Caye Caulker?

[cmneus]

It's via ADO bus which are quite comfortable, just cold. No chicken buses, LOL! Zero time will be spent in Cancun....I have despise that place! Staying the first night in Playa del Carmen (it's his first trip out of the country so I had to improvise for his comfort level or I would have made a beeline for Chetumal same day we fly in, he has a motion-sickness problem and will be bringing enough Dramamine to kill a few elephants so a plane ride the first day is enough for him to handle). Then after 8 days on Caye Caulker it's a night in Tulum, New Year's Eve and Day at Chichen Itza (NEED to avoid Playa those days!!!!) then back to Playa for some cenote diving before flying home. Didn't have time for the bull shark diving (I would personally skip the ruins and just do all diving, I've been to the Yucatan twice already but alas, we have to please our sig others......).

Anyway...........sorry to hijack MikeRiley's thread....but I will be posting a report on Caye Caulker when we return!!!

Have you ever been to Cancun? I'd crawl on my hands and knees over burning broken glass for 240 miles if that were the only way to get out. A long ride on a Mexican bus? Now that might just be an adventure!

Or maybe really boring if it's just another airconditioned Greyhound like we have here in Los Estados Unidos.

Either way, you're out of Cancun.

Stop off in Playa del Carmen if you can. You'll have a blast. Chichen Itza, Tulum and Coba are very cool ruins, btw.

---------- Post added November 6th, 2014 at 10:47 AM ----------

When will you be in that area?

and Chilly, I would love to see some photos if you have any to share!

any insight on what its like? ive been looking at the website and it seems like a chill, affordable little spot.
close to good sites? any good food/beaches? where exactly is it/hard to get there?

and if im not being too much of a pain... could someone compare Ambergris, Placencia and Caye Caulker??

 

[ScubaSteve_SoCal]

I've done all 3 when I was in Belize in 2012. Caye Caulker is very cool, it's the most "backpacker" of the three sites that you named (though all have that element). It's very easy to get to; fly into Belize City, then hop on a water taxi (which usually stops in San Pedro/Ambergris Caye first) and it will drop you off in Caye Caulker. Maybe 45 minutes from BC - Ambergris and 20-30 from Ambergris to CC. I liked CC as it was very chill and laid back, though there is very little in the way of beaches. It has one of my favorite Caribbean bars called the Lazy Lizard, at the north end of the "split." You can sit on barstools and watch people swimming and the sun set to the west of the island while enjoying a Belikin (Belize's local beer, decently tasty, if you ask for a beer it's what you'll get). I dove with a different shop on Ambergris but Belize Diving Services (BDS) gets great reviews and has an excellent website. The food is good all around but there's no single place I'd recommend.

Ambergris is the tourist center as far as snorkeling and diving go. San Pedro is a bustling "town" with good restaurants and nightlife, and a plethora of dive shops...Ramon's, Island Diver's, and Chuck and Robbie's all come highly recommended by folks. Don't miss the Wednesday evening "chicken drop" at Wahoo's Bar, where you'll get to watch a raffle about where chickens, ahem, relieve themselves on a numbered grid...see it to believe it. The reef is very close to AC, somewhat close to CC - 5-15 minute dive boat trips. It can get a little touristy and crowded, so it all depends on what you're looking for. Regardless of whether you stay on Caye Caulker or Ambergris, check out the other one via water taxi. Easy, quick trip.

Placencia is a bit more of a hassle to get to. You'll have to take a puddle jumper from Belize City, or fight through a nightmare of chicken buses with at least one transfer. I'd shell out for the plane. But it's close to Maya Beach, which is to me one of the best beaches around (saving the resort beaches north of San Pedro). The diving is different but fun; Splash gets good reviews down there. I'd say it's somewhere in between Ambergris and Caye Caulker on the spectrum of "touristy upbeat" to "low-key backpacker."

Also, find a way to do a (long) day trip to ATM. Awesome cave, skeletons, you have to swim to get in. Cool stuff.

Hope this helps!

Steve

 

[drbill]

Worked as a marine biologist/underwater videographer on an eco-cruise ship going from Belize City to Utila back in 2005 for 6 weeks, then spent another week diving with Belize Diving Services on Caye Caulker. Enjoyed my time there (I'm a backpacker/traveler and prefer lower key non-resort style experiences). Can walk anywhere you really need to.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Currently, Lazy Lizard's is closed. Can still swim sunbathe, at least on parts at the Split but no bar.

Chicken Drop at Wahoo's is on Thursdays.

My recommendations with regard to doing the ATM cave is to start you trip inland, San Ignacio and do ATM cave there first before transferring yourself to your chosen diving locale. ATM cave is one of my favorite adventures in the world. Very cool way to spend a day!

You can also fly to either San Pedro or Caye Caulker. My preference. The flight itself can be considered a mini excursion.

I've done all 3 when I was in Belize in 2012. Caye Caulker is very cool, it's the most "backpacker" of the three sites that you named (though all have that element). It's very easy to get to; fly into Belize City, then hop on a water taxi (which usually stops in San Pedro/Ambergris Caye first) and it will drop you off in Caye Caulker. Maybe 45 minutes from BC - Ambergris and 20-30 from Ambergris to CC. I liked CC as it was very chill and laid back, though there is very little in the way of beaches. It has one of my favorite Caribbean bars called the Lazy Lizard, at the north end of the "split." You can sit on barstools and watch people swimming and the sun set to the west of the island while enjoying a Belikin (Belize's local beer, decently tasty, if you ask for a beer it's what you'll get). I dove with a different shop on Ambergris but Belize Diving Services (BDS) gets great reviews and has an excellent website. The food is good all around but there's no single place I'd recommend.

Ambergris is the tourist center as far as snorkeling and diving go. San Pedro is a bustling "town" with good restaurants and nightlife, and a plethora of dive shops...Ramon's, Island Diver's, and Chuck and Robbie's all come highly recommended by folks. Don't miss the Wednesday evening "chicken drop" at Wahoo's Bar, where you'll get to watch a raffle about where chickens, ahem, relieve themselves on a numbered grid...see it to believe it. The reef is very close to AC, somewhat close to CC - 5-15 minute dive boat trips. It can get a little touristy and crowded, so it all depends on what you're looking for. Regardless of whether you stay on Caye Caulker or Ambergris, check out the other one via water taxi. Easy, quick trip.

Placencia is a bit more of a hassle to get to. You'll have to take a puddle jumper from Belize City, or fight through a nightmare of chicken buses with at least one transfer. I'd shell out for the plane. But it's close to Maya Beach, which is to me one of the best beaches around (saving the resort beaches north of San Pedro). The diving is different but fun; Splash gets good reviews down there. I'd say it's somewhere in between Ambergris and Caye Caulker on the spectrum of "touristy upbeat" to "low-key backpacker."

Also, find a way to do a (long) day trip to ATM. Awesome cave, skeletons, you have to swim to get in. Cool stuff.

Hope this helps!

Steve

 

[ScubaSteve_SoCal]

Chilly - thanks for the updates! Sad that Lazy Lizard's is closed, I loved that place.

I'll blame the beer and cigars for confusing Wednesday with Thursday...

Completely agree with starting inland. I took the chicken bus into San Ignacio which was an adventure in and of itself, then transferred out to the cayes.

Steve

 

[chillyinCanada]

In fairness, chicken drop used to be on Wednesdays but new owners changed it a number of years ago. I may be wrong but was sure it was changed earlier than 2012. Day was changed as a neighborly gesture for the church next door that had special service on Wednesday.