Suggestions for Belize

[KidDocDMC]

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[lowflyer]

I am looking for suggestions for a Belize diving trip for my wife & TIR seems overpriced
Any suggestions?

I've done two 10-day stays at TIR. I would call it pricey but not overpriced, because you do get what you pay for there. Plus it's not overcrowded.

 

[Stoo]

I've been to TIR a few times, and Huracan a LOT of times. I'm an unapologetic fan of Huracan, but that's not to say TIR is horrible. It's far from it. Lovely resort, forst class everything, although the diving isn't nearly as good as Huracan. Huracan is so close to the Blue Hole, that the "BH Experience" is entirely different. At Huracan, it's an intimate dive, with MAYBE 8 divers in the entire Hole. TIR runs their big boat out so it arrives at the same time as all of the Cattle Boats from AC, so suddenly there's dozens of divers in water.

TIR has separate cabanas, AC and great food. There are perhaps 40 guests there typically, split between diving and fishing. Huracan is one building so it's more like a BnB, or in our case, going to friend's cottage. Max guests is 8. Ya, eight. Food is amazing.

TIR I found drink prices to be ridiculous. After the first year, we smuggled our own rum out, which is silly, but I refuse to pay $12 US (so about $15 CDN) for a drink. Huracan... fraction of the price.

As for the diving, TIR is very nice, and home to some classic dives like The Elbow, which can be great. However, a lot of their diving is inside the reef, and it's "ok" at best.

Huracan has fantastic diving all the way around Long Caye PLUS, it's only five minutes from Halfmoon Caye, which is spectacular.

And Huracan is significantly less expensive, so the lack of AC is a minor inconvenience for some. We also prefer to leave as light a footprint as possible on these trips. Huracan is true eco-resort, using solar power and rainwater, as well as composting toilets. TIR brings the big city to the cayes. Huge diesel generators operate 24/7 in order to provide power and to run the RO desalination plant.

Regarding Off the Wall, friends have stayed there and enjoyed. The communal composting toilet wasn't for Mrs Stoo however, and I muss confess, I'm not a fan of having to hoof across the beach to do my thing. ;-)

So Huracan or TIR... both great, Huracan, better value, better diving, more eco-friendly.

 

[Downing]

It's the lack of air conditioning that keeps us from checking out Huracan. I don't need, or even want, AC during the day but it's hard to for me to sleep on hot nights without it.

Years ago, I spent the night in a third floor walk up budget hotel room in Corozal, on the northern Belize border. The room was only $35 because I was willing to pay in USD cash. No air conditioning. But since it was right on the bay, I figured I'd catch some ocean breezes.

I figured wrong. Even with all the windows open it was like trying to sleep in a sauna set on full blast. About once an hour I would get up to stagger into the bathroom and take a cold shower. I was so looking forward to spending the next few nights in Chan Chich, a jungle lodge located on the old Barry Bowen estate. Based on their prices, I was sure their cabanas would be air conditioned.

Wrong again. Turns out they didn't have AC either, except in the dining hall. Again, it was cold showers all night long.

It was a relief when I left the jungle and returned to the civilization that is Placencia and could finally get a decent night's sleep with the AC set at 74 degrees.

Like Clint Eastwood once said, "A good man knows his limitations."