Cuba trip cancelled for Oct. considering Belize, is one location better than another?

[TT_Vert]

I've been looking at reviews and opinions but I'd like to get an answer from those I feel I can trust. We are mostly going to be diving and night life doesn't matter to us. We may use airbnb and rent a car or we may just cab it. See opinions range from Ambergris Caye to Glovers reef to the south. Also see some say that the blue hole isn't worth it and given the depth and shortness of the dive I see their point. We would like a place where we can hit the nicest dive spots w/o having to take a 45 minute boat ride to get to any one of them. Also want to do some night diving. Distance from airport is of importance too and it seems Ambergris Caye requires a 1.5 hour ferry to get there in a timely fashion so we'd have to rent a car there. That seems like it may not be worth the hassle unless the diving from here is spectacular. Was looking at some places in Placentia and splash dive center had good reviews but unsure of the logistics. Might even consider a live aboard for a week or two. Any opinions/input is greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Dave

 

[diversteve]

We would like a place where we can hit the nicest dive spots w/o having to take a 45 minute boat ride to get to any one of them

that rules out Southern Belize

 

[diversteve]

it seems Ambergris Caye requires a 1.5 hour ferry to get there in a timely fashion

Or a short flight on a smaller plane. Tropic Air Belize

 

[Pyro_]

tropic air does fly into ambergris caye and caye caulker so that is an option to avoid taking the ferry ride to get to them

 

[chillyinCanada]

No car rental on Ambergris Caye. You can, however, rent a golf cart and probably should at least once if for no other reason than touring the island.

If you only care about diving, go and stay out at the Atolls and skip Ambergris and/or Caye Caulker altogether.

I'm actually a fan of the Blue Hole but only if you have the diving experience to enjoy it.

I don't know your budget, but yes, the water taxi from mainland Belize City to Ambergris is an hour plus but you can catch the puddle jumper flight over which is around 20 minutes. If you decide to take the flight, make sure to sit on the right hand side of the plane on the way there and on the left side upon return.

 

[Daebado]

The Blue Hole is interesting and you'll never dive anything quite like it. Plus, you'll be able to say, "I dove The Blue Hole!" What I most enjoyed, though were the dives at Half Moon Caye and Long Caye (the Aquarium) after the Blue Hole. These were well worth the trip and I would do it all over again just for those two dives if nothing else. But that's just me.

 

[chillyinCanada]

The Blue Hole is interesting and you'll never dive anything quite like it. Plus, you'll be able to say, "I dove The Blue Hole!" What I most enjoyed, though were the dives at Half Moon Caye and Long Caye (the Aquarium) after the Blue Hole. These were well worth the trip and I would do it all over again just for those two dives if nothing else. But that's just me.

I would too and have done so more than a dozen times. I would love it if the day trip out that way skipped the Blue hole now and then and did a different 3rd dive instead. When I'm feeling that way, I'll hop the day trip boat to Turneffe instead. Someday, I will stay out at the Atolls and then hopefully get my fill of the Halfmoon/Long Caye dives.

 

[TT_Vert]

We're going just to dive, night life doesn't matter to us. I didn't think about the puddle jumper option, that may work. What atolls do you guys recommend for best diving? It'd be nice to keep our gear w/ the dive op all week if possible and stay within walking distance.

Dave

 

[Ministryofgiraffes]

You don’t need to stay within walking distance. All dive ops will pick you up and drop you off from your dock. I always dive with Belize pro dive. Love them. We stay at belizian cove estates. Love it.

 

[chillyinCanada]

If you decide to go to the Atolls for your entire stay, you will be going by boat

If you go to the Cayes, you may choose the flight.

At the Atolls, there are only a handful of places to stay and level of comfort will come into play in your choice.

If you decide to go to one of the Cayes instead, Caye Caulker or Ambergris Caye, we'll need an idea of budget for accommodations as well as whether or not you'd prefer a pool and or a kitchenette, how close you would like to be to easy access of restaurants etc.