potato cod
Contributor
Mr. Cod and I will be going to Belize for a week next January and are trying to decide between doing a liveaboard or a land-based operator. We've got exactly 1 week (Sat-Sat), so our dates work with a liveaboard if we choose that route. From reading prior posts here, it sounds like for land-based operators that the atolls are the way to go for the best diving if we choose that route. Here are a few questions:
1. We want to maximize our diving, but really, 5 dives a day for 5 days sounds exhausting. I know we don't have to do that many dives, and likely wouldn't, but then, there's not much to do on the boat if you're not diving. I've done a 3-day liveaboard and it was a blast, but I worry that being on a boat for longer may seem restrictive. A walk on the beach is a nice counterpoint after being on a boat all day...
On the other hand, I worry that we might not get to dive quite as much as we'd like with a land-based operator. So, one question is, are there land-based that offer >2 dives/day? I.e., can you choose either a morning 2-tank dive, or afternoon 2-tank dive, or both, for 4 dives/day? Or at least 3 dives/day?
2. It sounds like there's really no shore diving, but from land can you snorkel mangroves, etc?
3. Is it logistically possible to pop over to the mainland to see ruins, etc. if there's a day that's too windy to dive?
4. If not, would we be more likely to find a sheltered dive spot if we were on a liveaboard? Or are there enough sheltered spots along the atolls that it makes no difference if we're on a big liveaboard or a smaller land-based boat? We've had to cancel a few days of diving on each of our last two dive trips due to wind, and would like to avoid that happening if at all possible.
5. Favorite operators?
Thanks!
Potato Cod
1. We want to maximize our diving, but really, 5 dives a day for 5 days sounds exhausting. I know we don't have to do that many dives, and likely wouldn't, but then, there's not much to do on the boat if you're not diving. I've done a 3-day liveaboard and it was a blast, but I worry that being on a boat for longer may seem restrictive. A walk on the beach is a nice counterpoint after being on a boat all day...
On the other hand, I worry that we might not get to dive quite as much as we'd like with a land-based operator. So, one question is, are there land-based that offer >2 dives/day? I.e., can you choose either a morning 2-tank dive, or afternoon 2-tank dive, or both, for 4 dives/day? Or at least 3 dives/day?
2. It sounds like there's really no shore diving, but from land can you snorkel mangroves, etc?
3. Is it logistically possible to pop over to the mainland to see ruins, etc. if there's a day that's too windy to dive?
4. If not, would we be more likely to find a sheltered dive spot if we were on a liveaboard? Or are there enough sheltered spots along the atolls that it makes no difference if we're on a big liveaboard or a smaller land-based boat? We've had to cancel a few days of diving on each of our last two dive trips due to wind, and would like to avoid that happening if at all possible.
5. Favorite operators?
Thanks!
Potato Cod