Caye Casa Belize

Are you located north or south of town? Near the bridge?

We are located north of the center of San Pedro; but, south of the bridge. It takes about ten minutes to walk along the beach to the center of San Pedro Town where most of the restaurants, shops, tour operators, art galleries and street vendors are located.

How do we get to you? Where is the airport?

There are two ways to get from the International airport on the mainland to San Pedro on Ambergris Caye: fly or take a water taxi. Depending on what time your flight arrives, sometimes it’s best to fly. You’ll need to allow an hour to clear customs and immigration. Flights leave from the international airport to San Pedro every hour and take about 20 minutes. You can make reservations on line or we will be happy to do it for you. Tropic Air and Maya Island Air are the two airlines flying here. The water taxis have irregular schedules; and usually they take an hour and a half to get here. (As of now, they don’t take reservations.) Right now, there are three competing water taxi services. The last one leaves Belize City at 6:00. The schedules change. In addition to the time clearing customs and immigration, you’ll need to allow 45 minutes to get to the pier from the airport. If your plane lands after 3PM, you probably are better off flying. Once here on Ambergris Caye, take a land taxi to us (5 minutes).

What's included in the price? Do you allow children? How about pets?

Included in the fee is transportation to and from the San Pedro airstrip or water taxi pier, daily maid service, ac, wireless, cable, concierge services and a few welcoming drinks. Yes, we allow both children and pets. When inside, pets need to be confined to a cage; children do not. However, we try to discourage both pets and children! Most people are here to escape their families and their other responsibilities. We try to help as much as we can.

How far away are the restaurants? Are they any good?

There are dozens of restaurants within a 10 minute walk along the beach from here. Many offer our version of fine dining – excellent, award winning food, served in a clean, casual style on the beach. In addition, there are street vendors and lots of casual bars which serve appetizer foods – ceviche, burritos, nachos. No guest of ours has ever left the island hungry.

What's the beach like? Can I snorkel there? Can I swim there?

The beach in front of Caye Casa and at the end of our pier is sandy surrounded by sea grass. Swimming is great in the sandy area off the end of the pier. The sea grass is the nursery for fish and lobster and other good creatures, so we try to keep it as undisturbed as possible. You can snorkel there; however, it is not anywhere near as exciting as a 15 minute boat trip to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve on the Belize Barrier Reef where the snorkeling is fantastic. We’d be happy to arrange a trip there for you. You’ll be picked up at the end of our dock. Its fantastic to be able to swim beside the turtles and giant groupers and schools of jacks while trying to remember all the different kinds of corals.

Do you arrange tours to the mainland?

Absolutely. There are a number of wonderful tours which leave from here for day long excursions to Mayan ruins, cave tubing, zip lining, visiting the zoo, birding or horseback riding! We call and you’ll be picked up at our pier. Most include breakfast, lunch and a few beverages. We recommend that you wait until you arrive to book. It’s easy to do.

How about scuba diving? Can you help me with that?

Yes, of course, we’d be happy to help. A half dozen dive operators are located within a few blocks. All of them will come to our dock to pick you up. If you aren’t certified, they offer courses or you can even take a resort course to see if you like scuba. Belize offers some of the best diving in the world. There are literally hundreds of dive sites along the Belize Barrier Reef which is less than a half mile from Caye Casa. Ship wrecks. Canyons. Gorgeous coral. Yesterday, on the way home, some of my guests were entertained by a school of dolphins. Also, don’t forget, Belize is home to the Blue Hole (made famous by Jacques Cousteau) which is sort of a diver’s holy grail. Trips go there regularly and we’ll be happy to arrange one for you.

How's the fishing?

The fly fishing on Ambergris Caye is world famous. Deep sea fishing is also popular as is just regular trawling or “drop” fishing. Some of the best fly fishing guides on the island are a half block away. Many are booked years in advance – depending on the season.

Can we swim, snorkel out to the reef?

Yes, but I wouldn’t do it – primarily because ½ mile looks closer than it is; and, also because of all the boat traffic. It’s easy to hire a boat to get you there.

Can we rent a boat for ourselves?

No. The waters around the island and in the nation are tricky – filled with coral or limestone outcroppings. It’s easy to rent a boat with an experienced captain.

Where can I sunbathe?

You can sunbathe on a chaise in the beach out front of Caye Casa or drag it across the sand to the waters edge. Lie down at the end of the pier. Float on one of our inflatables. Don’t forget the sunscreen. Sometimes – most times – the ocean breeze makes you feel like the sun isn’t strong. It is. Combine the breeze with the reflection of the sun off the water… It’s heavenly. Particularly in February.

What about sightseeing?

Our island, Ambergris Caye, is about 28 miles long. San Pedro sits about 7 miles from the southern end. Right now there is a paved road (cobble stones mostly) part of the way to the south; and a good sandy road for the rest of the trip – all the way to the Marco Gonzales Maya Ruin. However, going north, after the bridge, the conditions of the road will vary according to the rain. I recommend renting a golf cart to explore the southern part of the island. Going north, I suggest bikes. Since the beach and the piers belong to the Queen (we’re part of the Commonwealth like Canada), anyone has access during the day. Its great to bike along the beach where you can see the fronts of the resorts, stop at the bars and restaurants, and swim when the spirit moves you.

Can I rent a car?

You can rent a golf cart or a bike! Golf carts rent for about $50/day and bikes for about $10/day. There are cars and trucks on the island but no one is sure why. They can’t ever get out of first gear and they rust in the salt air!

Is there a grocery store on the island?

Yes, there are plenty of grocery stores. The closest to us is a block behind us and right next door to that is a bakery. They won’t have the huge selection most North Americans and Europeans are used to; but, most likely, they’ll have a few items you’ve never heard of. Beer and liquor is available at most stores. There are some excellent wine shops too.

Do you provide breakfast?

We provide coffee makers and coffee. Just around the corner is a bakery and within a few blocks are some great restaurants on the beach which serve wonderful breakfasts.

Where can I do laundry?

Our housekeepers will be happy to do your laundry after the resort laundry is finished. The price is 15US/load.

Do you provide towels?

Yes, we provide linens and beach towels. We also provide a local tropical soap for your bathing pleasure.

What kind of electricity do you have? Should I bring my own hair dryer?

If you are from the United States or Canada, don’t worry about the electricity. If you’re visiting from Europe, you’ll need adapters. We have hair dryers for guests.