REJUVENATING ONE WEEK BELIZE GIRLS TRIP!

There is literally almost nothing better than a BFF vacation! My bestie & I spent 8 days in Belize and it was magical, rejuvenating, and still to this day we talk about how it was one of our favorite trips. No boys, no problems, just pure, girl power fun. From the moment a local complimented me as ‘phat’ (umm & yes I’m choosing to take it as phat not fat 😉 ) ..to our impromptu Moana moment aboard a locals sailboat, the trip put much needed sparkle back into our lives.

WHAT ISLAND TO CHOOSE

When traveling to Belize, you’ll most likely fly into Belize City. The top places most travelers visit is the mainland jungle (San Ignacio), and the islands/beaches (San Pedro/Caye Caulker/Hopkins Beach/Palencia). We decided to forego San Ignacio, and do a full on island beach vacay. We spent 5 days in Caye Caulker, and 3 days in Ambergris Caye/San Pedro. Each island has it’s own unique charm, and choosing where to stay really depends on the vibe you are going for. Our personal fav was DEFINITELY Caye Caulker! We will def be going back in the future.

CAYE CAULKER

Caye Caulker, with its charming division known as “The Split,” quickly became the highlight of my trip. This tranquil island, divided into northern and southern sections by a channel created during Hurricane Hattie in 1961 , exudes a relaxed atmosphere perfect for swimming and snorkeling. The Split itself has transformed into a popular gathering spot, where visitors can enjoy shallow waters and vibrant beach bars like The Lazy Lizard . The island’s laid-back vibe, complemented by local shops and eateries, left such an impression that I’d return to Caye Caulker in a heartbeat.

AMBERGRIS CAYE / SAN PEDRO

Located on Ambergris Caye, San Pedro is known for its pristine white sand beaches, turquoise waters, vibrant nightlife, and excellent access to the Belize Barrier Reef, making it ideal for diving and snorkeling excursions; it’s a bustling tourist hub with a variety of restaurants and accommodations. More on San Pedro at the end of this post!

HOPKINS BEACH

Situated near a Garifuna village, Hopkins Beach is renowned for its soft sand, calm waters, and a strong focus on marine conservation; it’s a great place to experience local culture and is particularly popular for snorkeling and diving tours to nearby reefs. It has a rustic local beach vibe with many mom and pop restaurants, small bars, and gift shops. Hopkins Beach is off of mainland Belize.

PLACENCIA

Also off of mainland Belize, another popular spot is Placencia, A long, narrow peninsula with a beautiful beach, Placencia offers a blend of relaxation and adventure; it’s known for its diverse marine life, opportunities for fishing, and a variety of restaurants and accommodations along the beach. Placencia is a lot less crowded than some of the other beaches and a bit of a sleepy beach town.

HOW TO GET TO THE ISLANDS

Upon arriving in Belize City, it’s best to proceed directly to your chosen destination. For island travel, you have two main options:

• Flights: Local airlines like Tropic Air and Maya Island Air offer flights from Philip S.W. Goldson International Airport (BZE) to destinations such as San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. These flights are quick, approximately 20 minutes, and provide stunning aerial views of the Caribbean Sea.

• Ferries: Alternatively, you can take a water taxi from Belize City to islands like Caye Caulker or San Pedro. The ferry ride to San Pedro takes about 1.5 hours. Shuttle services are available from the airport to the water taxi terminals, with the drive typically lasting 30 to 45 minutes.

Many hotels coordinate reliable and safe transportation from the mainland to your accommodation. For instance, during our stay, our hotel arranged for a driver to pick us up at the airport and transport us to the ferry terminal, a journey of about 30 minutes. This seamless coordination ensured a stress-free start to our vacation.

We opted for the ferry, and upon arrival at Caye Caulker, we were greeted by a driver in a golf cart—since there are no cars on the island—who transported us to Colinda Cabanas.

Both transportation options offer unique experiences, allowing you to choose the one that best fits your travel preferences.

WHERE TO STAY IN CAYE CAULKER

COLINDA CABANAS

Colinda Cabanas, the top-rated hotel on Caye Caulker via TripAdvisor, epitomizes an authentic island retreat. Situated directly on the beach, this property features 14 suites and cabanas, each equipped with complimentary bicycles—the preferred mode of transportation on this car-free island. It’s about a 15-second stroll from the cabanas to the beach. The private pier with lounge chairs and a hammock overlooking the clear blue water is pure bliss for relaxing, napping and reading.. or whatever your lil heart desires.

WHAT TO DO IN CAYE CAULKER

There are so many activities to enjoy when you’re on this beautiful island! To name a few, snorkeling, scuba diving, exploring the Belize Barrier Reef, swimming at “The Split” (a natural channel dividing the island), taking sunset cruises, visiting beach bars, going on manatee tours, bird watching, and trying new food, the island is known for its laid-back vibe & easy access to any water activities.

