Belize's Best Cayes For Your Vacation

Belize is home to hundreds of cayes, from tiny islets to larger white-sand destinations. The largest of these is Ambergris Caye, a thriving tourist destination with a bustling village atmosphere. For a more laid-back alternative, Caye Caulker is a backpacker's paradise with a go slow mantra. Tobacco Caye is a budget-friendly option with a small population and proximity to the Belizean coast, making it a great location for spotting marine life. Silk Caye, also known as Queen Cayes, is a photographer's dream with its sandy beaches and coconut trees, and the surrounding waters are teeming with marine life. For divers and snorkelers, the southern cayes of Tobacco Caye, South Water Caye, and Glover's Reef Atoll are ideal, with their protected marine reserves and proximity to the Belize Barrier Reef. St. George's Caye is a peaceful getaway with a rich history, having played a significant role in the defeat of the Spanish in 1798. With so many cayes to choose from, visitors to Belize are spoilt for choice.

Ambergris Caye: the largest Belize caye, with a bustling tourist scene, water sports, and scuba diving

Ambergris Caye is the largest island in Belize, with a bustling tourist scene, water sports, and scuba diving. Stretching 25 miles from north to south, it is the country's most visited spot, attracting travellers with its stunning natural beauty, glowing aqua waters, and abundant marine life.

The island's biggest settlement is San Pedro Town, a bustling hub with a variety of restaurants, bars, hotels, and resorts. San Pedro is the perfect base for exploring the Belize Barrier Reef, the world's second-largest, which runs parallel to the island's eastern coast. The reef offers some of the best snorkelling and scuba diving sites in the world, including the famous Great Blue Hole, a giant sinkhole teeming with marine life.

In addition to its aquatic attractions, Ambergris Caye also offers land-based activities such as bird watching, golf cart rentals, and exploring the ancient Maya history at Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve. The island's northern end is home to Secret Beach, a popular destination known for its calm, crystal-clear waters and unique atmosphere.

With its range of accommodations, amazing restaurants, and lively nightlife, Ambergris Caye has something for everyone, from relaxation to adventure. It is a top choice for travellers seeking a balance between exciting amenities and a tranquil island escape.

Caye Caulker: a laid-back alternative to Ambergris Caye, with a go slow vibe, no cars, and backpacker-friendly accommodation

Caye Caulker is a laid-back alternative to Ambergris Caye, with a 'go slow' vibe, no cars, and backpacker-friendly accommodation. Located just a few miles off the coast of Belize City, Caye Caulker is a popular, budget-friendly destination for travellers seeking an affordable beach vacation. The island is only five miles long, and its small size means that the 'go slow' motto is quickly adopted by its visitors.

The primary mode of transport on the island is by golf cart, bicycle, or on foot. There are no cars on Caye Caulker, which helps to preserve the island's natural beauty and promote a relaxed, pedestrian-friendly atmosphere. The island has a mix of accommodation options, from hostels to boutique hotels and condos, but luxury resorts are limited, making it a backpacker's paradise.

Caye Caulker has a variety of attractions and activities to keep visitors entertained. Watersports are a major draw, with snorkelling, diving, windsurfing, and kitesurfing all on offer. Fishing is also a popular activity, and visitors can have their catch cooked at one of the local restaurants. The island's Split is a popular hangout spot, with shallow waters and a bar serving food and drinks.

The best time to visit Caye Caulker is during the dry season from January to April, which is also the high tourism season. However, this popularity means that things tend to be more expensive during this period. The offseason, from March to May, offers discounts and cheaper hotel prices, but be aware that this is also the wet season, with brief periods of rain expected.

St. George's Caye: a peaceful, historic island with a luxury resort, great for snorkelling and diving

St. George's Caye is a peaceful, historic island just a quick 20-minute trip via water taxi from Belize City. Once home to the largest settlement in Belize, today it features a luxury adults-only resort, the St. George's Caye Resort, and a handful of private residences. The resort offers an intimate private island experience with 12 beautiful thatch cabanas and three private suites in an oceanfront villa. Each room features a comfortable king-size bed, Belizean hardwoods, air conditioning, an en-suite bathroom, and a covered porch with a hammock.

