Anchorage Beach Resort Caye Caulker

Private-island life is the main reason to choose Ray Caye Island Resort. You have the sea at the door, a private beach area, open-air spaces and the option to spend the day moving between water, shade and a lounger without dealing with traffic or a crowded marina. It is a natural fit for couples, keen swimmers, nature lovers and divers who prefer their accommodation to feel like part of the trip rather than somewhere to sleep between excursions.

The mood is barefoot and practical rather than formal. You can sit by the sea, take a kayak out, watch the stars or settle into The Cove, a private guest-only area with its own pool and bar. Families are welcome, although children aged five and under are not permitted unless the whole island is hired.

Ray Caye Island Resort sits in Caye Caulker, Belize, directly beside the sea and a white-sand beach. The resort has nearly a mile of shoreline, with sun loungers for settling in when the only appointment left in the diary is sunset. Moho Caye, an uninhabited sister island, is available for beach days and picnics.

You are close to the practical side of the island as well as the water. Caye Caulker Beach is around 50 metres away, and the Caye Caulker Forest Reserve is about 0.7 miles from the resort. Restaurants including Caribbean Colors Art Cafe, Maya Pizza and Marins Restaurant are roughly 0.25 miles away, so a change of scenery at mealtime does not require an expedition.

The room choice is straightforward: a king-bed room for two, or a double room with two double beds when you need space for a family or travelling companions. The latter can sleep up to four, while the king-bed option keeps things simpler for a couple. You get sea views, a balcony or terrace, air conditioning and a fan, with a fridge for cold water and somewhere to keep the essentials you want ready when you come back hot and tired.

The rooms also include a private bathroom with a bath or shower, a seating area, a desk, a wardrobe and a safe. Daily housekeeping keeps the practical side under control, while free Wi-Fi works throughout the resort. Upper floors are reached by stairs only, worth bearing in mind if luggage, knees or both have begun filing formal complaints.

For a quieter evening, the room gives you a private balcony or terrace and a sea view rather than a television-led night. There is also a flat-screen TV with a streaming service, although the island setting may persuade you to leave it switched off. Families have access to family rooms, board games and child-safety socket covers, while cots and extra beds are not available.

Lionfish Bar & Grill is the resort's main table, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner in the open air beside the sea. The kitchen works with local, international and seafood flavours, using fresh fish, tropical fruit, herbs and vegetables from the island's organic garden. Dinner changes every evening, with a three-course format built around a starter, main course and dessert, so a week does not have to mean eating the same plate on repeat.

Breakfast is included, and the meal plan also covers a breakfast dish, a lunch dish with a choice of gelato, and the evening three-course dinner. Drinks sit separately from the standard meal plan, so factor that into the way you prefer to eat and drink. Private seaside dinners can also be arranged for a more deliberate occasion.

There are two bars. Lionfish Bar & Grill serves local beers, wines, spirits and a rotating selection of tropical cocktails, whether you sit at the bar, by the pool or facing the sunset. The Cove Bar is reserved for resort guests and keeps things more secluded, with tropical drinks in a quieter corner of the island.

Four pools give you several ways to cool down without returning to the sea. The Lionfish Bar & Grill Pool is open to all visitors and works well for a swim before or after a meal. The Cove Pool is for resort guests and adults only, with loungers, shaded tables and its own bar. Private plunge pools are attached to the three-bedroom villa and the honeymoon suites.

The water programme covers kayaks, paddleboards, sailing and Hobie Cats, along with a saltwater slide and a jumping platform for anyone who still regards a perfectly good afternoon as an opportunity to launch themselves into the sea. Fishing, boat excursions and wildlife observation add more structure to the day, while the island offers walking tours, cycling, canoeing and snorkelling.

When your legs have had enough, the air-conditioned fitness centre has cardio machines, free weights and strength equipment. The open-air yoga studio is available for stretching, yoga and meditation, with seasonal guided retreats. The Massage Studio offers personalised massage treatments either in the studio or in your room. Moho Caye excursions, a Monkey River Boat and Jungle Tour, board games and stargazing cover the slower hours.

Airport shuttle and boat transfer services are available to arrange with the resort. The access route includes an international flight to Belize, a domestic flight to Placencia and a boat journey to the island; private helicopter transfers from Belize International Airport are also available. The final boat leaves at 15:00, so your arrival plan needs to work around that departure. Caye Caulker Airport is around 1 km away, while San Pedro Belize Ferry Station is about 0.5 miles from the location recorded for the resort.

Check-in starts at 14:00 and check-out is by 10:00. You need to give the resort your expected arrival time in advance, particularly when your journey involves a flight and a boat. Concierge assistance, luggage storage, a tour desk, grocery deliveries, a vending machine for drinks and free Wi-Fi throughout the resort keep the logistics reasonably civilised. A first-aid room is available on the island.

Children of any age can stay within the resort's family policy, with a minimum age of five unless the whole island is hired. Children under 12 sharing a room with their parents stay free, while a children's menu is available. Cash, Visa and Mastercard are accepted. Pets are not allowed, and the resort is non-smoking.

Ray Caye is powered 99% by solar energy, using more than 500 solar panels and Tesla Powerwall storage. That system stores energy for the night and cloudy periods, greatly reducing the need for diesel generators on the island.

Water comes from reverse-osmosis desalination, rainwater collection and solar-heated systems. The resort also runs an organic garden, limits single-use plastics, recycles, composts and manages waste on the island. The accommodation and shared areas are designed with a low-impact footprint and open green spaces rather than turning the island into one large building site.

The resort partners with Fragments of Hope on coral-reef restoration. Staff training covers water, waste and energy management, so the environmental work extends beyond the panels on the roof.