Caye Chapel is a small, private island in

Belize Belize is a country on the north-eastern coast of Central America. It is bordered by Mexico to the north, the Caribbean Sea to the east, and Guatemala to the west and south. It also shares a maritime boundary with Honduras to the southeast. P ...

, north-northeast of

Belize City Belize City is the largest city in Belize. It was once the capital city, capital of the former British Honduras. According to the 2022 census, Belize City has a population of 63,999 people. It is at the mouth of the Haulover Creek, which is a ...

and south of

Caye Caulker Caye Caulker ( Spanish: Cayo Caulker) is a small limestone coral island off the coast of Belize in the Caribbean Sea measuring about (north to south) by less than (east to west). The town on the island is known by the name Caye Caulker Village. ...

. It was once owned by Isaiah Emmanuel Morter, Belize's first African millionaire. Caye Chapel is adjacent to the

Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve (BCNPMR) is a protected area and UNESCO World Heritage Site on the northern part of Ambergris Caye in Belize. History BCNPMR had its inception in the early 1990s when the Broadhead Group sought to c ...

(BCNPMR), a

UNESCO World Heritage Site World Heritage Sites are landmarks and areas with legal protection under an treaty, international treaty administered by UNESCO for having cultural, historical, or scientific significance. The sites are judged to contain "cultural and natural ...

. BCNPMR is part of the

Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System (MBRS), also popularly known as the Great Mayan Reef or Great Maya Reef, is a marine region that stretches over along the coasts of four countries – Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras – from Isla Co ...

, the world's second longest barrier reef, which is home to the

Great Blue Hole The Great Blue Hole is a large Blue hole, marine sinkhole off the coast of Belize. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, across and deep. It has a surface ...

and other popular SCUBA diving destinations accessible from Caye Chapel. In comparison to other typically rural cayes and islands in the vicinity, it features an

airstrip An aerodrome, airfield, or airstrip is a location from which aircraft flight operations take place, regardless of whether they involve air cargo, passengers, or neither, and regardless of whether it is for public or private use. Aerodromes in ...

, 18 hole

golf course A golf course is the grounds on which the sport of golf is played. It consists of a series of holes, each consisting of a teeing ground, tee box, a #Fairway and rough, fairway, the #Fairway and rough, rough and other hazard (golf), hazards, and ...

, clubhouse and conference facilities. The golf course, named White Shark Golf Course, was co-designed by former PGA Tour player and World Golf Hall of Fame member

Greg Norman Gregory John Norman (born 10 February 1955) is an Australian former professional golfer who spent 331 weeks as List of World Number One male golfers, world number one in the 1980s and 1990s. He won 88 professional tournaments, including 20 PGA ...

, alongside former LPGA Tour player and World Golf Hall of Fame member

Lorena Ochoa Lorena Ochoa Reyes (; born 15 November 1981) is a Mexican former professional golfer who played on the U.S.-based LPGA Tour from 2003 LPGA Tour, 2003 to 2010 LPGA Tour, 2010. She was the Women's World Golf Rankings#World number ones, top-ranked ...

. The golf course is situated within the middle area of the 280 acre island, with the southernmost point of the golf course situated beside the Caye Chapel airstrip.

Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts Four Seasons Hotels Limited, trading as Four Seasons Hotels and Resorts, is a Canadian luxury hotel and resort company headquartered in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Four Seasons currently operates more than 100 hotels and resorts worldwide.David Se ...

, on September 2, 2023, again announced plans for the development of Caye Chapel, but the project has been stalled for many years. It is expected to feature approximately 50 private estate lots, 35 private residences, and 100 guest rooms and suites. It is possible to snorkel and fish around the island.

References

Gallery

File:CayeChapel.JPG, Caye Chapel from a boat

External links

Caye Chapel Golf Resort
Islands of Belize Belize District Belize Rural South Private islands of Belize Populated places in Belize {{belize-geo-stub