Belize Recommendations/ Hatchett Caye?

[RaoulDuke]

Looking for thoughts on Belize and Hatchett Caye specifically for a family trip next March. Myself and two of my boys dive, wife likes to fish (as do all of us) and the 6 yr old just wants to do 6 yr. old stuff (pool, ice cream, etc.) Hatchett Caye looks nice and reasonable price for all inclusive we looked at. Thoughts? Recommendations for other spots? Thanks.

 

[Downing]

I've never stayed there but have passed by it on the way to Silk Cayes many times. It's one of several high-end resorts out on the cayes. Pretty much all there is to do is eat, sleep, fish and dive. Not that there's anything wrong with that, lol.

You may want to also look at Turneffe Flats, Blackbird Caye and Turneffe Island Resort. All are similar resorts on their own cayes except Blackbird's is a bigger caye and probably a notch below the others in terms of amenities.

There are some cheaper resorts, both in terms of cost and amenities, on the cayes as well so if you're interested in those also let me know.

 

[lowflyer]

Haven't been to Hatchet Caye, but I would also suggest looking at Turneffe. I have been to Blackbird and Turneffe Island Resort. Agree with @Downing that Turneffe Island Resort is a notch above Blackbird, but both are very good to excellent. I also think the diving opportunities are better from Turneffe atoll. On the other hand, there is nothing to do there but dive, snorkel or fish. Actually, Blackbird was not offering fishing when I was there, but TIR does for sure.

 

[RaoulDuke]

Would welcome suggestions on the cheaper alternatives as well. Thanks!

 

[jrl5549]

I am looking for my next place to go in Belize. My GF and I stayed down in Plancencia, dove the southern Caye's loved it. We are looking for a all inclusive resort on one of the out Cays but it is hard to sort through them all. What do you mean Blackbeard has less amenities? Which resort is closest to the Blue Hole?

 

[lowflyer]

I am looking for my next place to go in Belize. My GF and I stayed down in Plancencia, dove the southern Caye's loved it. We are looking for a all inclusive resort on one of the out Cays but it is hard to sort through them all. What do you mean Blackbeard has less amenities? Which resort is closest to the Blue Hole?

I'm not the one who mentioned "amenities", but TIR is a bit more upscale than Blackbird IMO (for example, early morning coffee delivered to the villa), but Blackbird is still very nice for divers.
Blackbird is a bit closer to the Blue Hole than TIR. Both are closer than Placencia and the mainland. I don't know about other cayes.

 

[Downing]

Would welcome suggestions on the cheaper alternatives as well. Thanks!

There's Huracan on Long Caye. Stoo, a frequent poster here, really loves it. But there was a fairly recent review here on SB that made it sound not so great. Lots of problems. There are a couple of resorts on the cayes that we visit from Placencia. One is Ranguana. You have to book through Roberts Grove. It's tiny, with not much more than three or four cabanas and a place to eat. I'm not so sure I would call it a "resort" as much as a couple of cabanas and a place to eat on a caye barely big enough to hold all that.

I'm racking my brain trying to remember the other two. Two are side by side on Southwater Caye, I think, and the other is, is, further north. I'm working on the names and I'll post it as soon as I remember it.

None of these are nearly as nice as Hatchet, Turneffe, Blackbird and Turneffe Flats, and their prices will reflect that.

I am looking for my next place to go in Belize. My GF and I stayed down in Plancencia, dove the southern Caye's loved it. We are looking for a all inclusive resort on one of the out Cays but it is hard to sort through them all. What do you mean Blackbeard has less amenities? Which resort is closest to the Blue Hole?

I've only stayed at Turneffe Island Lodge/Resort (twice) but not at Blackbird. But I've spoken to folks who have stayed at both and they all agreed TIR was nicer, from the lodging to the food to the dive op to the pool, which Blackbird doesn't or didn't have at the time. But Blackbird's usually a little cheaper. One big advantage for Blackbird is they have their own airstrip and can fly you directly from Golden and/or Belize City to their resort. TIR has a helicopter pad but I'm sure the price for a helicopter ride would be astronomical.

This is fairly old information, btw, and things may have changed since then. We haven't stayed at TIR in probably ten years, maybe more. While we really loved it, I've come to love Placencia and the jungles of Belize even more. But for a romantic getaway, it's hard to beat the resorts on the cayes, although Copal Tree, Chaa Creek and Blancaeaux along with a few others are right up there, too.

As far as which one's closer to the Blue Hole, that would probably be Turnefffe Flats, which is about halfway up the atoll. Blackbird is further south and TIR is at the southern tip of the atoll. I don't know that it makes that much difference. When we stayed at TIR, we would snake north through the atoll for about 15 minutes, then right before we got to Blackbird we would head northeast into the ocean. It took a little over an hour to get to the BH, if memory serves.

 

[large_diver]

One idea is to look at is SlickRock Adventures, which operates an island resort out on Glover's Reef (Long Caye, not to be confused with the Long Caye where Huracan is out near the Blue Hole). They share the island with Off the Wall Dive Center and Resort. We've been out there each of the past 3 years and have loved it. It is a small island - about 15 acres that can be circled in a walk of about about 15 minutes.

