tender is 4:15 ship time so 2:15 local time. We are now looking into booking a private tour so it can start at 8am local. Good luck!

[geeko1]

We will also be making a stop in Belize in April on the Carnival Magic and our port time is 8am-5pm. Not sure if you are on Carnival but they stay on Florida time. I have done a ton of research on this and local time will be 6am-3pm. You might want to double check all your water taxi times to this. We wanted to do the Hol Chan and shark alley tour and were told be the company we will not have enough time because the tour is 5.5 hours and starts at 9am local time. Our last tender is 4:15 ship time so 2:15 local time. We are now looking into booking a private tour so it can start at 8am local. Good luck!

 

Hol Chan and shark ray alley are on the reef at ambergris Caye. You can fly to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye and have more time in the water

[drscooby74]

I think in April the island may be 2 hours earlier than ship time so you may really be there 6M to 3PM island time which means 2 hours are gone before the morning ferries start and then an earlier ferry back. They do not do Daylight saving time there. I could be wrong just shooting off from memory of my planning a couple years ago.

You are correct as I go in May and that will be my ship time vs local time

 

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[beshears]

We, like it was mentioned, plan to be in Belize on the first Tuesday in April. Looking at the schedule, we don't have a lot of time there, but my son was at our home last night, and told me we needed to check out Caye Caulker, you you have mentioned. My son sent me some info, and it looks like for a "return" trip, it cost $28.00. The place we plan to get our ferry/water taxi is called Caye Caulker Belize Express, and is close to the swing bridge. I know the times will be different, but if we are there a couple hours, we will be happy.

 

Someone mentioned about the "locals" getting on the ferry before our stop, so I'm glad I was thinking of leaving early, to make sure we got our ferry back.

[Pssunshinegal]

You are attempting to go to Caye Caulker on the Tuesday after Easter Monday. I think you are making a mistake by taking Ocean Ferry, which is the name of the water taxi that you describe by the swing bridge. You need to be taking San Pedro Express, which is at Brown Sugar water taxi terminal. If you look at the websites, you will see that SP Express has many more times and boats going than Ocean Ferry. The price may be a little difference, but do not let the couple of dollars have you make the wrong choice.

 

The first morning boats going back to Belize City on that Tuesday will be swamped as many will wait to return home after being on the Cayes for the Easter holiday. This may not affect your terribly, but when you get to the water taxi terminal ask them if they expect the boats to be overfilled all day on Tuesday with Belizeans taking an extra day off that week to recover. You may be okay, or you may not want to take the chance since you have a tight schedule to get back to the ship.

 

I hope this is overkill and if you were talking about any day except this particular Tuesday, I would not have bothered to post, but I would hate to have you miss the boat because you didn't know the significance of Easter Monday to Belizeans and the Cayes.

 

Have a great day in Belize.

 

Janice