My brief guide to Belize: Caye Caulker and San Ignacio
Caye Caulker
(Belize uses the Belize dollar as its currency, and it is set at a 2:1 ratio to the US dollar; to keep it simple, all costs mentioned in this blog post are in USD)
My decision to travel to Belize was quite a spontaneous one. I had heard about this small country years ago mainly because it has such an interesting history and is the only Central American country with English as its first language. Belize is a true melting pot of cultures; its ancient history dates back to the extensive Mayan civilisation, whose ruins and artefacts can be seen spread out across the country. Thousands of years later, Spanish explorers arrived and ruled many parts of the Mayan land. However, the British were the first to set up permanent settlements and introduced the African and Caribbean slave trade, which resulted in the development of the Creole language and culture. Many Europeans attempted to settle on this land, however, the British colony, which lasted over a hundred years, has been the most notable in recent history, with Belize still part of the Commonwealth even after its independence in 1981. Belize is also home to a large Garinagu and Mestizo population, a community of German Mennonites from Mexico and Canada and a large Chinese and Taiwanese population who first arrived as labourers but are now part of an investment agreement between the two countries. The amalgamation of all these cultures can be seen and felt in its people, cities, and its food.
As I said, this trip was somewhat spontaneous; one thing I love about traveling in a backpacker style is not having everything planned out beforehand. I knew Guatemala and Mexico were next on my list, but I had a little time to kill and needed to renew my CA-4 visa. I did a quick Google search, compared buses, and found a decently priced flight from San Pedro Sula (Honduras) to Belize City. Sold!
On the 20th of June, I arrived at the airport, cue one of the most surprising days of my trip so far. I was so confused as to why I couldn’t do online check-in the day before, why I couldn’t find the check-in desk easily once I got to the airport, and why the only information on my very flimsy ticket was my name and the boarding time. Then I saw the plane, and it made sense, I and only 7 other passengers bordered a small single-prop airplane. I knew this flight would be worth it (vs. a 16+hr bus journey), but I didn’t think it would be this worth it. We boarded the plane, able to sit anywhere we chose. I sat right behind the pilots and had a double seat all to myself. And I was worried I wasn’t going to get a window seat! The flight took about an hour, and we watched the Honduran mountains transform into the vast blue Caribbean Sea. About 20 minutes into the flight, I saw the beginnings of the vast Belize Barrier Reef, the second largest barrier reef in the world. We stuck close to the mainland, but the views were still awe-inspiring. Even the pilot took out his phone for a few quick snaps. We landed at Belize International Airport (not to be confused with the smaller airport closer to the city center). However, I didn’t plan to spend any time in Belize City. Most people use it as a landing spot to explore the more inland parts of the country or its extensive Caye system. Which is exactly what I did, heading first to Caye Caulker.
The most common way to get from the airport to the ferry or water taxi terminal is by taxi. Apparently, the price for these taxis is set at $30 per person; luckily, I found a shuttle company through Facebook and, very last minute, booked a shuttle for $16. These shuttles are usually shared, but as I was the only one, I got it all to myself. The driver was so friendly and helped me get to the terminal right on time for the 10:30 water taxi. The water taxis are pretty well organized. A return ticket cost me $39, and it took just under an hour to get to the island. Once you get to Caye Caulker, you can easily grab a golf cart taxi to take you to your accommodation, but the island is small, and it’s likely you won’t be staying far. Even with my large suitcase, I decided to walk through the sandy streets and to my hostel, Tropical Oasis.
Caye Caulker, known for being laid-back and backpacker-friendly, is where you are reminded to “go slow.” There are signs all over the island stating this and nearly everyone you pass, will give you a gentle or not-so-gentle reminder. On my first night, I was walking to a shop after dinner, and as I passed a lively bar and restaurant, the friendly host shouted, “Why are you walking so fast, lady? Go slow”. I put my hands up, apologised, and realised I was probably rushing for no reason. I was officially on island time and learning to embrace it. I spent a week on the Caye and loved it. I knew I would, but there’s something about being on a white sand island with some of the bluest water I’d ever seen, walking barefoot to find a spot (or hammock) to read in the sun. I must admit I had a few moments of not really knowing what to do and ended up aimlessly walking around. Usually, some of the best days are spent like this, but it was so hot I often returned to my hostel for some slight respite. The highlight of the week was my snorkeling tour. Snorkeling and scuba diving are some of the main things to do on the Cayes due to the well-preserved reef system. I first did a half-day tour, and while it was incredible, I felt I needed more. We didn’t go to the main spots, and many areas were very ‘tame’ for lack of a better word. So I decided to also do a full-day tour a few days later. This did not disappoint! We set off at 10:30, and at our first stop, we were told to get ready and get in the water as quickly as possible; we jumped in, and, as we looked down, we saw a huge manatee idling at the bottom. We all knew it was manatee season, and to see one was at the top of everyone’s list. We watched the manatee come up for air, moving gently through the water despite its size. On the tour we went to 5 different snorkeling spots in total. The Hol Chan channel was one of my favorites, a deep channel with reefs on either side it’s the perfect place to see rays, sharks and big shoals of fish. I also got to practice some swim-throughs and breath holds; free diving, are you next? Halfway through the tour, we had a delicious locally prepared lunch on the boat, and by 4pm, we were back on the island. One of the best days of my trip so far!
