Belize planning madness...

[BlueSun]

Hi everyone,

My husband and I are planning a trip to Belize in 2007 and Im just about losing my mind with all the options available. This website is an amazing resource, so I wont bore you with questions about where to stay etc but I do need your help with one thing...

When to go? It sounds like a simple question, and believe me Ive done my share of googling for weather information and searching forum threads - I still dont know what to do.

Due to work commitments we have to travel in the second half of 2007 and have focussed in on September/October. Im not at all concerned about rain or even the occasional thunderstorm (Ive spent plenty of time in Cairns Australia during the wet season) but when you read comments as diverse as these it does your head in:

From: "Seas are usually calm during this time with good diving conditions. Heavy rain must be expected from time to time, usually lasting only a few hours"

To: "You may like to reconsider. The weather is terrible at that time of year in the entire Caribbean and many resorts are closed"

Who to believe? Do many dive operations close down over September October? We're not concerned about the heat or the rain - all we want is to have the best diving experience possible and lie on a beach for a few days.

Is a liveaboard a bad idea at this time of year? If we weren't to go in Sept/Oct, what would be a better option? Earlier? Later? If it really is a bad time of year for diving I may have to have a long chat with my boss!

Sorry for the myriad of questions... your advice would be hugely appreciated...

 

[smokey braden]

bluesun,
welcome to this board.
this past may i spent a week on the belize aggressor.
i know this is not the time of year you have mentioned.

from other posts on this board, i don't think you will experience a large amount of bad weather.
do a search and see what you find in this regard.

could the abc islands offer you more piece of mind?
regards,

 

[hopefulist]

Most anywhere in the Caribbean you'll run a risk of hurricanes in September and October and a few smaller operations shut down for October, the slowest month. We visited Belize in July and August (also rainy season) and it rained almost exclusively at night - in nearly a month we had only 1 day of steady rain and cooling sprinkles on 2 or 3 more. Dive conditions in August on Glover's Atoll were perfect - 85 degree water and 100+' visibility. There are advantages to going during the slow season - fewer other tourists and lower rates. We split our time between inland adventures including a visit to Tikal in Guatemala (highly recommended) and time on the coast and at Glover's. Let me know if you're interested in more specifics. Have a wonderful trip, whatever you decide!

 

[Darnold9999]

Have a look at this page and you will see why September/October is iffy re travel to this part of the world. You can have great weather, but there is a good chance you will not. Long way to come to be in the middle of a storm.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/pastprofile.shtml?

 

[BlueSun]

Aah Man... I really dont know what to do. I sure we'll have a great time no matter when we visit, but as you said Darnold, it's a long way to come to be stuck in the middle of a storm...
Would we be better going a little earlier, say July/August, or later, say November? The other issue is we're combining this trip with some trekking in South America, so we dont want to leave it too late or we head in to the South American wet season!

<shakes fist at Mother Nature> "How dare you get in the way of our holiday plans!!!"

Thanks for your input everone. I clearly need more thinking time...
Caitlin

 

[Scuba Monster]

We went to Placencia, Belize in October 2005 ... stayed at Inn at Robert's Grove. This was a small, very nice resort. We loved it! However, we learned during our stay that we were there in the off-season. There were few resort guests and you needed a minimum number of people to do the excursions, including diving. When I go back, choosing the right time of year is going to be key. It did rain a bunch and the waters got too rough to dive. Hurricane Wilma was coming through at the end of our trip as well. We were fortunate that we didn't evacuate, because we were further south. We'll definatately go back. I am going to try either Ambergis or Turneffe, but I haven't researched time of year yet.

 

[BlueSun]

Thanks everyone...
So here's what Im thinking:
South America in October
Belize in November
I know that it's still not the ideal time of year to travel to Belize, but I think it's a reasonable compromise. What do you think? Anyway, if we love Belize, we'll just have to come back!

Many thanks,
Caitlin

 

[Darnold9999]

Probably smarter, but I know nothing about SA. Have a great trip.

 

[Hank49]

Thanks everyone...
So here's what Im thinking:
South America in October
Belize in November
I know that it's still not the ideal time of year to travel to Belize, but I think it's a reasonable compromise. What do you think? Anyway, if we love Belize, we'll just have to come back!

Many thanks,
Caitlin

November to March would be the safest bet on no rain. We get stiffer trade winds and choppy water that time of year but it's sunny. The reports you mentioned in your first post could well have been from experience. This year in June and July was very wet....25 inches of rain in June vs an average of 7 or so. Sept has been nice and so far Oct too. But we can get hurricanes late in the year. You just never know with the weather. One thing is for sure. It'll be in the 80s and if you don't mind a little rain, you'll still get to dive. I've been out about 8 times since Sept 1. Got a lot of rain twice but drove a few miles south to avoid it. No worries.

 

[peterbj7]

Up here on Ambergris Caye we've had an excellent Sept/start to Oct, with some rain (mostly at night) and usually flat calm diving conditions. As you know, it IS hurricane season so there's always that potential, but the last hurricane we had around here was 6 years ago (that is rather tempting providence, isn't it!). But whether you come now or later in the year makes little difference weather-wise, and as it's still in slow season you'll still find reduced prices. Mind you, you'll also find some trips not running because of a shortage of people. You pays your money.....