Blue Hole Belize

How we got there –  Blue Hole Belize – Caye Caulker

To reach the Blue Hole Belize – and the beautiful island of Caye Caulker, one of the must-see destinations in Central America, we came from Guatemala, from Tikal to be precise. 

 

after many hours of road and various stops, around 11.30 we passed the very bustling border between Guatemala and Belize. This is because this stop in Belize that we want to share with you here was part of a much long journey all the way through the thin strip that joins North and South America.
At the border we found the usual hassles: step down from the bus, take your backpacks, queue for exit visa, queue for entry visa, fill out forms and forms and yet more forms. Once crossed the border, with a bit of patience and effort and after another bus ride on a broken road, we get to Belize City. It is now 1 Pm. After hours of buses and dusty, rough roads, you suddenly get to change scenery and find yourself whizzing, in disbelief, on motorboats and boats sailing on a sea between blue and turquoise that seems like a dream. Here is Caye Caulker and it’s magnificent Blue Hole ahead of us!!
Blue Hole Belize
U

INFO

FROM/TO CAR/BUS

  • Tikal – Belize City, 8 h (153.04 km)

  • Belize City – Caye Caulker, 45′ min

  • Belize City – San Pedro, 1 h 30′

Historical/Geographical Facts

The island of Caye Caulker has been uninhabited for hundreds of years, beginning to populate only after the Caste War of Yucatan dated 1847. Following this “war of ethnic groups”, many people of mixed Maya / Spanish origin began to flee to massacres taking place on the Yucatan peninsula.

The territory of Caye Caulker was granted by Queen Victoria to a Luciano Reyes around 1870 and the island was sold in lots to about 6/7 families from which today the inhabitants of the island descend. In addition to tourism, which is constantly growing but not so big due to the objective small size of the island, the main economic resource of the place remains fishing.

Caye Caulker Blue Hole
Caye Caulker Beach Blue Hole
Caye Caulker BLue Hole

Where it is & how to get there

Caye Caulker is a small coral island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea. It is about 8 km long and 2 wide wide and can easily be crossed on foot.

The Blue Hole is right in front of the island, a one hour ride on a speedboat

From Guatemala to Belize – by land – it takes about 8 hours. The buses usually stop at the port in Belize City from which you can catch a water taxi from various companies that go back and forth to the island. The crossing from the coast to the island is not very long, about 1 hour of navigation to Caye Caulker, La Isla Carinosa, 1 hour and 30 to San Pedro, La Isla Bonita!

Guajira Peninsula

Caye Caulker Blue Hole
U

Places not to be missed

    • Caye Caulker Village

    • Snorkelling spots around island

    • The Great Blue Hole Belize

Caye Caulker Blue Hole

Things to See

The island of Caye Caulker is a magical place that offers, even in its minuscule size, many things to see and experience. And above all, its laid back attitude and its slow passing time.

On the coral-sand island there are no paved roads or cars. You can move on foot, by bike or with electric machines – golf cart – that can be rented without problems.

Caye Caulker Blue Hole
Despite the sea surrounding the island is certainly its main attraction, Caye Caulker it is not only a bunch tourist facilities but has a real village, alive and thriving that it is a pleasure to walk through to get to know the daily life of the place.

Boat trips are numerous and around the island there are countless spots to practice snorkelling that offers a wealth of unique fauna and sea bed: we are in the middle of Belize’s Coral Reef! It is one of the best and biggest in the world.

If you are lucky as we have been, you might meet in addition to the corals and the thousands of multi colored fishes, even the shy and incredibly sweet and beatiful manatees!

When in Caye Caulker one of the main attractions is the chance of making an tour to the unique and incredible Blue Hole. At 800 meters wide and 80 meters deep, The Giant Blue Hole – “Great Blue Vortex” – is an incredible sea hole perfectly circular and it is considered to be one of the ten best dive site in the world! The experience is incredible even if you do not practice sub. It is in fact possible to reach it and snorkel around its coral perimeter, making it one of the most incredible experiences that the sea can give away!

Where to sleep and eat

The small island of Caye Caulker lives on fishing but tourism is getting more and more important.

The facilities for sleeping and eating have sprawled everywhere in recent years but, thankfully we say, the small size and the island’s sandy bottom, have not allowed the uncontrolled construction of hotels with horrendous environmental impact.

There are many small / medium structures – mainly made of wood – around the entire perimeter of the island and also on the center, which offer simple and comfy rooms.

The same goes for eating: no great restaurants but a string of small eateries and bars where, of course, the fish dishes are DELICIOUS!

Caye Caulker Blue Hole
Caye Caulker Blue Hole

Caye Caulker Blue Hole

  • Easy —> Difficult 30% 30%
  • Cheap –> Expensive 50% 50%
  • How crowded is it? 60% 60%

Save it on Pinterest!

Caye Caulker Blue Hole
Caye Caulker Blue Hole