Help us out - recommend a Belize trip

[cnherrick]

I'm 72, OW, experienced (100+ dives). My brother is being treated for brain cancer (not benign) and has one last dive trip on his bucket list. He has dived Cozumel, didn't like it but wants me to take him to Belize. He is younger and in incredible condition (bicycler).
Where would you go?

Not looking for the aggressive dives, don't need any notches on the dive log, want it EZ-PZ for me and him.
Who would you dive with?

I'll probably book the entire boat.

Where would you stay? We don't want to go on the cheap. Last chance of a lifetime, probably.
Please recommend stuff.

 

[PACKRMAN]

Chuck, sorry to hear about your brother. Good for him, wanting to go diving. I hope you guys have a fabulous time wherever you go.
I am going to recommend one of the Aggressor liveaboards. Easy life style, easy diving, great diving and a real chance to spend some quality time together.

 

[cnherrick]

Chuck, sorry to hear about your brother. Good for him, wanting to go diving. I hope you guys have a fabulous time wherever you go.
I am going to recommend one of the Aggressor liveaboards. Easy life style, easy diving, great diving and a real chance to spend some quality time together.

Thanks for the recommendation. I've done a liveaboard (Turks & Caicos), it was fab but it's long and when you're not in the water you're on a boat with other folks - all the time. Any other circumstances, and I would look for a liveaboard.
Pretty sure we want to do dive shop boats and be able to immerse into Belize when we're not in the water.
So, thanks.

 

[Charles2]

Sorry to hear about your brother - and what a wonderful trip you are going to have.

My two favorite Belize trips have been:

Turneffe Island Resort – Private Diving & Fishing Resort – Belize offers better diving because it is located right out on the reef. All of the dive spots, with the exception of the Blue Hole (about an hour away), are within a fifteen minute boat ride of the dock. The facility is very nice and the food is good. The down side is that if there are those in your party who do not dive or fish, they will have little to do.

Discover Hamanasi Resort | Award Winning Resort in Belize is a better choice if there are non-divers in your group. The diving is still excellent, but because the resort is on the mainland, it is a much longer boat ride to the reef. The accommodations as well as the food are great. There are other adventures such as the Mayan ruins that are very nice and included in your stay.

I would return to either location. Both resorts are up there with some of the best I've been to.

 

[cnherrick]

Hoping Stoo will join in here.

 

[PatW]

I have been at Turneffe Island Resort. It is an out island. The resort is quite nice in a low key way. The diving is fine. The Elbow is very good. The two dives after the Blue Hole are really good. To me, the Blue Hole was not a good dive but some people really like that kind of stuff. The food selection is limited but it IS an out island. The staff is very good.

Surprisingly enough, the snorkeling in the lagoon is terrific. You can see morays, turtles, eagle rays, nurse sharks, reef fish, very good corals and very good visibility.

 

[mcohen1021]

Not looking for the aggressive dives, don't need any notches on the dive log, want it EZ-PZ for me and him.

Who would you dive with?

Where would you stay? We don't want to go on the cheap. Last chance of a lifetime, probably.
Please recommend stuff.

One stop shop - I LOVED my time with these folks:

Reef Adventures - Belize

 

[Stoo]

Hoping Stoo will join in here.

Hi... Sorry for your situation. I also applaud you for making the best of it.

So to add to the others comments... TIR is lovely and "civilized", nice diving, bla bla bla

We love Huracan as you know. I suppose my only concern would be the remoteness of the place. If you did run into some health issue out there, it might get ugly, fast. Being stranded out there is a real possibility. I don't think it happens often, but it does happen. A helivac might be possible, but if the health issue is related to the cancer, then the cost isn't going to be covered by insurance... assuming he can even get insurance.

Assuming he is otherwise fit, the boat shouldn't be an issue... It is small boat diving thought... No big fancy boat with platforms and steps... so is TIR.

As for booking the entire boat, I think that in order to do that, you would need to book the entire lodge.

 

[cnherrick]

... I suppose my only concern would be the remoteness of the place.....

Thoughts and concerns are right on the money.
I'll move the focus to dives with shops in locations that have reasonable access to doctors and an airport. I imagine that will narrow it down. We're not likely going unless the need for these resources is remote, but we probably should at least try to make good choices.

Now Huracan goes on my bucket list

 

[cnherrick]

So, now looking at

It's on its own island but looks pretty close to Belize City.
Doubtful that we would be able to immerse in Belize when we're not diving.