Best time to go to Belize

[Damselfish]

When I try to pull up Turneffe Atoll on airbnb it brings up places on Caye Caulker - is there anywhere to stay on Turneffe Atoll?
Don't really want to stay at a resort or do a liveaboard. Just want to rent a house with room for 2-3 couples and also have things to do along with diving. That is why I thought San Pedro might be a good choice.

There are a couple small resorts on islands that are part of Turneffe Atoll. Turneffe Island Resort, Turneffe Flats, Blackbird Caye, maybe one other. All AI - it's not a place with grocery stores. Or anything else. (Not sure there are any private homes, let alone any to be found on airbnb.) This is going to be true of pretty much anyplace on the atolls and cayes, outside of Ambergris or Caye Caulker. Maybe there's something out there, but it's unlikely to have a dive shop!

If you really want to skip resorts, I think your best bet is finding a place in San Pedro as you say, or maybe around Placencia in southern Belize. The diving between those 2 areas is quite different, so you might decide based on that. However Belize is a destination where avoiding resorts is less practical than some other places. "Resorts" in Belize vary a lot, but tend to be small and quirky and nothing like a typical large/chain resort.

Belize has some nice diving and other good things to do, but it's not a single small island where things are simply available, or not. You may have to compromise on something. Basically, you can't rent a house, and roll your own trip, and see whale sharks, and have short boat rides, and see the best of Belize diving, and have your pick of many dive ops, and have other things to do. So you have to decide what's important.

 

[SaltyKSue]

Caye Caulker definitely does (or did) have some budget operations that I wouldn't use again. Ambergris is where the people with more money to spend generally go. Still, as you found, the boat rides out from Caulker or Ambergris to the best sites can be long. As I believe others have said, the best diving involves staying out on the cayes/atolls. If I were to take another trip to Belize, I would try Turneffe Island Resort. I had a trip planned there once but had to cancel. Either that or a liveaboard.

The advantage of San Pedro and Caye Caulker is that the reef is close by and the boat rides short. The disadvantage is that all you can do is dive but if that is why you came to Belize then San Pedro is a great destination. In Placencia our dive sites are further away so our trips are all two tank or three tank dives but we are close to all kinds of inland adventures so if you want dedicate some time to experiencing Belize then the south coast from Hopkins to Placencia is a better destination.
Regards
Ralph

Ralph- this helps a LOT! Yes, we want to do other things besides just dive - we want to see and experience the culture of the place we have traveled so far to visit! I am going to start looking in to Placencia now! May I private message you for more info?

 

[Ralph Capeling]

Ralph- this helps a LOT! Yes, we want to do other things besides just dive - we want to see and experience the culture of the place we have traveled so far to visit! I am going to start looking in to Placencia now! May I private message you for more info?

Hi, of course you can private message me but it is probably easier to email me at ralph@splashbelize.com
Regards
Ralph

 

[SaltyKSue]

There are a couple small resorts on islands that are part of Turneffe Atoll. Turneffe Island Resort, Turneffe Flats, Blackbird Caye, maybe one other. All AI - it's not a place with grocery stores. Or anything else. (Not sure there are any private homes, let alone any to be found on airbnb.) This is going to be true of pretty much anyplace on the atolls and cayes, outside of Ambergris or Caye Caulker. Maybe there's something out there, but it's unlikely to have a dive shop!

If you really want to skip resorts, I think your best bet is finding a place in San Pedro as you say, or maybe around Placencia in southern Belize. The diving between those 2 areas is quite different, so you might decide based on that. However Belize is a destination where avoiding resorts is less practical than some other places. "Resorts" in Belize vary a lot, but tend to be small and quirky and nothing like a typical large/chain resort.

Belize has some nice diving and other good things to do, but it's not a single small island where things are simply available, or not. You may have to compromise on something. Basically, you can't rent a house, and roll your own trip, and see whale sharks, and have short boat rides, and see the best of Belize diving, and have your pick of many dive ops, and have other things to do. So you have to decide what's important.

Damselfish~ thank you! This info helps.
I'm ok with long boat rides as long as I see more than just lobster! Whale Sharks aren't a must, just thought I'd ask if the timing was such that we MIGHT be able to see them since it had been mentioned!
After seeing Ralph's post i'm thinking that Placencia is maybe a place for me to check into! But, now that you told me that the resorts in San Pedro aren't really like the "big chain" resorts that gives me another option too!
Thanks for that info!

 

[SaltyKSue]

Hi, of course you can private message me but it is probably easier to email me at ralph@splashbelize.com
Regards
Ralph

Thanks you! I have to leave now but will be emailing you soon! Thanks!