Caye Caulker - quick trip report

This is my original post, pre-trip to give some idea of what I was looking for.

I just got back from 5 nights on Caye Caulker. I flew Tropic Air (easily booked online) from Belize City for $120 RT; they moved me onto an earlier flight than I'd booked after clearing immigration & customs took no time at all. Very quick and easy flight. Golf cart taxi ride from the airport on Caulker was $5Bze/$3US. The exchange rate was 2:1 and everywhere took US$, no questions asked.

I stayed at Treetops in a room with a shared bath and was unimpressed, frankly. I did want to book ahead of time to avoid all of the hassle of trying to find a place on arrival, but really don't see what all the online and guidebook raves about this place were based on. Everything was very clean, but for $60US, including the extra $5 for AC, I expected a little more. Rooms 1-4 are ground level and while 1-3 are, in fact, sea-facing, there's now a house on the property between Treetops and the ocean. They've built a 5-foot tall fence of corrugated steel along the entire property line, so there's not actually much of a view. The owner, Doris, was never outright rude, but seemed to be bothered to be disturbed during the day for things she clearly offered: internet, refilling water bottles, etc. She did have a lot of recommendations/opinions about restaurants, tours, etc. The best I can say about the place is that overall, it was fine. But I'd stay someplace else if I were to go back.

Snorkeling was fantastic. Doris recommended Carlos Ayala, who goes to Hol Chan and two other sites on a whole-day trip. Definitely the highlight and he'll take photos with a digital camera with underwater housing that he'll burn for you (for an extra payment). We saw sea turtles, rays, a green moray, nurse sharks. Worth every penny - $90Bze for the trip. I also did a half-day snorkeling trip for $40Bze through EZ Boy tours, which actually turned out to be combined with Anwar Tours. Still good, but didn't compare to the trip with Carlos.

Through Tsunami Adventures, I did a day-trip to Lamanai. $190Bze, which included an hour-long drive from the Belize City water taxi dock, an hour-long boat ride up the river to Lamanai, a guided tour, lunch, and the return boat and drive. $35Bze extra for the water taxi. It was a nice day and we saw a ton of birds (only two almost-tame spider monkeys and a handful of sleeping howler monkeys otherwise), but if you've been to Tikal or other larger Mayan sites, Lamanai can't compare.

Amor y Cafe is great for breakfast; good coffee and friendly staff. The ham and cheese roll from the bakery was outstanding. Dinner at Rose's was the best, where for about $20Bze they grill your choice of fresh seafood right out front. Habaneros was good but a pricey splurge; their key lime pie was awesome and I don't even particularly like key lime pie. Agave was ok, as was Tropical Paradise. I heard very good things about Fran's but never ate there. The pizza at Joe Habaneros was pretty bad, but the place was always packed.

I was on my own and always felt safe. No one cat-called or did anything to make me uncomfortable. But I was usually back in my room by 8pm, so the same might not be true later on at night! Overall, it was a great trip.

Thanks for the report! I'll be in Caye Caulker in four days (!!!) so it was great to hear your thoughts. We're staying at Barefoot Beach south of the main town area.

Thanks for all of the info, I'll be traveling there in June!

Ethelred - Treetops is in the same part of town as Barefoot Beach. I did like that it was kind of away from things and quiet, but the longish walk to get to the majority of restaurants, etc. got a little annoying after a while. And the shortcut through the cemetery near Tropical Paradise always made me walk a little faster!

We loooove to walk so I don't think it'll be a big deal for us. :-)

Thanks for taking the time to post about your trip. I hope you make it back someday so you can try out Wish Willy - my general philosophy is anything I miss one trip is just an excuse to go back. ;-)

I agree with your assessment of Tree Tops. Les Sluter gives high props to this place and for that reason alone, my husband and I reserved 3 nights there. Sorry, Les but it was a disappointment and had we actually seen the place when we arrived, we would have WALKED OUT! Read my review on tripadvisor, which aparently, the OP also did and had a very similar experience.

Caye Caulker is great...dusty beach town with tons of character. We loved it...far more than Placencia, which is spendy and, well....boring, I guess.

When in CC, be sure to freshly baked grab coconut pie from the pie/cake lady..this comes from someone who doesn't like sweets!!!!!

If you want a place on the water - then Treetops is not the one. As for Lan - all travel guides and writers have their biases - just as all individuals do - but he's pretty good compared to most IMHO. The more I travel - the more I see how much BS most travel guides are. Once - I went to a bungalow in Mexico that a guide-book (that's initials are LP) said had a swimming pool. When I showed up - there was a plastic kiddie pool in the courtyard half-filled with dirty water. LOL. I've had that type of episode more times than I can count with guidebooks now.

I admire Lan (I ordered one of his Belize First packets back in 1998 or so). But IMHO the Fodor's crowd should rarely go beyond San Pedro.

We stayed at SeaBeeezz for several nights in February: very basic, a little bit ramshackle, faces the beach with a sandy front yard, spotlessly clean, delightful hosts and other guests, good advice when asked for, great little bar. We were the only guests there who hadn't stayed there before, which gives you an idea of the kind of place it is.