Belize diving ideas

[KneeDeep]

Looking to dive inthe Belize area for about 7-10 days around April / May of 2015. I've never beento this area, but hear great things on diving. This would be a pure dive trip,but some after diving activities could be possible. Not really into the touristtraps.

Hoping some otherscould fill in some data gaps:
1. What type of diving (Drift? Shore, allboat?)
2. What area has more options for diving.(North or South).
3. What is the average cost for 2 tank boatdives.

Outside of AmbergrisCaye, is there other places to stay that are dive focused, perhaps around themainland or one of the other islands?

I'm sure I'll haveother questions and ideas, but can start with these.

 

[Downing]

1. Boat. No shore nowhere as far as I know. Some drift diving but nothing like the rocket rides of Cozumel.

2. More options? For what? Both north and south have plenty of diving. To the north, there's Ambergris Caye, the Blue Hole, Half-moon Caye and The Elbow. To the south, there's Placencia, Whale Sharks maybe (you may be too late to sign up for that), Glover's Reef, Silk Cayes, Laughing Bird Caye and a whole bunch more.

3. I have no idea, lol. I usually go for three weeks at a time, dive like a dog out of Placencia except when I'm looking at land, run up a tab at Splash Dive Center and pay right before I leave.

Tons of dive focused places to stay outside of Ambergris Caye. There are resorts on the both the cayes and mainland that are diving/fishing focused. Too many to list, really, and they cater to the big rollers to those on a tight budget. I like Placencia a lot for many reasons, but one of them is Patty, Splash co-owner, can help with suggestions on what to do and where to stay, depending on what you're looking for. Wherever you stay, they'll pick you up and drop you off so transportation is no problem.

If you're going to stay on the mainland, you're almost certainly going to head down to either Hopkins or Placencia. Even though the latter is on the mainland, it's a small peninsula so it feels a lot like an island even though there's a highway that runs all the way up to the Southern Highway, one of the four "big roads" in Belize.

I suggest reading through the threads here and pick a geographic area that suits you. Once you've narrowed it down a bit, you can get a lot of good advice here.

And keep in mind, you can always go back...

 

[bradells]

Downing a covered most of it, and I'd say nearly the exact same things.

As for cost, since it is all boat dives (easy drift with live drop off/pickups), and the geographic layout of the region (north is closer to the reef), from experience it's about $40-50/tank in the north (Caye Cauker), and $50-65/tank in the south (Placencia). 3tank days are a little cheaper $/tank.

BRad

 

[KneeDeep]

Thanks all
How about a dive site map? I found this for Ambergris Caye for the north. Any maps for Half-moon Caye and The Elbow, could careless about the Hole.

What about south end... and dive site maps?

There seem to be alot for the Ambergris area, but seem from some of the threads to not be as good as the south reefs

 

[bradells]

Thanks all How about a dive site map? I found this for Ambergris Caye for the north. Any maps for Half-moon Caye and The Elbow, could careless about the Hole. What about south end... and dive site maps? There seem to be alot for the Ambergris area, but seem from some of the threads to not be as good as the south reefs

A quick google search gave: Island Expeditions

As far as maps go...

I'll be down there in 3 weeks for just as long. Both in the North and the South. If you'd like some real time feedback on what's there, send me a PM. It'll be my third trip to Belize.


BRad

 

[KeithG]

Belize has a very large number of options. I suggest you spend a few hours on your google machine and you will get lots of info (and look here on scubaboard).

My Belize experience consists solely of liveaboards...Not much drift diving in Belize, that is a Cozumel & Florida thing...


To my limited knowledge there are several tourist diver locations:
- Ambergis Key
- Placentia

There are also a number of "reef resorts" located off the main drag... These are located on
- turneffe
- glovers
- ligthhouse
- others...

There are 2 liveaboards operating out of Belize City (that are now owned by the same company):
- Dancer
- Agressor

Many (most?) people claim the best Belize diving is where the liveaboards go. That is Half Moon and Long caye.

The Dancer also does a VERY EARLY friday morning dine on the south end of Turneffe and it is nice but boring....

 

[Downing]

Dive site maps.

Here are some handy little laminated cards, the kind you can put in your logbook:

Belize Dive Map

Placencia Dive Map

Ambergris Caye Dive Map

A great guide book, although not specifically diving focused, is Belize Insight Guide. It's chock full of district by district maps, color photos and info on what to do and where to stay. I take it with me on every trip. It would give you lots of ideas on what area of the country suits you. You can pick one up for $4, including shipping, making it a ridiculously good value.

By Belizean law, you will have a dive guide with you so you'll go where the dive op goes. Other than the Blue Hole, I don't know that there's any dive that's so different from the other dives that it would be worth planning your entire trip around. And even that one is um, debatable to say the least. I haven't dived AC , but I have dived pretty much everywhere else multiple times. The reefs are in good shape. Sometimes you see more aquatic life, sometimes less. Sometimes the big stuff shows up, like turtles, sharks and rays, and sometimes they don't. For consistently great diving, I'd say the area around Half Moon Caye to the north and Glovers Reef to the south are the best bets. But it's all good.

 

[Sieg@VU]

Two cabins left for our Belize Aggressor charter leaving April 25:

Dive Travel - Belize - 04/25/15

 

[KneeDeep]

Pricing is considerably a wide range. What are some recent pricing for 2 tanks in the Ambergris Caye area.

What of the park fee's (which part if $ for each)
And I assume 12.5% on all.

I see some pricing as high as $180 and includes it all (park fee, tax, lunch) and other as low at $100 but just a pat on the back

 

[Yobubba]

Looks like you got most of your questions answered. I think most of the diving is in the North on Ambergris Caye. If you look at a map the reef runs the length of the country but angles to be very close to shore at the top where Ambergris Caye is and far away from shore down South.
This gives Ambergris Caye quick and cheaper trips to the reef and the rides down South more expensive and day trips instead of 10mins.