Belize Suggestions

[The Rock]

I will be traveling in Belize in November. Any suggestions for the best ort most unique dive sites to cover there. Any operators you favor? All input appreciated.

TR

[Jonathan Bird]

Hey Tim,
I wish I could help. I have never been. I had a trip planned in 2000 (actually, my honeymoon!) but that year was the year of the huge hurricane that made a mess out of Belize. The dive operator called and told us not to come, the resort was destroyed. (You know it's bad when they actually tell you not to come, rather than downplay the damage to keep you from cancelling).

I can't believe that someone here can't help Tim out. HELLO! Who has been to Belize?

Jonathan

[Clay Coleman]

I've been waiting for somebody to step up to the plate. I've never been to Belize either, but I've read that the outer cays (Glover's Atoll and Turneffe Island) have the best diving. However, I know for a fact that the guy who wrote the book to which I'm referring has never been to Belize, either (!). -Clay

[tarczy]

I've been to Belize five times in the last eight years. It happens to be my most favorite country/vacation spot in all the world. If you want to check out a recent blog of my December trip to Belize click on this URL -

http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&friendID=73303938 (http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&friendID=73303938)

I was on the Belize Aggressor and had an absolutely wonderful time (okay - it was during the Christmas holidays and there were only 4 other divers on the boat). That said, I did spend about six days at Captain Morgan's Retreat on Ambergris Caye (pronounced "key"). I was doing day-boat dives throughout my stay.

If you're planning only a land-based trip, I would highly recommend chartering a day-boat out to Turneffe reef and dive some of the walls. Walls are the ultimate in Belize diving. If the day-boats just take you out past the Caye's barrier reef, the diving is less than marginal.

Hope you have a great time.

:cool: :cool: :cool:

(http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog&friendID=73303938)

[Brandon Cole]

Tim-

I spent 3 weeks there in April/May a couple years back. 1 week on the Peter Hughes boat, 1 week at Blackbird Caye resort out on Turneffe, and 1 week on Ambergris Caye. Overall, I found the week on the live-aboard to be the best photographically- water clarity, healthiest reefs, etc. Certainly some of the wall dives off Lighthouse Atoll and Turneffe Atoll are noteworthy. The Ambergris Caye/San Pedro town thing wasn't my cup of tea- overzealous/underexperienced dive masters, and mediocre reefs. I would not choose Blackbird Caye resort again... there were some internal staff problems when I was there. From what I understand, both Aggressor and Peter Hughes boats cover pretty much the same sites. We lucked out with a lazy cruise director/head dive master who decided it wasn't worth his time to follow us around, which thankfully allowed us to move at our own (very slow) pace...
Don't really remember any unusual critters or secret spots... not a lot of big critters, of course... but colorful sponge-covered walls.
Mark Webster's book has handy...
My wife spent another week doing topside stuff- ruins in the jungles, swimming into caves, etc. She loved it.
Sorry I can't be of more help. I'm sure somebody else on this list will have more info-
Have fun,

brandon

Brandon Cole
MARINE PHOTOGRAPHY
www.brandoncole.com