Monday, April 16, 2012

Caye Caulker Village Scenes

I rediscovered my photos from our day trip to Caye Caulker, so I'll be editing and posting them for the next week or so.  Caye Caulker's just a 30-minute water taxi ride from Ambergris Caye, and a very laid back location to spend a day exploring up and down the sand streets.  Originally, we planned on renting bikes, but quickly realized it wasn't really necessary since the village area is very small. 

No advance water taxi reservations are necessary.  Just show up at the dock on Ambergris at the last minute, buy a ticket, and board the next boat.  Our timing was perfect.  The next boat to Caye Caulker was loading as we bought the tickets, and the same thing happened on the return trip.  I think that's called dumb luck because we didn't have a schedule or a watch! 

 

 Backpacker arriving on Caye Caulker dock. 



 Loaded Caye Caulker trike.



Shopping mall Caye Caulker style.
 


I'm fairly certain shoppers don't pay less since grocery prices on Ambergris and Caye Caulker are steep in relation to what we pay here in the U.S.  For example, a regular size bag of Lay's potato chips could run $10.95 B.Z.   Local staples are reasonable, but anything imported is expensive!  Looks like Payless is popular with the local kids!



 The flip flop shop.



Typical Belizean clapboard construction.



 Palm trees substitute for street signs.



Dock in need of repair.  Notice the sticks in the water for tying up?  The boat captain on the way to Lamanai told us with the consistency of the mucky sand, locals can plant sticks and they'll stay in the same place for years.   His tour operator had placed sticks as markers in the water to guide tour boats on the way to Belize City.

 

 We didn't try the shrimp sticks, but $5.00 B.Z. translates to $2.50 U.S.



 Local sports bar!



The hammock store.




All day Happy Hour!  What's not to love!



One of many places on Caye Caulker to get quick grub.



 A woman on Ambergris told me that Caye Caulker's cheaper on pricing for snorkeling tours, fishing trips, trips to the mainland, rentals, etc....   I didn't check while we were there, but I do remember reading that in guide books.  Caye Caulker might be a convenient place to stay for a few nights!



Colorful little beach grill!


 


4 comments:

Ann said...

great shots--I was going to ask you if the Belizean dollar was still 2/1 US, but I read a little further & you said it was!

Life's a Beach! said...

Ann, the taxi driver when we were leaving informed us that the person at the bridge toll booth told him they were going to stop accepting payment in U.S. dollars because it had devalued and the rate would be changing. He said that rumor goes around every election year, and so far it's never happened. Haven't read anything since, so I assume it's still 2 to 1!

Anonymous said...

The sticks are actually in the water for a current beach reclamation project. The beach will be extended out that far and then the sticks will be gone :)

Jana said...

I love the little turquoise house!!!