Can't decide where to dive in Belize!

[Helen Nguyen]

Help! A group of us are heading out to Belize in 2 weeks in November! Don't know where to dive. We want to see lots of colorful reefs and marine life. We're staying in San Pedro. I keep reading about Turneffe but it's pretty pricey for a 3 tank dive ($250). What would you guys recommend? We're OW divers.

 

[Hank49]

Well, if you're staying in San Pedro, you're not going to get the best Belize has to offer, although it is good.
Turneffe is a premier spot, world class. It's expensive because fuel is very expensive in Belize. Double the US price. But getting there from San Pedro is pretty easy. If it's blowing trades you'll get calm water pretty much all the way down to the Elbow.
The Elbow is unreal. I'd say it's worth it. I would spend US$90 every weekend to take my boat out there. It's now a protected marine reserve.
Enjoy.

 

[mcohen1021]

I really enjoyed my time on Ambergris - give the great folks at Reef Adventures a shot.

Reef Adventures - Belize

Ched Cebral will show you guys a wonderful time and never a crowded boat.

 

[Helen Nguyen]

Well, if you're staying in San Pedro, you're not going to get the best Belize has to offer, although it is good.
Turneffe is a premier spot, world class. It's expensive because fuel is very expensive in Belize. Double the US price. But getting there from San Pedro is pretty easy. If it's blowing trades you'll get calm water pretty much all the way down to the Elbow.
The Elbow is unreal. I'd say it's worth it. I would spend US$90 every weekend to take my boat out there. It's now a protected marine reserve.
Enjoy.

That what I want to do! Is it true that you need to be advanced to dive The Elbow?

 

[Streydog]

I did it with less than 20 dives. The only thing I wish is that I was better on air at the time. My max depth of the 3 dives was 76' and I don't recall any currents, maybe a little surge. It is well worth it.

 

[Helen Nguyen]

I did it with less than 20 dives. The only thing I wish is that I was better on air at the time. My max depth of the 3 dives was 76' and I don't recall any currents, maybe a little surge. It is well worth it.

Awesome! We're gonna do the Turneffe. I just needed confirmation that it's worth it Thank you! Do you know if it's cheaper to book online or at the dive shops

 

[Streydog]

I don't even know if you could book it on line. I would just check with shops in town to see if anyone is doing the trip. A shop would need a certain number of divers to make it worth it for them. I think a lot of the shops communicate with each other when they do these trips. I did it with Island Divers and have no complaints.

 

[Ayisha]

Turneffe is definitely worth it. If you only go diving around Ambergris, you're not getting a true picture of what Belize has to offer.

 

[Hank49]

That what I want to do! Is it true that you need to be advanced to dive The Elbow?

You didn't used to have to be Advanced. There isn't any outrageous current there. It is a meeting point for the current coming down the west side of Turneffe, which brings the kind of dirty Belize River water that drains out of the main shipping channel near English Caye. That meets the clean Caribbean current on the East side of Turneffe. Some days there is a definite line that you can see. But that's where the fish are.
Tell the DM you heard about this place and line up the light houses with the tall tree next to the cut going into TIR (resort) at the south tip of Caye Bokel. Take that line to the drop off. Unreal.
The top of the reef is 40-80 feet deep or so. The wall drops into the blue.
There is a resident school of Lutjanus jocu (dog snapper) permit, horse eye jacks, and the occasional big king mackerel passing by. I saw a huge sail fish while free diving there one time.

yep.

 

[KeriMe]

Wow Hank49 that sounds awesome.

Helen, check out Amigos Del Mar in San Pedro. They are a good operation.