Belize in August

[SafetyStopBait]

Looking into diving in Belize in August. Want to stay away best we can from the hurricane track. Recommendations, thoughts, advice...?

I'm wondering where people have dove in Belize, what was your impression and if you know of any good dive operations. Are there liveaboards or some dive resort? anyway way to max the quantity and keep the quality.

-m

 

[jaydub]

I was on ambergris caye and dove with protech, great dive op with great divemasters. Not sure about august, all I know is that in august be ready for the heat and humidity.

 

[oceancat]

Hi. Unfortunately, Belize is in the hurricane track, but they don't get hit every year. Usually, if they do get a storm, it is sept or oct., but you can never predict these things. Just get travel insurance, maybe? I love diving in belize. I prefer Placencia over Ambergris, but the diving is much further out to sea in Placencia. In Ambergris the reef is only 10 min away or so. If you have the opportunity, get out to the atolls, where I think the best diving is--amazing drop-offs and if you are advanced enough, the Blue Hole is cool (although some think it is over-rated). Glover's is amazingly pristine to dive, but you would have to stay at a resort out there (which we did and loved it). have fun.

 

[vladimir]

I'm wondering where people have dove in Belize, what was your impression and if you know of any good dive operations. Are there liveaboards or some dive resort? anyway way to max the quantity and keep the quality.

-m

I can recommend the Turneffe Island Lodge for land-based diving. Dive sites (including The Elbow, possibly Belize's best dive) are a few minutes away. They have 2 or 3 skiffs that take up to 8 divers each. They also have a larger boat (~42 feet) for a once-a-week trip to the Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye. The staff is professional and accommodating. A maximum 22 guests stay on the island so it has a liveaboard feel to it.

If you want a liveaboard I can highly recommend the Aggressor. It has a great crew and the vessel was in great shape after a refit just before I went, about a year ago. They didn't do The Elbow on my trip, which was my only complaint.

My overall impression of Belize diving, based on these two trips, is that it is as good or better than Bonaire, Little Cayman, or Cozumel.