Belize/Roatan Questions

[robbierob23]

Torn between diving Belize or Honduras.

I'm a big fan of the live aboard diving but can't make any because I can't get there until Monday (They apparently only depart on Saturdays). Are either/both worth diving from a Hotel or should I wait till I can book a live aboard and dive somewhere else this Feb/March?

I should admit I prefer a bit more luxury when I get out of the water. Quiet, private, yes... but I enjoy the luxury of a 5 star hotel/dive boad when possible. Any suggestions for either location?

 

[VivaCaribe]

Ive been to those areas a number of times...and think combining "5 star" and "good diving" is going to be hard. The fancy hotels of Ambergris Caye provide diving to the nearby barrier reef which is easy but subpar by any Caribbean standard. You can spring for long day trips to the atolls but it's a l-o-n-g and often bumpy trip. The way to dive Bze is by staying on the tiny islands farther south, and you will be in 1-star digs (I personally like em). On Roatán there is pretty good diving from Fantasy Island hotel (Ive never stayed there) which may be close to what you're looking for. (It is just 200m across the inlet from the divers' resort, CoCoView, and I assume dives all the same sites).

 

[peterbj7]

Ambergris Caye ..... diving the nearby barrier reef which is easy but subpar by any Caribbean standard

I don't have any axe to grind in this as I am no longer in the diving business, but that's simply not true. The spur and groove coral formations here are most unusual and provide fascinating diving. And the reef off north Ambergris Caye has some really interesting rock formations providing deep canyons.

Do I think this is the best diving in the world? No, I certainly don't. I'd rather dive the Maldives or the Red Sea. But do I think it's "subpar by any Caribbean standard"? Not in any way. There are better spots elsewhere in the Caribbean certainly, and in the event of an on-shore wind adversely affecting diving there is no alternative, but it's still pretty good.

The southern part of the reef offers diving quite different from that found up here. No spur-and-groove, but instead walls that drop almost from the surface. With masses of large sea life.

 

[Ralph Capeling]

I took my family from Belize to dive Roatan last January and stayed at Anthony's Caye Resort. It was great - good accomodation and good diving.
Belize has plenty of top end hotels in the Placencia area and I love the diving there. You can check out Belize by Splash Dive Shop located on the Placencia peninsula in southern Belize as they have a range of alliances with hotels and resorts from high end to budget accommodation.

 

[robbierob23]

Thanks!

 

[dmoore19]

Torn between diving Belize or Honduras.

I'm a big fan of the live aboard diving but can't make any because I can't get there until Monday (They apparently only depart on Saturdays). Are either/both worth diving from a Hotel or should I wait till I can book a live aboard and dive somewhere else this Feb/March?

I should admit I prefer a bit more luxury when I get out of the water. Quiet, private, yes... but I enjoy the luxury of a 5 star hotel/dive boad when possible. Any suggestions for either location?

I recently returned from a trip to Anthony's Key(12/26-1/2). From what I understand, though this was my only trip to Roatan, If you are looking for 5 star, Roatan isn't in that category. Anthony's Key is a nice place, it is by no means 5 star but it is clean, safe and well run. It is AI and the food never disappointed me (not buffet, you are served meals at a table) There are no phones or TV's in the rooms but why would you want that on Vacation? The key superior bungalows have AC. The Dive Op there is a well run dive op. The boats are nice but may have too many people for some people's taste. They weren't crowded when we were there even though the resort was running at capacity. The diving was wonderful in my inexperienced opinion, I loved it there, I will go back. The staff there took care of everything very well and smiled while doing it. It is a 10 min $5 cab ride to West End if you want to escape the resort, we only did that one afternoon. We will probably try Belize next, never been there so can't help with Belize.

 

[robbierob23]

THanks for the info dmoore. I decided to dive in Utila. I went the opposite of 5 star and make it all about the water. I really wanted to dive from the aggressor fleet in both Honduras and Belize but can't make it because of dates. Doing Aggressor in Belize next season. Beach resort, diving vacation, Bay Islands of Honduras Thanks again and safe diving