SlickRock operates mainland adventure tours as well as the resort on Long Caye. You can spend a week out on Glover's or split it with the mainland stuff (we've spent each of our weeks out on Long Caye). Getting out there does take some effort - they require spending Friday night on the mainland and then a ~3 hour boat ride from Belize City out to Glover's.

It is definitely an eco-resort - no pool, no wifi, no air conditioners, composting toilets, solar-heated showers (meaning cool). That said, if you are looking for an active, watersport vacation with a complete "get away from it all" feel, it's worth a look. All accommodations are huts on stilts 10 feet from the water's edge, each with its own hammock and deck overlooking the water - consistent breeze out there keeps things comfortable at night. Great, long-tenured staff who strike a great balance between encouragement and not badgering folks to do activities. Endless sea kayaking, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, kayak surfing, diving, etc....all built in, steps away from where you sleep. No crowds, as the max guest level is something like 30 people. Pretty communal atmosphere given the small size and all the activities you do togther all week. They have a symbiotic relationship with Off The Wall - you can dive with OTW while you are there....and diving is very good and very close (boat rides average 3-5 minutes)....the atoll wall is about 200 yards off one side of the island. Food is very good, buffet style, at picnic tables in their dining hall right on the water. It is definitely not for everyone, but for folks who are game for adventure, it can be a blast. We've seen plenty of kids having an absolutely fantastic time out there, but of course for families with younger kids, they have to be able to roll with a more rustic experience. We've been there with our kids each year....but they are college-aged

Belize Resorts - A Vacation Like No Other

Belize Diving & Snorkeling Resort, Glovers Reef | Off The Wall Belize

Let me know if you have questions.

 

[underwater5]

One idea is to look at is SlickRock Adventures, which operates an island resort out on Glover's Reef (Long Caye, not to be confused with the Long Caye where Huracan is out near the Blue Hole). They share the island with Off the Wall Dive Center and Resort. We've been out there each of the past 3 years and have loved it. It is a small island - about 15 acres that can be circled in a walk of about about 15 minutes.

SlickRock operates mainland adventure tours as well as the resort on Long Caye. You can spend a week out on Glover's or split it with the mainland stuff (we've spent each of our weeks out on Long Caye). Getting out there does take some effort - they require spending Friday night on the mainland and then a ~3 hour boat ride from Belize City out to Glover's.

It is definitely an eco-resort - no pool, no wifi, no air conditioners, composting toilets, solar-heated showers (meaning cool). That said, if you are looking for an active, watersport vacation with a complete "get away from it all" feel, it's worth a look. All accommodations are huts on stilts 10 feet from the water's edge, each with its own hammock and deck overlooking the water - consistent breeze out there keeps things comfortable at night. Great, long-tenured staff who strike a great balance between encouragement and not badgering folks to do activities. Endless sea kayaking, snorkeling, windsurfing, kiteboarding, kayak surfing, diving, etc....all built in, steps away from where you sleep. No crowds, as the max guest level is something like 30 people. Pretty communal atmosphere given the small size and all the activities you do togther all week. They have a symbiotic relationship with Off The Wall - you can dive with OTW while you are there....and diving is very good and very close (boat rides average 3-5 minutes)....the atoll wall is about 200 yards off one side of the island. Food is very good, buffet style, at picnic tables in their dining hall right on the water. It is definitely not for everyone, but for folks who are game for adventure, it can be a blast. We've seen plenty of kids having an absolutely fantastic time out there, but of course for families with younger kids, they have to be able to roll with a more rustic experience. We've been there with our kids each year....but they are college-aged

Belize Resorts - A Vacation Like No Other

Belize Diving & Snorkeling Resort, Glovers Reef | Off The Wall Belize

Let me know if you have questions.

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Large Diver,
can you tell me in more detail what the diving is like on Glovers reef with Slickrock adventures?
We are considering going there for both the diving and the watersports, but want to make sure the diving is good wall and reef diving.
We have stayed and dove off of Long Caye at Huracan and liked the diving there a lot...is it similar??

please give some input.

thanks

 

[large_diver]

EDIT - sorry, my original post was so long ago that I didn't realize I just repeated some of the info.....

Sure! We stayed with SlickRock for 3 straight years during either New Year's or X-mas week. Last trip was January 2018. Each time it was our nuclear family of 4 - me, wife and kids who are now 22, 24. We decided to try something this year (Cayman Brac this March)....but we absolutey loved our time at SlickRock.

First about the resort - it is an eco-resort, but in an incredibly idyllic setting. Great views everywhere you look. You can walk the circumference of the island in about 15 minutes....I think it is something like 15-17 acres in total. Lodging is in basic huts on stilts, all of which are RIGHT on the water. with incredible views. Simple, but comfortable beds. No air conditioning, no screens in the windows....but great seabreezes keep things cool at night and the sound of the waves lulling you to sleep is awesome. Each hut has a small porch with a hammock and chairs to sit and watch the ocean.. No in-room plumbing or bathrooms either - central, solar-heated showers, composting bathrooms (tastefully done). Meals are buffet style in the open air dining hall with picnic table seating. Always plenty of food and always plenty of beer and soft drinks. The dining hall is the social center at night, where many folks tend to hang out, enjoy some drinks, play games, etc. There is no wifi at SlickRock - which definitely makes this a very unplugged vacation. Our well-traveled kids absolutely loved it and didn't seem to miss their phones much....mainly due to how active the vacation is. If you have a little sense of adventure none of this is really an issue...it sort of adds to the "castaway adventure" ambience of the place.

