Compare Bonaire and Belize please

[gaila]

For variety of fish, coral, health of reefs, pretty stuff, etc. (not as to the "adventure value") how would you compare Belize to Bonaire? Have been to Bonaire, considering Belize. Thanks.

 

[vladimir]

Belize is better, in my opinion, if you dive the atolls--Lighthouse Reef and Half-Moon Caye, Turneffe Atoll, and perhaps Glovers Reef. It has all the little stuff that Bonaire offers, similarly healthy reefs, and the chance to see occasional big stuff. I have never seen a non-nurse shark in Bonaire, for example. I have seen a hammerhead and a lot of reef sharks in Belize, though they are still a pleasant surprise (I am not considering the reef and bull sharks in the blue hole, which are lured by baiting). For dolphins, Bonaire has the edge in sightings, but they have frolicked with me in Belize. I have seen one small crocodile in Belize, on the surface. Tarpon are common in both places, but moreso in Belize. Turtles, eagle rays, king mackerel, schools of jacks, snapper, and permit are all common in Belize and rare or non-existent in Bonaire, in my experience.

The big difference, though, is the diversity. Dive sites in Belize vary from one to the next. Turneffe Atoll is a big mangrove swamp, the others look like typical sandy-beached coral atolls. I guess you can get more diversity in Bonaire by diving the east coast (I have never, in 4 visits), but I don't think it will approach the diversity Belize offers.

 

[cdoyal]

Ditto everything vladimir said. I would add that Bonaire has better diversity of fish life on the reef while Belize has better everything else. If you like to boat dive, try Belize. Shore diving is king on Bonaire. Belize has more "adventure value". Having been to Bonaire four times, it's like going home. Been to Belize twice to fish and once to dive.

 

[DeputyDan]

Having dove both - We saw more larger fish in Belize.

I think there are valid arguments for both sides but I will say that inland Belize (Mayan stuff,etc,) is a must do at some point.

 

[drrich2]

Turtles, eagle rays, king mackerel, schools of jacks, snapper, and permit are all common in Belize and rare or non-existent in Bonaire, in my experience.

I wanted to comment; I've been to Bonaire 4 times, never to Belize. Every trip to Bonaire, I've seen sea turtles, but for the most part fairly small - smaller than a garbage can lid. But there. I've seen plenty of yellow-tail snapper, albeit not large schools; not sure what 'snappers' Belize has. I see quite a few bar jacks in Bonaire (they're not all that large) and occasionally horse-eye jacks (such as around the bottom of the Hilma Hooker) - the horse-eye seem a bit uncommon for me to see, but not exactly 'rare.' I've never seen a shark in Bonaire. On one trip my buddy found 2 eagles rays so I got to see them. Not sure how that compares with others' frequency of sighting them.

I love Bonaire, but would like to do Belize someday.

Richard.

 

[Hank49]

I've never been to Bonaire.
Regarding fish in Belize, it really depends where you go.
There are some places that geographically, are beautiful dives. Nice walls or sand slope to a drop off etc.
There are a few other....well, a LOT of other spots where you'll find lots of bigger fish.
Snapper: yellow tails are everywhere, muttons, dog, cubera, school master, mangrove
Jacks: Yellow, blue line, horse eye, permit
grouper: Nassau, black and a few other smaller species. Yellow fin.
Rays: I see Eagle rays almost every time I'm in the water. sting rays are common
Turtles....1 of 3 dives I'll see them
Nurse sharks are easy to find.

There are a couple sites where you can find all of the above on one or two dives. I've seen a school of 200 dog snapper (7-14 lbs), 25-30 permit, 150 horse eye jacks (4-10 lbs) and at least 3-400 cuberas (14-35 lbs) down near the bottom.....all at the same time.
The dive shops go to this site but they stay more north of the fishy area. Not sure why. I saw a big school of jacks while scuba diving there 10 years ago. But now we find much more.

 

[diverrex]

I've done Bonaire and Belize each twice. You will definitely see bigger stuff in Belize. If I was going back to either I'd pick Belize, unless I was set on doing 20+ shore dives in a week at Bonire for the same money as 12 or so boat dives at Belize.

 

[gaila]

Thanks...got a surprise for Xmas and will be going to both! Bonaire in March, Belize in May. Will report back. Really appreciate the input.

 

[DeputyDan]

I've done Bonaire and Belize each twice. You will definitely see bigger stuff in Belize. If I was going back to either I'd pick Belize, unless I was set on doing 20+ shore dives in a week at Bonire for the same money as 12 or so boat dives at Belize.

You can shore dive on Bonaire 24/7 for about $130 including Nitrox for a full week.

I could see that going out on the boat twice for two -two tank dives could cost that a day in Belize.

The cost difference may be a valid concern.