Caye Caulker for toddler and grandfather?

[MsSoloTravel]

I'm taking my just shy of 4 year old son on a family vacation with my sister and parents. My dad's health and mobility issues prevents us from doing any inland excursions, no cave tubing, ziplining, Walking at the zoo. And he can't climb in and out of a boat for snorkeling. He needs to be able to sit periodically in the shade. So, it looks like Caye Caulker might be our only option.

 

Side note. I found an excursion to Little Frenchman Caye that is its own private resort island. But, it's $150pp. A little pricey for us.

 

Since we're not snorkeling or wanting to walk the island too much is Caye Caulker a good option for us? We don't want to hang out at a bar or restaurant. Is there a beach or beaches to choose from to lounge on for the day?

[BrotherCraig]

I'm taking my just shy of 4 year old son on a family vacation with my sister and parents. My dad's health and mobility issues prevents us from doing any inland excursions, no cave tubing, ziplining, Walking at the zoo. And he can't climb in and out of a boat for snorkeling. He needs to be able to sit periodically in the shade. So, it looks like Caye Caulker might be our only option.

 

Side note. I found an excursion to Little Frenchman Caye that is its own private resort island. But, it's $150pp. A little pricey for us.

 

Since we're not snorkeling or wanting to walk the island too much is Caye Caulker a good option for us? We don't want to hang out at a bar or restaurant. Is there a beach or beaches to choose from to lounge on for the day?

 

Caye Caulker is really easy to get around - plus they have the golf car taxis. With that said, there is really no place to rent chairs and just hang out on the beach. It is a very rustic and laid back island -- no real resorts or anything like that. A lot of docks, etc. No real good beach there and most people go to "the split" at the Lazy Lizzard for some sun (not great for kids). It is a walking town/fishing village. If it was me, I would pick a different port for a beach day and plan on something else for Belize.

[MsSoloTravel]

Caye Caulker is really easy to get around - plus they have the golf car taxis. With that said, there is really no place to rent chairs and just hang out on the beach. It is a very rustic and laid back island -- no real resorts or anything like that. A lot of docks, etc. No real good beach there and most people go to "the split" at the Lazy Lizzard for some sun (not great for kids). It is a walking town/fishing village. If it was me, I would pick a different port for a beach day and plan on something else for Belize.

 

Thank you. That was what it was looking like to me from my Google searches.

We can't to Goffs Caye because there's no chairs and shade. The only other beach excursion I've found looks nice, but it's $150pp. The one we really wanted to do, fly to Ambergris Caye to snorkel Hol Chan is only $140pp. So, unless we find a good beach day for all, my son and dad will stay on the ship and play while the girls go snorkeling.

 

Thank you again for the info!

[Coolwhip82]

Hi, my mom sounds similar to your dad as far as limitations. We booked the Shark Ray Alley snorkeling tour through Coral Breezes Tours. On your way to snorkeling, you stop at Caye Caulker for a bathroom break, non-snorkelers can stay behind at this point, snorkelers go on and do their thing. You come back to CC and everyone meets up and hangs out and then goes back to port. They actually charge less for the non-snorkelers too. I think their prices are very reasonable: Adult, snorkel 72; adult non 42; kid (3-12) snorkel 60; non 32-- under 3 FREE

 

We depart on 4/3 for our cruise, so I'll let you know how it goes.

[crewsweeper]

Remember, though, water taxi or not, snorkel excursion or not, to get to Caye Caulker you need to get in and out of a boat. To get to the water taxi/ snorkel vendors, you need to get in and out of a boat, the tender. Although there will be people who can assist at the tender, it still may be an issue depending on how severe the mobility limitations are.

 

Put the child with the ship's day care group that day and give your Dad a card for the bar (LOL). Let him have a day around the ship on his own. Or hang with the grand child around the ship. And the rest of you head off to what ever strikes you as being FUN>

[mrsfuzzmo]

Hi, my mom sounds similar to your dad as far as limitations. We booked the Shark Ray Alley snorkeling tour through Coral Breezes Tours. On your way to snorkeling, you stop at Caye Caulker for a bathroom break, non-snorkelers can stay behind at this point, snorkelers go on and do their thing. You come back to CC and everyone meets up and hangs out and then goes back to port. They actually charge less for the non-snorkelers too. I think their prices are very reasonable: Adult, snorkel 72; adult non 42; kid (3-12) snorkel 60; non 32-- under 3 FREE

 

We depart on 4/3 for our cruise, so I'll let you know how it goes.

 

Coolwhip, we are on the same cruise and have also booked Coral Breeze, but the Island escape to CC, which in a sense, is probably the same boat, but we will get off at CC and not do the snorkel. Fun!

[crazycruzer68]

Hi, my mom sounds similar to your dad as far as limitations. We booked the Shark Ray Alley snorkeling tour through Coral Breezes Tours. On your way to snorkeling, you stop at Caye Caulker for a bathroom break, non-snorkelers can stay behind at this point, snorkelers go on and do their thing. You come back to CC and everyone meets up and hangs out and then goes back to port. They actually charge less for the non-snorkelers too. I think their prices are very reasonable: Adult, snorkel 72; adult non 42; kid (3-12) snorkel 60; non 32-- under 3 FREE

 

 

 

We depart on 4/3 for our cruise, so I'll let you know how it goes.

 

 

Please report back, we are traveling some with the same limitations. TIA

[Coolwhip82]

I'm back!! While this tour was fantastic, I WOULD NOT recommend it for anyone with mobility or issues dealing with heat.

 

The boat is a small fishing type boat. There is no ramp to enter or exit the boat. From the pier, with waves, you almost have to jump on board and navigate 4 different sized steps to get down (and up). The crew literally had to carry my mom on and off board!

 

Also, there is no cover (they do have a cover, but they don't put it up) so it is VERY sunny. I wore SPF 50 and go burnt to a crisp. The ride is like 45 mins, and you go very fast, so it is very bumpy...and frankly uncomfortable. I had to hold my 1 y/o the whole time and I thought he was going to fly out of the boat several times.

 

Once we got to Caye Caulker though there was plenty of shade and a nice place to sit at the restaurant right off the pier. An alternative for your father could be to take the Water Taxi, I think that might be a more comfortable ride, but I don't have any experience with it. It would drop you off at the exact same spot as the Coral Breeze tour does.

 

Cheers!