Cave Tubing AND Caye Caulker Possible?

[ejmarf]

We are cruising in March on the NCL Sun, and going to be in Belize from 8 to 5. Just wondering if it is possible time-wise to go cave tubing and then to Caye Caulker? Anyone ever do this? Can you use the same company to take you there (ie, cavetubing.com)?

Thanks.

Ei

[dec2007w3boys]

I am certainly not an expert, but I do not think it would be possible. Cave tubing itself is a full day experience. At least an hour ride there and another back. A while to get ready. A 40 minute walk. A 40-50 minute ride down the river and then time to change back... Anyway, we did the cave tubing with Major Tom and loved it. I did hear the beaches were beautiful, so I could see why one would want to do both.

 

And then to get to the Cayes is a long tender trip from the port area and the back again. Just to catch another tender to the ship. If you are just doing the cayes, your ship will tender you right there. Good luck. I am sure someone with more knowledge can provide more details.

[driftwood]

Cave tubing takes place on the Cave Branch River System, not far from Belmopan in the Cayo District, in the foothills of the Maya Mountains. Caye Caulker is a fur piece away to the northeast. Without a helicopter I think it is safe to say that it would be impossible to do both in any single day. And it is likely that you would enjoy neither, as you would not have enough time in your day.

 

Cave tubing was a lot of fun in an incredibly beautiful location [a TWENTY-FIVE minute walk would be more accurate]--seek out Major Tom if you want to go there, as he will keep you safe and tell you a lot; Caye Caulker was something of a "bust" for us, although we only stayed one night there. If your intention is to go snorkeling, go direct to the reef for the whole time: legally you MUST have a licensed guide, as the reef is entirely protected by law: probably any location along its immense length would be fine, it is an excellent reef; if your intent is to see an island, and you can GET to Ambergris Caye, go there. Caye Caulker is a tiny exposed strip which isn't quite so photogenic as Destination Belize 2008 might lead you to believe, and the cuisine isn't so haute as is alleged for Ambergris Caye . . . . :rolleyes:

[dec2007w3boys]

[a TWENTY-FIVE minute walk would be more accurate]--:rolleyes:

 

 

Ah, but not with a four year old. :D And two curious boys 10 & 8...

[lotro]

We went to Caye Caulker and it is definately an all-day trip in itself. You must take a 45 minute speed boat ride there and back. We rented a golf cart for the day and saw the whole island in about 30 minutes, but went to every knook and cranny seeing how the local folks lived. We enjoyed our day! On the trip back, I was scared we were going to be in a major thunderstorm as the sky got almost black and there is no covering over the boat. When we got back to the ship from the tender, we didn't have much time to spare.

 

We've also been tubing in Belize and it was much more enjoyable/safe than the experience in Grenada. BUT it's a LONG walk through the forest and caves with many bats.

[driftwood]

I suppose, dec2007, if one were a nursing mother engaged in nursing, or if one were for some reason confined to a wheelchair, one might take even longer than an hour to negotiate the jungle trek. So, fine! In a helicopter it is less than five minutes! Our tiny group had one eleven-year-old, one twelve-year-old, two young men in I suppose their early twenties, two sixty-four-year-old men and a sixty-two-year-old woman. And the twelve-year-old counted off the last seconds of twenty-five minutes, and, and--THERE WE WERE! :D

 

As to Caye Caulker, well, res ipsa loquitur, covering the island in thirty minutes must have been the slowest golf-cart ride in history . . . .

[ejmarf]

so, we are going to Roatan (planning the zip line and a bit of touring and beach), Belize, Cozumel, and Great Stirrup Caye. Better to do the cave tubing experience or the snorkeling in Belize then compared to the other beaches we'll see? WE do want to get in the best beach experience we can too, but I wonder if the latter two islands will only offer beach time and not much else from what I am seeing, so maybe Belize should be cave tubing?:cool:

[driftwood]

Roatan OK, although snorkeling should be available there and if so would be excellent; Belize cave tubing (can't be done anywhere else in the world); Cozumel Paradise Beach or even maybe Tulum or Muyil or Cobá--not so hot for snorkeling; GS Caye snorkeling. I would think. :rolleyes:

 

[No firsthand experience of Roatan or GS Caye.]

[nolaAlive]

I would say that without a doubt, Roatan has the best shore snorkeling (post Wilma and perhaps before). Never been to GSC.

[ejmarf]

For Cozumel, do you know anything about Mr. Sanchez Beach? I read a thread that said it is better for couples... we are a group of 8 couples cruising to celebrate our 15th through 25th wedding anniversaries- looking for the quieter less crowded scenery.

[driftwood]

. . . honestly, we haven't been to Cozumel for several years now, and several major hurricanes have come and gone . . . . :(

[travgurl]

The trip to Caye Caulker is an all day excursion. It is located about 21 miles away from Belize. You have the option of staying on the island or going out to snorkel at the top of the barrier reef/sting ray area or remaining on the island to explore. It is a small, laid back tropical island. After the snorkeling you return to the island for a lunch you have ordered or venture to another place for lunch. We had ordered our lunch so it was served to us right away. Then we had a little time to walk around the island. We had such a fantastic time, we are repeating this excursion with friends in Feb. You have to decide if you would rather float down the river and explore or go to a tropical island and snorkel.

[lotro]

 

As to Caye Caulker, well, res ipsa loquitur, covering the island in thirty minutes must have been the slowest golf-cart ride in history . . . .

 

...I didn't say we had our petal to the metal every second and we weren't going at top speeds. We would stop to take pictures, look out at the ocean, look at the posted menus, look in at the bars, there was a event being held for a visiting dignitary that day and people were in costumes/dancing that we watched, we found a trail area we went through, went into an area of housing (shacks really) with no electricity and people were cooking outside, checked out some huge stacks of lobster traps. We were here about 5 hours and I would say we were never bored. We did have to circle the island multiple times, but kept managing to see different things...ran into some parasailers and watched them. Guess we're just more easily amused than you...but we're not used to the Caribbean lifestyle/weather coming from frigid IL!

[ejmarf]

Thank you again everyone. And Driftwood, you mentioned Ambergris Caye as a possible better option than Caye Caulker. Is it easily accessible by a tender from the port? Do you need a tour guide for the day, especially if planning to snorkel? Can you recommend someone?

[driftwood]

If your cruiseline doesn't offer it, pick a snorkeling excursion closer in--Goff's Caye or something.

 

Almost every Caribbean Island has SOME charms. Caye Caulker hasn't much to brag about in beaches, however, and that is the FIRST thing my wife is looking for. The snorkeling--with Tsunami Adventures--was excellent, with an excellent guide, René, who however gave us a real swimming workout at two of the three snorkeling sites (the third was the walk around with the stingrays until both of you are tired out segment). But there I was able to take a number of underwater photographs of a beautiful blue cowfish which came swimming around. So I have no complaints, and no breath left to complain with, either! :D

 

I forgot to answer--it is ILLEGAL to snorkel or dive the reef without a licensed tour guide--and probably quite dangerous, also. And his gas costs him over $5 US per gallon, so TIPS ARE WELCOME! But as usual, they work themselves to death for you, so you probably won't grudge him one!