St. George's Caye is great for snorkelling and diving, with world-class sites just moments away. The Caye is also close enough to Belize City to make mainland day trips a breeze. The closest island resort to the mainland, St. George's Caye offers easy access to Belize's most popular attractions, including Altun Ha and the Belize caves.

The St. George's Caye Resort offers a secluded and safe retreat to unwind and "unplug" with no public transportation, roads, cars, or crowds. The resort provides a relaxing and laid-back vacation experience, with friendly and accommodating staff, and a farm-to-table dining experience featuring traditional Belizean, Caribbean, and Latin cuisine, as well as European and American favourites.

Tobacco Caye: a tiny, budget-friendly island within a marine reserve, offering shore diving and snorkelling

Tobacco Caye is a tiny island, just 120 metres (400 ft) long and 60 metres (200 ft) wide, located within the Southwater Caye Marine Reserve in Southern Belize. It is a favourite destination for divers, snorkelers, paddle-boarders, kayakers and backpackers. It is also a great option for those looking for a budget-friendly, remote tropical island on the Belize Barrier Reef.

Tobacco Caye is home to a handful of rustic but comfortable accommodations, offering the private island experience without the price tag. The island is inside the Southwater Caye Marine Reserve, spanning over 100,000 acres of protected marine area. All guests are required to pay a national park fee of $10 BZD / $5 USD per day or $30 BZD / $15 USD for a week.

Tobacco Caye Paradise is the main accommodation option on the island, with six overwater bungalows and a handful of other rooms set back from the water. The overwater bungalows are rainbow-coloured and perched on stilts, with private bathrooms, cold-water showers and verandas with chairs and hammocks. The rooms set back from the water are more budget-friendly and share a bathroom. There is also a two-bedroom family studio with a private bathroom and sea views. Tobacco Caye Paradise offers stand-up paddleboards and kayaks for guests to use, as well as snorkelling gear for rent.

Other accommodation options on Tobacco Caye include Windward Lodge, the largest option on the island, with beachfront cabins and budget rooms in the main building. There is also Reef's End Lodge, located at the southern end of the island, with one overwater bungalow, cabins on the beach and ocean-view rooms. Joe Jo's By The Reef is tucked away on the eastern side of the island, with one overwater bungalow, standalone cabins and more affordable rooms in the lower level of a main building.

There are no restaurants on Tobacco Caye, so each accommodation includes a mandatory meal plan ranging from $40-$50 USD per person per day. There are, however, a couple of local restaurants and bars on the island, including the Sunset Bar at Windward Lodge and the Reef's End Bar and Restaurant at Reef's End Lodge.

In addition to shore diving and snorkelling, other activities on Tobacco Caye include swimming, exploring nearby islands, visiting the Tobacco Caye Marine Station, and getting to know the local stingrays.

South Water Caye: a tropical island in a marine reserve, with rare sandy beaches and 180-degree views of marine life

Belize is home to hundreds of cayes, which are the Belizean equivalent of the Florida Keys. These cayes range from tiny islets with mangroves to larger destinations with secluded cabanas and endless relaxation.

One such caye is South Water Caye, a tranquil island escape that is part of the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, the biggest protected marine park in Belize. This tropical island is located in Southern Belize, just off the coast of Hopkins in Stann Creek, and is known for its rare sandy beaches and abundance of marine life. With only fifteen acres to explore, South Water Caye attracts travellers seeking solace over crowds and relaxation over resort-style luxury. It is the perfect place to disconnect from the outside world and indulge in outdoor adventure activities.

A typical day on the caye might involve snorkelling, diving, kayaking, or fishing in the nearby marine reserve. The island is also a great place to simply relax on the beach, play volleyball, or spend the day in a hammock reading a book and enjoying the natural beauty. For those looking for a more active experience, there is also hiking and nature walks available.

South Water Caye is home to a variety of resorts, including the family-owned Blue Marlin Beach Resort, which offers all-inclusive island comfort with authentic Belizean ambiance. Another option is the Pelican Beach Resort, which makes up three and a half acres of the caye and provides eco-friendly cottages overlooking the Caribbean Sea.

To get to South Water Caye, visitors can take a chartered boat from Dangriga Town, which takes about 40 minutes and is typically included with hotel accommodations.

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