View from our room in Jan 2018:

In addition to the setting, the unending supply of watersports opportunities and the long-tenured, fantastic, "always game" staff make the days really, really, fun. Ocean kayaking, surf kayaking, stand-up paddleboarding, snorkeling, windsurfing, kite boarding, diving,....all day, every day. At the same time, laying in your hammock is also always an option. Beach volleyball games during happy hour. You never have to worry about what to do or to plan anything in advance - you wake up each morning, at breakfast the staff lists the planned activities for the AM and PM. You can chose to join in, or grab your buddy and do your own thing or go take a nap...no advance planning required. No van shuttles, no long boat rides, no taxis, no deciding what restaurant to choose....it's all right there, once you are out there. The logistics of getting there are slightly involved - you arrive Friday, overnight in a nice hotel they arrange for you, 3 hour boatride from there to the island.

Given the small resort size and all the activities, it's a very communal atmosphere - the max number of Slickrock guests is something like 30 - you are out doing active sports together all day, you eat at picnic tables together - you definitely get to know the other folks on the trip. Most folks who go out there are there to enjoy the active sports....we've been generally lucky with the groups we've been out there with. Met some really fun and nice folks. It's definitely a "join in" kind of place, although no pressure at all if you want to do your own thing (with a buddy). That said, you won't be eating at a quiet table for 2....so being open to meeting other folks and going with the flow is somewhat important.

THE DIVING:
I did 8-12 dives each of the years we were out there with Off the Wall, including night dives. Off the Wall and SlickRock have a symbiotic relatoinship, with SlickRock occupying 2/3 of the island and OTW 1/3. Jim and Kendra who run OTW are super nice and accommodating folks. SlickRock guests have the ability to dive with OTW (additonal fee) subject to boat space availability. They do give priority to the guests staying at OTW (they have a capacity of something like 12 people)....but they were always able to get me at least 2 dives/day even when crowded. Their pace is typically leisurely - usually 3 dives/day. Their main dive boat is an open boat with a divemaster and captain on-board. No covered seating, but dive sites are usually an average of 3-5 minutes away. The boat comes back to the resort after each dive. Once/twice a week you will see boats out there from the mainland, but generally you have the dive sites to yourselves.

I've never been to Huracan and my only other Belize comparison was a trip to Ambergris about 5 years ago. The diving is defintiely better than Ambergris. The island (also named Long Caye) is on one edge of the atoll, so there is a wall about 200 yards off one side of the island, where most of the diving happens. Beautiful sponges, corals and sand chutes running from the shallows out to the wall. Lots of small reef fish. Occasional turtles. Nurse sharks, which are often friendly as divemaster Tyrone will spear and feed them lionfish. There is a small pod of resident of dolphins that I've seen every year out there. Lots of morays. Octopus. Some cool swimthroughs and formations. Grouper. Mostly what I would call usual caribbean reef fish. It's very chilled out. I've brough my own gear and a camera set-up - OTW will let you leave your gear there and will rinse it, store it and set it up for you each day. Not the greatest set-up for cameras....and charging can be a constant battle. They do have rinse tanks, but no dedicated camera soak/rinse tanks (water is at a premium out there). But they are always helpful and are careful handling cameras. I think if you stay at OTW there may be some better charging options and perhaps they provide better camera rinse options. OTW does in fact have a weak wifi system, but it is for their guests only. Slickrock has a solar-powered charging station, but technically you can only charge during daylight hours. I have a GoPro set-up with 2 video lights....was always fighting for plug space (charging only avalable in the dining hall). Luckily I can dis-assemble my GP/light set-up and can rinse in something as small as a mask box. Another key for me was bringing a special cigarette lighter charging adaptor, since this is the form of outlet SR has at their charging station. They have some adaptors there, but having your own if you have gear to be charged is crucial.

Anyway - I would definitely recommend the SlickRock experience if you are looking for an active island watersports vacation with some very good diving included. If you just want diving, maybe look into staying at Off the Wall.

So that's my initial SlickRock brain dump. For more on the diving, here are link to my my video compilations from the past 2 trips.

Jan 2018:
Belize 2018 - The Diving

X-mas week 2016:
Belize = Dec. 2016 - Zurich-Diver


Please let me know if you have more questions - we loved it out there, but you need to understand at a high level what SlickRock is and what it isn't. Definitely self service. Definitely active. Definitely gorgeous. Definitely some of the most fun staff we've ever met who love what they do, who get jazzed by helping guests enjoy the adventure and who SIGNIFICANTLY enhance the experience. There were some folks there during our various trips who showed up and seemed to be shocked about the eco-nature of the resort and and rustic/active vibe. Definitely a ton of fun if it fits the profile you are looking for.