Belize Cayes & Island Getaways

photo by Dawn Wohlfarth

By Christopher Minster

There are several hundred cayes, or small islands, off the coast of Belize.

The largest of these is Ambergris Caye, which is Belize’s premier caye destination. It boasts beautiful beaches, posh resorts, numerous dive shops, restaurants, nightlife and more. The sleepy little fishing town of San Pedro is the main hub and home to a population of just 7,000 with a handful of restaurants and souvenir shops. The island is best known for scuba diving and snorkeling, and there are numerous dive shops to choose from, but it is also possible to enjoy other activities there such as windsurfing, fishing and birdwatching on the island.

Caye Caulker is a smaller island south of Ambergris. A quieter, more tranquil island, it is also less expensive and therefore popular with divers on a budget. Although the permanent population of the island is only about 1,300, there are fifty-seven hotels, with a total of 887 rooms! It offers the same activities as Ambergris Caye: scuba and snorkeling as well as fishing, sailing, manatee-watching tours and birdwatching. Over 100 species of birds have been sighted on Caye Caulker.

Laughing Bird Caye is a small atoll with a deep offshore shelf which makes for outstanding snorkeling and scuba diving. The Caye is named for the laughing gulls, which used to populate the island in great numbers. Their population is dwindling, but conservationists hope with the new reserve they will return.