Caye Caulker 1-day itinerary

Start at The Split — the narrow channel that divides Caye Caulker in two, created by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. The north side has a swimming area with a bar, deck chairs, and a rope swing into turquoise Caribbean water. The current running through The Split brings clean ocean water, making this the best swimming spot on the island. Order a Belikin beer (BZ$5) or a rum punch (BZ$8) from the bar and float in the channel as pelicans dive around you. The island motto is "Go Slow" and this is where you learn what that means.

Book a half-day snorkel tour to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley ($50–70 BZ per person, includes gear and marine park fee). Hol Chan is a cut in the barrier reef where nurse sharks, eagle rays, sea turtles, and schools of tropical fish concentrate in a narrow channel of coral. Shark Ray Alley is a shallow sandbar where nurse sharks and southern stingrays gather in numbers — you float on the surface as they glide beneath you. The Belize Barrier Reef is the second largest in the world and the snorkelling here rivals the Great Barrier Reef.

Watch the sunset from The Split or the west-side docks — the sky turns pink and orange over the water as the fishing boats return. Walk the sandy main street (there are no cars — only golf carts and bicycles) to find dinner. Lobster season runs June to February and Caye Caulker is the best place in Belize to eat it cheaply — grilled whole lobster (BZ$25–35), lobster burritos (BZ$16–24), and lobster ceviche (BZ$15). Street food vendors along the front street serve jerk chicken with rice and beans (BZ$10) year-round.