Belize & Guatemala

Days 1 to 4: Caye Caulker, Belize

Getting there from Mexico: If coming from Bacalar or Chetumal, the most direct option is a direct water taxi from the Muelle Fiscal (main pier) in Chetumal to Caye Caulker. San Pedro Belize Express is the main operator; tickets cost approximately $80 USD per person one way. The journey takes roughly four to five hours including the immigration stop at San Pedro, where you clear Belizean customs before continuing. Buy tickets online or in person at the Chetumal pier. This is the easiest option if you are already on the Caribbean coast of Mexico and want to avoid backtracking inland.

The cheaper option: catch a shared shuttle or local ADO bus from Chetumal to the Belize City border at Santa Elena/Melchor de Mencos (roughly two to three hours), cross on foot, take a local bus or shared taxi to Belize City (another two to three hours), and then catch the San Pedro Belize Express water taxi from the Marine Terminal at 111 North Front Street to Caye Caulker. The ferry takes 45 minutes and costs around $24 USD. The last departure from Belize City is 5:30 pm; plan your crossing accordingly. If you arrive in Belize City after the last boat, you will need to overnight in the city.

If flying directly into Belize: Philip Goldson International Airport is 16 km north of Belize City. A shared shuttle to the Marine Terminal takes 30 minutes. Belize City itself is not worth more than a transit night; skip straight to the island.

The island: Caye Caulker is 8 km long and in most places only a few streets wide. Three roads run north-south: Front Street along the eastern (sea-facing) side, Middle Street, and Back Street. Everything is on foot or by golf cart; there are no cars. The island's southern section is where all accommodation and restaurants sit. The northern section, across The Split, is quieter and largely residential. The whole walkable area takes 20 minutes end to end.

The Split is the channel that runs through the middle of the island, created by Hurricane Hattie in 1961. The western bank has a bar and swimming dock; the eastern bank is quieter. This is where you swim, watch sunsets and drink cold Belikins. The current through The Split runs fast after heavy rain; check conditions before jumping in.

Reef tours: The Belize Barrier Reef sits literally 300 metres off the eastern shore of Caye Caulker. It is the second largest barrier reef in the world. All snorkelling tours go to multiple sites in the same day: the most common combination is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve (excellent coral gardens and nurse sharks), Shark Ray Alley (where southern stingrays and nurse sharks congregate in shallow water at a feeding site), and often a third site for open-water snorkelling. Half-day tours cost roughly $35 to $45 USD per person; full-day tours $55 to $75 USD. Book directly at tour desks on Front Street rather than online to avoid markup. Stress Less Boat Tours is consistently well-reviewed and run directly by local fishermen rather than large operators.

For scuba: operators including Belize Diving Services and Frenchies are on the island and offer PADI courses. Book on arrival once you have a feel for the weather forecast for the week; Caye Caulker dive operators are flexible and prefer booking a day ahead rather than weeks in advance so you can pick good visibility days.

Evenings: Iguana Bar at the end of the pier south of The Split has rays and small sharks visible in the water below at dusk, fed by the kitchen scraps thrown from the jetty above. Reggae Bar and the Sports Bar are the main late-night spots. Neither is particularly remarkable; the appeal is barefoot, cold-beer, Caribbean-evening simplicity rather than nightlife.

Money: Belize uses the Belize Dollar (BZD), pegged at exactly 2:1 to the US Dollar, which makes mental arithmetic simple. US Dollars are accepted everywhere on the island at the 2:1 rate. ATMs exist on the island but are limited and frequently out of cash; withdraw enough in Belize City or Chetumal before coming. There is reportedly a bank on the island offering free US dollar withdrawals if your card allows it; confirm this on arrival. Cash is essential for market stalls, boat tipping and smaller restaurants.