GO SCUBA DIVING

We decided to get our scuba diving certification in Caye Caulker! I am so happy we chose this spot to do it because we were only a couple minute boat ride to all the dive sites. We chose Blue Wave Divers to do our PADI open water diver course. We did our certification over 3 days. We started the day around 8:30am, and we finished at about noon every day. It was the perfect amount of activity to do on a beach vacay and we had the rest of the day to do whatever we pleased on the island.

SWIM WITH NURSE SHARKS & STINGRAYS

You can swim with nurse sharks in Caye Caulker, Belize at Shark Ray Alley, a popular snorkeling spot in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Despite their intimidating appearance, nurse sharks are generally harmless to humans.

FEED THE TARPONS

This was actually kind of scary, they are freaking huge fish. We took a sunset boat cruise & fed the Tarpons. The Tarpon Feeding Dock is located at the end of a street near the Split in Caye Caulker. Just Fyi…Tarpon can be large, strong, and jump high. Their mouths are rough and can cause skin burns. None of which I got… but do at your own risk.

SPEND A DAY AT NORTHSIDE BEACH CLUB

Northside Beach Club (previously KOKO King) is located on pristine beachfront just a short 2-minute boat ride north of Caye Caulker’s famous “Split”. There is a restaurant, bar, pool, and lounge areas. It’s also a great swimming beach.

CHECK OUT “THE SPLIT”

The Caye Caulker Split is one of the islands most recognized landmarks. The deep blue cut in the island separates the north and south side. During Hurricane Hattie, on Halloween 1961, it was widened substantially splitting the island in 2. The beautiful blue water and lively bars like Lazy Lizard, attract many of the island’s visitors during the day.

WHERE TO EAT

ICE N BEANS

OMGOSH we went to this coffee/cafe literally every single morning. The coffee was strong, the tropical fruit was so fresh, the vibes outside were so relaxing. It became our morning routine to stop at Ice N Beans for breakfast before we headed out scuba diving. I’ve tried to recreate their yogurt parfait at home and it doesn’t even come close. 10/10.

CHEF KAREEM’S UNBELIZEABLE LUNCH

Chef Kareem was recommended by so many locals. When we were trying to find this highly talked about hidden gem, we actually rode right past him, not realizing it is just a little bbq stand right next to the beach! We ordered our food, however didnt know where to sit. As there was none. Next thing we know a guy is throwing together a table and chairs right on the beach. The neighboring “business” sold us coconut waters, and when he asked if we wanted rum in it, we said um yeah duh! and he ran across the street to the liquor store to buy rum, and we had a fresh rum coconut cocktail right on the beach. Simple, fresh, delicious.

NAMASTE CAFE

Namaste Coffee is a cafe and yoga studio! This place is so cute and such a vibe. Yoga classes are held on the top floor of Namaste Cafe, offering a panoramic view of Caye Caulker. Taking a morning yoga class at Namaste is on my bucket list for the next time I visit.

PELICAN SUNSET BAR

This spot was recommended to us again by locals, and we went on our first night on arrival to Caye Caulker. The food was SO fresh, the ceviche was def in my top 5 favorite food memories. The sunset was beautiful, and the live music was a vibe. 10/10 recommend.

AMBERGRIS CAYE / SAN PEDRO

Overall, I am super happy we stayed in Caye Caulker as long as we did. The small island local feel was honestly magical. San Pedro felt more touristy and not as charming to Caye Caulker, however it is a very popular and highly rated spot. It really just depends on what you are looking for when traveling to Belize. San Pedro was still beautiful and it was a great way to round out our trip.

WHERE TO STAY

We spent 3 days in San Pedro, and stayed at PUR Boutique Cabanas. This felt more like honeymoon vibes, but the cabanas were super clean, refreshing, and we had our own private pool. From their website, I think they state the description and vibe well – 6 luxury cabanas, with a swim-up pool bar, unique Taco Bar menu, daily happy hour, poolside seating and much more. The vibe at PUR is often tranquil and relaxing, with times of energy and fun, where you can meet people not only from all over the island – but even all over the world. We are adults-only and this makes a fun and sexy atmosphere you won’t find anywhere else. Our happiest guests enjoy the range of experiences our unique set-up has, from relaxing to more energetic socializing.

WHAT TO DO – SECRET BEACH

We rented a golf cart for the day to take to Secret Beach! This was basically our only main activity we did when we were in San Pedro. You can basically swim from bar to bar in the water! We also made friends with some people who had jet skis and had a blast using them and seeing more of the island.