Getting to the Cayes

By speedboat 

For Caye Caulker, you can take a speedboat from Belize City. When you arive in BC by bus, you will be hassled by taxi drivers who will tell you it's unsafe to walk there, so we got persuaded to take a taxi, they charge 2 to 3 US$, but you can do it on foot.  

The speedboats leave between 10 and 11 am, but there are other departures as well, and you can now find boats till 5 pm. It's safe to leave your luggage on the boat and have a walk in town. They charge 15 B$.    

By plane 

For Ambergris Caye there are 9 daily flights to Belize City. Another option if you want to go to Mexico is to take the plane to Corozal.  

For Caye Caulker there are 6 daily flights from Belize City.  

I would not take the plane from Belize City to the Cayes, since it's a nice boattrip. Make sure you're protected from the sun, because you won't feel the sunburn untill you get off the boat. If you're heading to Mexico, the flight to Corozal might be a good option since you can win some time. 

Diving & snorkeling   

LP has an excellent guidebook on diving and snorkeling in Belize 

Order the Lonely Planet Diving & snorkeling in Belize for 12.76 US$! (edition 9/98) 

Hotels 

Tom's hotel is probably the best for budget travellers. Rooms are small and can be hot, but the common bathrooms are clean, and they are cheap at 30 B$ a double. They have a small beach in front of the hotel(12/97).  

\Another good place, and quite new is Hotel 1788. It's located right on the Split past Barbara's Guesthouse. The owner is from New Jersey, and he charges 25 B$ for a double with private bath, hot water and cable TV, excluding breakfast. There are about 15 rooms. They accept credit cards, but a handling fee will be charged (12/98).    

What to do 

Snorkelling trips are good. You leave in the morning around 10 am. If you've made an arrangement with a boatsman and he doesn't show up, don't hesitate to jump on another boat. If they don't have enough people together, they simply won't leave anyway.  

You also have to pay an entrance fee for the Marine Park, and you can have lunch at Ambergris Caye. In the afternoon you go snorkelling again before returning.  

You can also simply relax and swim a bit. There's a small beach in the North of the island, or you can swim from one of the peers.  

For Ambergris Caye there's an excellent website full of info at http://www.ambergriscaye.com/default.htm. You'll find hotels, airschedules and much more.  

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