This tiny island in Belize is my favorite place on Earth. I got there by chance.

I’ve been to over 40 countries, but Caye Caulker, Belize is my favorite destination in the whole world. From the picture-perfect Caribbean beaches to the spirited local hospitality, few places compare to this tropical island.

I don’t know when Belize became such a massive bucket list destination for me. My faintest recollection hints at a featured Flickr image on my high school desktop background. Scenes of turquoise water and swishing palm trees made me fall in love. I knew I had to go someday.

I craved a solo trip after COVID restrictions lifted

Belize was number one on my to-do list when I became a flight attendant. The first time I had a long block of days off, I thought why wait? It was April of 2022 and I was aching to get back out there in the post-lockdown era.

I flew to Belize on a direct flight from LAX to BZE on a Saturday morning with very little money and zero plans. It ended up being the best solo trip of my life. I hope my story gives you the wanderlust to visit Belize so you, too, can understand just how special it is.

A stranger at the airport offered me a place to stay

The pilots on my flight were concerned about my lack of plans. When we landed in Belize City, they offered me a ride in their arranged hotel shuttle so that I could sort out my next move away from the airport. But when the shuttle driver told us the hotel had no vacancy, a man standing nearby chimed in.

“You want to stay with my sister on the islands?” he asked me. The pilots looked at me with deep concern. We exchanged quizzical glances, then I shrugged and said, “Sure!” 

I left the pilots and followed the man to his van — yes, a van — where he explained that he would take me to the dock 25 minutes away. To this day, I wonder if those pilots believed me dead.

My chauffeur, Jason, gave me clear directions to purchase an $18 round-trip water taxi ticket to Caye Caulker. I had never heard of the island before, but then again, I hadn’t heard of really anything about Belize before touching down. I did zero research before deciding to fly there.

Jason assured me that his sister, Ceci, would pick me up from the dock on Caye Caulker. I took his word for it. There was no reason not to. I had made my decision to trust this man, so I followed his instructions. He had a kind face and an infectious laugh, and I had a good feeling about him. 

Minutes later, I was in a water taxi on the aquamarine Caribbean Sea.

An hour passed. I enjoyed the ocean spray and the tropical wind in my hair as I sat sandwiched between strangers on the packed boat. Tiny islands overgrown with mangroves zoomed by. 

It dawned on me that I had absolutely no clue what I was getting into. It was both exhilarating and nerve-wracking.

The boatman announced our arrival at Caye Caulker. My suitcase appeared on the dock before I even got off the boat. Reggae music floated past the sails and invited me to this foreign place. I rolled my bag down the slatted boards of the dock to my unknown fate.

Jason kept his promise… My host existed!

To my surprise, a 5-foot-tall woman with a dazzling smile stood at the end of the dock with a sign that read “Betty.” Jason had kept his word — his sister was waiting for me as promised.

I introduced myself to Ceci, and she hugged me before handing me a freshly cracked bottle of Belikin (the beer of Belize, a top-three pick worldwide for me) and tossing my suitcase into the back of her golf cart. 

Who could ask for a warmer welcome? We took off through the sandy streets of Caye Caulker.

Ceci gave me a brief tour of the island before taking me to her house. The only vehicles I saw were golf carts and one fire truck at the tiny fire station on the main road. Aside from that, people walked and biked in every direction.

Palm fronds waved at me over the narrow streets. Sunset-colored flowers bloomed beside raised wooden houses. Dogs trotted alongside us as I gained my bearings. This was everything I had hoped for and more.

Ceci’s house was actually a legitimate bed and breakfast called Seremei Villas. I learned that she rented out a few rooms to tourists like myself. She gave me a room with a bathroom, a kitchenette, and an A/C all to myself! 

I felt better knowing I wasn’t intruding on her life in her personal home, which is how Jason made it sound when he drove me to the dock.

Ceci offered me a bike from her backyard and told me to let her know if I needed anything during my stay. I thanked her profusely and set about exploring, seeking novelty on the island. 

“Go slow” is the motto of the island

I ordered dinner at a beachside cafe and smiled at my good fortune. The day had started as a massive question mark and ended with a private suite on one of the most beautiful tropical islands. How lucky could one girl be?

My foreign vibe was evident. A few locals sat next to me to chat and share stories. They told me the island’s motto is “go slow.” 

Don’t stress over the little things and enjoy every small moment. Life can move very fast, so remember to go slow. I hold this sentiment close to me wherever I travel.

We enjoyed smoky chicken wings, rice, plantains, and more Belikin beers. My god, those things are fantastic. I returned to Ceci’s to rest up for a full day of exploring in the morning.

