Bonaire or Belize Lighthouse Reef area?

[Eleonard]

My 21 year old daughter and I are hoping to go diving in March. We can’t decide where to go. I have always wanted to go to Bonaire but I also love to see big sea life. If we went to Belize, where should we stay? Blackbird, Itza, other? I have a place picked out if in Bonaire. One of the Cayman Islands would be nice too, but water might be chilly. Thank you!

 

[Jake 10]

Have you checked the reviews for both places here on SB? Will one or more reviews persuade you to choose one over the other?

 

[scubadada]

Hi @Eleonard

My wife and I did our 9th trip to Bonaire this August Trip Report - Bonaire: Den Laman and Dive Friends, August 17-31. 2022 I have several older reviews in the Bonaire forum.

I was on the Belize Aggressor IV last April, mostly Lighthouse Reef, 4 dives off Ambergris Caye Trip Report - Belize on the Aggressor IV April 9-16, 2022 The diving off Lighthouse Reef was better than the diving off Ambergris Caye. I have no experience with other Belize sites.

Both of these trips had very good Caribbean diving. The main difference in sea life is that Belize has a relatively large number of Reef Sharks. I have not seen a Reef Shark in Bonaire in 280 dives. The diving in both locations is very easy.

 

[Kharon]

Been to Bonaire numerous times. Been to Belize once (Placencia). Bonaire hands down. No contest. Diving on Bonaire is from shore or extremely short boat trips (minutes). Tons of sea life but not real big (tiger grouper & 6 foot tarpon). Belize diving is far offshore (hour or more) from small boats, backflip off boat, sparse, small examples of sea life (except nurse sharks) - fished out. If you want links to vid from Bonaire and Placencia and a trip report on my Placencia trip PM me.

 

[tursiops]

Been to Bonaire numerous times. Been to Belize once (Placencia). Bonaire hands down. No contest. Diving on Bonaire is from shore or extremely short boat trips (minutes). Tons of sea life but not real big (tiger grouper & 6 foot tarpon). Belize diving is far offshore (hour or more) from small boats, backflip off boat, sparse, small examples of sea life (except nurse sharks) - fished out. If you want links to vid from Bonaire and Placencia and a trip report on my Placencia trip PM me.

The decent diving in Belize is from the offshore locations, not from the mainland. As you have found.

 

[Jake 10]

What sites would you recommend to a first time visitor to Bonaire? All divers are 50+ dives and at least AOW.

 

[donhealy]

Belize is best sampled by live-aboard. Aggressor III or IV run the same itinerary. Diving can be world class with 100+vis. and excellent walls. If you decide to do a shore based resort then go to Ambergris. Bonaire is all about shore diving and there are 100's of write-up's in Scuba Diving Magazine or SB.

 

[Damselfish]

Been to Bonaire numerous times. Been to Belize once (Placencia). Bonaire hands down. No contest. Diving on Bonaire is from shore or extremely short boat trips (minutes). Tons of sea life but not real big (tiger grouper & 6 foot tarpon). Belize diving is far offshore (hour or more) from small boats, backflip off boat, sparse, small examples of sea life (except nurse sharks) - fished out. If you want links to vid from Bonaire and Placencia and a trip report on my Placencia trip PM me.

Placencia is Placencia and not representative of all Belize diving. It’s a big place and diving varies across regions. (I was not impressed with what I saw of diving off Placencia either.)

 

[scubadada]

What sites would you recommend to a first time visitor to Bonaire? All divers are 50+ dives and at least AOW.

There are several dive guides that give good advice regarding easier sites off Bonaire. I use The Reef Smart Guide for Bonaire and Porter's Bonaire Shore Diving Made Easy.

 

[Thombalabomba]

What sites would you recommend to a first time visitor to Bonaire? All divers are 50+ dives and at least AOW.

Salt Pier, Karpata, Angel city to Hilma Hooker, perhaps a trip with east coast divers. The first 3 can all easily be done without a guide , east shoredives.

I am typing this from the gate at the airport to go there right now!