When it was sadly time to leave the slow life behind, I walked back to the water taxi, where my luggage was checked in, and I hopped on board. Once you return to Belize City your luggage is brought out, and everyone stands around the pile of bags. You then have to try and spot your bag and get the attention of the porters who match your ticket number to your bag. It seemed kind of chaotic, but it didn’t take long to get my bag and then I headed to the bus terminal. This was only about a 10-minute walk, but you could also get a taxi for about $5 which would probably be easier. I got to the bus station and waited another 10 minutes for them to start selling tickets to San Ignacio; when the ticket seller arrived, I joined the queue and got a ticket for $5. Then we all waited about 30 minutes for the bus, which was bigger than I expected and unlike the chicken busses found in other parts of Central America; it was also air-conditioned! They put my bag underneath, and I was on. We started picking up more people as we left the city, so the bus was pretty full by the time we left; at this point, I was unsure if it was an express service or not, but I quickly realised it was a regular service as we frequently stopped to let people off and on. Even with the many stops, the journey took about 3 hours and was relatively comfortable. I have heard the express bus only takes around 2 hours, so that is definitely the best option; there is also the option of getting a tourist shuttle which picks you up from the water taxi terminal and will most likely drop you off at your hostel. However, I did hear that this can take the same amount of time and be extremely hot and cramped. All for an extra $20 - $30! Take the local bus instead!
Once I arrived in San Ignacio I had a short (but uphill) walk to my hostel, The Old House Hostel. This had a very homey feel, its perfect if you’re looking for a social spot that’s also pretty relaxed. The hostel also wasn’t full when I was there so there were plenty of places to hang out. There is also a bar located beneath the hostel, however, it only opens every Wednesday and Friday night. So don’t worry about loud music and late nights! This bar is run by Belize Soul Project which developed as a way for locals to display their art and also perform musically on the open-mic-style nights. They have cheap beers, and a few locally flavoured wines that they make in house (although I would say they are more like a cider). I enjoyed the few nights I spent here and I kind of wished the space was open more regularly, it has great potential to be a cosy coffee spot!
I didn’t have much planned for my time in San Ignacio and the town was a lot smaller than I expected. I was quite used to the quaint towns found in Nicaragua, however, Belize has a completely different feel to the rest of Central America so I suppose it would make sense that the cities do too. San Ignacio is a very basic town, with a small downtown area that has a few great food spots (restaurants and street food stalls), and a big market. The market has loads of fresh fruit and veg stalls, but Saturdays are when this market shines. Sellers from nearby villages and farms show off their fresh produce, delicious food and beautiful handmade goods. Unfortunately, my last day here happened to be a Saturday and even though I still got to enjoy the market I wished I had arrived on a Saturday instead as I would have loved to have stocked up on fresh tortillas, Taiwanese pancakes and local cheese for the next few days.
There are quite a few interesting sights and tours you can do from San Ignacio. The most popular being the ATM Cave tour, these tours can be quite expensive but I decided it was worth it and I’m so glad I got to experience it. I booked the tour through my hostel as it was cheaper and had been recommended by some other travellers. At 8 the next morning, three of us were picked up for our ‘private’ tour. This was in no way a private tour, however, with most other groups being around 8 people we definitely felt a bit special, we were also the first tour of the day inside the cave, I think we had speed on our side. Once we arrived at Actun Tunichil Muknal we got set up with our helmets and headlights and left any valuables in the car. To get to the cave you first have to walk along an easy path through the jungle, however, this does include 3 river crossings. Luckily the rainy season was only just beginning and the rivers weren’t flowing heavily. We got to the entrance of the cave and saw the clear blue waters inviting us in. It looked like any Indiana Jones style movie you can think of. We jumped into the cold water and made our way into the darkness. For thousands of years water has created intricate pathways which we followed for nearly 1km into the cave until it opened up into a few huge rooms. The main one, aptly called the Cathedral, was home to many ancient Mayan artefacts, mainly vases and pots which were used in rituals. The cave is believed to have been used as sacred worship space. Evidence of fires can still be seen as well extremely well preserved human skeletons, possibly evidence of human sacrifices. It was so fascinating seeing the leftovers of this ancient practice as well as experiencing such an incredible natural feat.
San Ignacio is also home to Cahal Pech, a small residential area of Mayan ruins. This was only a 10 minute walk away from my hostel and only cost $5 to enter. I arrived at about 9 in the morning and had the entire place to myself. It is much smaller and less impressive than other ruins such as Tikal or Caracol, however, I loved being able to walk around enjoying the quiet and the peace of the buildings and surrounding nature. It only took about an hour to see everything but its definitely worth it to spend some time here.
Other notable things to do in San Ignacio include a visit to the Green Iguana Conservation Project, partaking in the AJAW Chocolate Workshop and other cave and ruin tours. I also loved eating at Ko-Ox Han Nah restaurant, most blogs will recommend this place!
Sadly after my brief Saturday market trip it was time to leave this small, yet culturally mighty country. Luckily I met two girls at the hostel who were also travelling to Guatemala that day so we decided to travel together. From the centre of town, near the bus stop, we were able to get a taxi to take us to the border for $5 each. The drive only took about 20 minutes and we were at the border. This border crossing was the easiest I’ve done, maybe ever! At the first desk we paid our $20 exit tax, went to the next window to get our passports stamped and then we exchanged the last of our money and said goodbye to Belize. All of this took less than 10 minutes!
Next up, Guatemala!
by Victoria Briggs