Underwater bars are abundant on the island

I started the next day with a parfait and an iced coffee at a cafe down the street from Ceci’s. I couldn’t get over how sweet everyone was to me. 

Every local smiled and asked me how my day was, and the few tourists I saw seemed to be in just as good of a mood. My server told me to check out the bars by the Split for the rest of the day.

The Split is a popular spot on the island where a waterway separates the southern and northern halves of Caye Caulker. A few bars line the beach there, and you can wade into the crystal water to snorkel between beers. Nothing sounded better to me.

I met a family from New York at one bar by the Split. They asked me to take their photo when I eased up to an underwater palapa with a piña colada in hand. I told them I’d do it if they let me hang out with them since I was solo and didn’t know anyone there. They invited me into their group with zeal.

Another family from the mainland in Belize joined our group, and we all drank the afternoon away in the waist-high waves of the underwater bar. The vibes were pristine. I met so many sweet people there who I still keep in contact with to this day.

I took a slightly off-kilter walk home from the bars where I encountered a man named Darwin. He asked if I was interested in sailing with him the following day. 

I could take a snorkeling tour of the nearby reefs for just $80. Tipsy and optimistic, I signed up for the boat tour and returned home. Ceci and I shared one or two Belikins by the pool before bed, of course.

Snorkeling in the Caribbean was one of my best life experiences

I met Darwin the next morning with very little insight into what I was actually doing on this tour. I expected a small speed boat with a few life jackets and some snorkeling gear. 

When I walked to the dock, I was shocked by the sight of a giant catamaran bobbing on the glistening sea. The captain introduced himself as Carlos. After listening to his jokes about how the sharks would be hungry that day, I joined a Uruguayan family and two guys from San Francisco, then set sail on the Caribbean.

I’ll preface this part by saying this was the best snorkeling experience of my life. 

We stopped at three locations throughout the day and swam with eagle rays, sea turtles, squids, nurse sharks, and every color of tropical fish. It was spectacular.

The nurse sharks came in droves. They’re not particularly dangerous since they’re slow-moving bottom-dwellers, so we got to swim beside them as they swarmed our boat. I even had a few nuzzle me as I floated around them.

We sailed through the breezy sea between snorkel locations. I claimed a spot on the roof of the catamaran, drank Belikins with the Uruguayans, and basked in the hot sun. That was the closest I’ve been to achieving nirvana. 

When we returned from the 8-hour trip, we were all exhausted from snorkeling in the sun all day. But someone brought up karaoke at one of the local bars. 

We went straight from the dock to the bar and sang the night away in a building full of highly amused locals. Tequila shots and more Belikins powered us through the evening.

Promising to return made leaving a little easier

It was time to go home the next day. Though I’d only known Ceci for three days, I felt like I was leaving behind a family member. 

She drove me to the dock that morning and made me promise to return. I swore on my life to come back and told her Caye Caulker was my new favorite place in the whole world. I meant every word.

Jason picked me up from the dock after the boat ride back to Belize City and delivered me to the airport. I thanked him for being the reason I had such a life-changing experience in Belize. 

I would’ve never managed such a trip if he hadn’t chimed in during my conversation with the pilots three days prior. “See you soon,” he said with such certainty.

I’m not usually someone who goes to the same place twice. I have so many destinations on my travel bucket list that it’s hard for me to justify returns to any place before knocking all the big ones off my to-do list. Except for Belize.

I have returned to visit Ceci and Jason every year since my trip in 2022 and am going on my fourth trip for my birthday this year. I’ve solidified it as an annual must no matter my other travel plans. It’s that important to me.

In my visits since that first fortuitous trip, I have traveled with Ceci and Jason through mainland Belize and seen even more incredible sides of the country. 

There are so many unique sights, from the Belize Barrier Reef (second in size to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia) to ancient Mayan ruins. 

Adventure travel is abundant here. I’ve tubed through sacrificial Mayan caves, let stingrays nibble my toes, observed screeching howler monkeys, taken yoga classes in the treetops, and drunk about 700 Belikin Beers at this point. 

I’ve even taken friends on Carlos’ snorkeling tours. The annual Belize tradition will continue forever.

If you want to experience a tropical paradise surrounded by the nicest people on Earth, visit Caye Caulker, Belize. 

You will see a side of the world that will restore your faith in humanity. And don’t be afraid to travel without plans every now and then. Who knows, you might just have a life-changing experience when you let go of control.

📚 Related Reading: Belize Packing List

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If you liked this article, read my tips to boost your travel photography skills before heading to Belize. You’ll want to bring your camera to this picturesque country! 

Also, check out Sky’s article on the best places to solo travel. And don’t forget to go slow.