Try It Tuesday is also Travel Tuesday because I am focusing on a destination!

Caye Caulker is a small Caribbean island off the coast of Belize. It is a long narrow island divided by a narrow channel called the Split, where there’s a bar and a sandy beach. To the south is the island’s only settlement, known as Caye Caulker Village. The north of the island is home to dense mangrove forest and diverse birdlife, protected by a forest reserve. The Caye Caulker Marine Reserve has dive sites on the Belize Barrier Reef.

It is accessible by water taxi or plane. We chose the water taxi San Pedro Express and it cost $50BZ ($25USD) for a round trip ticket.

What is there to do in Caye Caulker? Relax, eat, and enjoy life!

Where to stay in Caye Caulker? There are so many options. I recommend Caye Caulker Condos (https://www.cayecaulkercondos.com/) or Sun and Sea Guesthouse (http://www.seaandsunguesthouse.com/).

Tips when traveling to Caye Caulker
✔️Take small bills (vendors accept USD but give change in BZ)
✔️Look down the side streets for food vendors
✔️Ask if the motel/inn has free bikes or kayaks included with your stay
✔️Confirm if the room includes a private bath and air conditioning
✔️For the best room rates, go in the summer months (November-February is their busy season)
✔️Stay near the Split to be close to everything

TOW Top Picks
Breakfast: Jenny’s To Go – the best fry jacks! Try the salbutes too.

Lunch: Enjoy delish grilled lobster or stewed chicken

Dinner: Wish Willy – best lobster and steak! Get there early though. He sells out quickly.

Look out for guys with carts…
Guy with cart proclaiming loudly “Taste Belize!” has good coconut tarts
Guy with cart selling tasty chicken tamales on Tuesdays and Fridays
Guy with cart and yellow umbrella has yummy pineapple cake

This Try It Tuesday, I am focusing on a destination!

Try It Tuesday is also Travel Tuesday!

This month’s focus is on an island off the coast of Cancun called Islas Mujeres (translation: Island of Women). It is very easy to get here and not as expensive as you might think.

We stayed in the Zona Hotelera district in Cancun at the Riu Palace Las Americas. We took the bus for 10.50 pesos (about 60 cents US). Then we paid 146 pesos at the Ultramar station for our roundtrip ferry tickets (about $8US). We also pre-paid for our golf cart 650 pesos (seated 5 people- about $35US).

TIP: In this case, it is good to have already converted Mexican money (pesos) to get the best exchange rate.

The ferry ride is about 20 minutes. We went to the top deck to get some sun during the ride. There was a guy that was singing for tips. I think we would have paid him not to sing. But I digress.

Once we arrived and got off the ferry, we walked to the golf cart rental place. It was about 2 blocks from the port. The rental process was easy. If we had rented a 4 person cart, the price would have been considerably lower.

TIP: If you want to see more than just the downtown area, rent a golf cart. Take some form of ID (I prefer showing driver’s license instead of passport just in case it gets lost) because they keep it until you return the cart.

We went to:

• Turtle farm in Sac Bajo – looking at turtles is always fun for me. There is not much to this place. They charge a minimal amount for admission.

• Punta Sur below the Mayan ruin – This is a great look out point. Also, it is a nice place to take pictures. Other than that, there are vendors selling their goods to tourists. Nothing new in the way of souvenirs.

• Beach – we decided to get massages from a beach vendor. There is only a sheer curtain between you and the public masses on the beach. However, all your private bits are covered and not on display for the world to see. If you are with a group and more than one want a massage, haggle the price to get a good deal.

We did not go to any restaurants or bars while on the island. I did have some friends that did that when they went and the recommend going to one of the local bars (off the beaten path for best prices). Take pesos and make sure you do your mental math so you know how much you are spending. Many places don’t prefer to take credit cards, so cash is better.

Should you go? YES!!! If you want to do something different than staying on the mainland, it is worth a trip. It is a nice, entertaining day trip. I do recommend renting a golf cart for ease of getting around on the island. Plus they offer a little more safety than mopeds.