Diving in Belize, high-end accomodations?

[FrancisK7]

The GF and I are looking to go dive in Belize in December or January. I thought Belize was a small place but from the research I've done so far there seem to be so many islands I am a little baffled. My first diving trip was in Playa del Carmen this year, and I would never have thought to go there had it not been for the amazing advice I received from the SB forum posters. That trip in PDC/Cozumel was so amazing I am once again hoping for some advice.

I read many great things about Huracan Diving, but from the pictures I've seen, the rooms available appear to be very rustic. I must admit while on vacation I like to treat myself to a little luxury, since I only get 1 week of vacation a year, usually.

We'd like to dive in the blue hole at least once, but we're really looking for a combo of a somewhat luxurious accommodations with a good, reliable dive center in the good spots.

We also prefer NON all-inclusive. In PDC we rented a Penthouse and simply enjoyed eating at the various restaurants, especially those the locals went to. We love discovering new food. We're not fans of big resorts either.

Night life is non important. Being remote is a non issue either. We just want comfort and good dives.

Thank you very much in advance

 

[flareside]

While I can't answer the overall question, I can confirm about Huracan Diving. While the rooms are spartan yet nice, they are a long way from luxury and your dining choices at any given meal are limited to whatever Ruth is cooking. I thoroughly enjoyed staying there (for its good value, great diving, and total relaxation) but it sounds like it is a couple notches below what you are looking for.

 

[koozemani]

The wife and I have been looking at the Chabil mar in Placencia. Splash dive center, which is near by, offers both diving and land excursions.

Why not just look into either the dancer or aggressor boats?

 

[diversteve]

Some to look at:

Turtle Inn | Francis Ford Coppola Blancaneaux Resorts | Belize Vacations | Belize Resort | Belize Holiday | Tikal Vacation
The Best of Belize Hotels & Belize Resorts | Welcome to Hamanasi!
Belize Resorts | Belize Hotels | Belize Diving | Placencia | Luxury Beach Resort - Robert's Grove
Belize Resorts | Vacation in Belize | Belize Hotels | Placencia Resort - Chabil Mar Villas

 

[FrancisK7]

@flareside: thanks for confirming!

Why not just look into either the dancer or aggressor boats?

Are these live-aboard ships?

@diversteve: thanks for the recommendations, looking at them now!

 

[ianr33]

Are these live-aboard ships?

Yes
..

 

[FrancisK7]

I'm really liking Hamanasi.

How's the diving there for novices (~20 dives each?)

Never thought of live-aboards. Can't say I feel good about using a tiny toilet for 7 days.
Edit: Been reading about the SunDancer II trip and I think it looks really, really cool. I didn't even know such things existed. The diving must be absolutely amazing.

 

[Pedro Burrito]

I'm really liking Hamanasi.

How's the diving there for novices (~20 dives each?)

Never thought of live-aboards. Can't say I feel good about using a tiny toilet for 7 days.
Edit: Been reading about the SunDancer II trip and I think it looks really, really cool. I didn't even know such things existed. The diving must be absolutely amazing.

I spent a week at Hamanasi in March, 2010. Hopkins Divers at Hamanasi will take good care of you. They will take you on some beautiful drift dives. They won't, however, allow novices to drop below 60 feet in the Blue Hole. I did 11 dives with them, including the Blue Hole and it was some of my most memorable dives. The Blue Hole trip is long and has three dives. The first is the Blue Hole but the other two dives are incredible. It makes the trip, and the Blue Hole, worth it.

I regularly recommend Hamanasi and it's usually highly rated as I'm sure you've discovered in your research. Get one of the Tree Houses if you can.

Regarding the liveaboards, the small bathroom is a minor problem that you won't even worry about after the first night. You'll rarely spend any time in your bedroom except to sleep and you will sleep well.

 

[FrancisK7]

The Phoenix Resort in San Pedro currently has a very promising Fall special. If you factor all costs and the room, it'd come at a tad under 2500$ with flight and all other fees. This also includes a 75$/day I budgeted for food since it's not all inclusive and we'd have to eat in restaurants. The total fee also includes 11 dives with Chuck and Robbie's, as well as a trip to the Blue Hole. Anybody has experienced the life there? How are the restaurants? Big con at The Phoenix is lack of beach if the gf feels like relaxing. Only a pool.

Hamasani is a little more expensive at 2765$ for a Treehouse (similar luxury value than to the Phoenix), but that doesn't include the fee for a Blue Hole Trip, only 10 local dives. I also read each dive site are 45min away, so at worse we're adding 3 hours to our day in travel time. Food seems good, and beach relaxing. Hamasani is also well placed to try the Whale Shark dives, though I imagine my chances of seeing any in November are very small.

However, I'm also considering Turneffe Island. Most expensive option if we get a Cabana at 3189$, but according to the research, the diving is unbeatable, with the Elbow and atolls being 10 minutes away. Fifteen dives are included in that price, including a trip to the Blue Hole. I'm also worried about lack of food selection and the family style dining. We love to make friends during trips but only if we feel like it.

Here is the pros and cons of each three site I came up with:
-At the present time, the The Phoenix really sounds like the best bang for the buck because of the special. Also voted best hotel in the World, but let us not hold our breath. There seem to be a couple good restaurants in San Pedro, so I'm not worried about food, and we're close to the Mainland if we want to make a trip to the Mayan ruins or other such activity for a day. The resort has no beach, but I suppose there are beach clubs out there. Ambergris Caye diving is supposed to be good according to what I read. Chuck and Robbie's reviews are all raves. Cheapest of all three options and probably most luxurious too.

-As for Hamasani (second best hotel in Caribbeans?), if you get a treehouse and factor extra fee for lighthouse atolls and Blue Hole diving, it's 500$ more than the stay at the Phoenix. Probably offers a quieter stay than in San Pedro but little less luxury (I appreciate intimacy more than over-the-top luxury so treehouses look nice). Food looks good, mainland activities are still a possibility. Bit concerned about the 45min boat trips to dive sites and back. Possibility of Whale Sharks dive. For 200$ though, not sure I'd risk it unless we were in season.

-Finally, Turneffe Island Resort appears to offer the best diving of all three locations due to its southern spot, but is also the most expensive (700$ more than Phoenix Resort, 200$ more than Hamasani) if we get a Cabana. 15 dives, the Elbow is close, trip to the Blue Hole and Lighthouse atolls included. Mainland activities impossible, it's pretty much like a liveaboard program but on the main land. We're stuck there for the trip. No food selection at all (you eat what is served), and family style dining make me antsy. But if our priority is diving, Turneffe looks unbeatable.

Man, there sure are a lot of options.

 

[diversteve]

Hamasani is also well placed to try the Whale Shark dives, though I imagine my chances of seeing any in November are very small.

They won't even try. If they do, don't go. Whale Sharks are only spotted off Belize in late spring/early summer the weeks around the full moon - it's when the Cubera Snapper spawn which is the attraction for them. The diving off Gladden Spit is unexceptional except when a Whale Shark cruises by.

However, I'm also considering Turneffe Island. Most expensive option if we get a Cabana at 3189$, but according to the research, the diving is unbeatable, with the Elbow and atolls being 10 minutes away. Fifteen dives are included in that price, but no trip to the Blue Hole. I'm also worried about lack of food selection and the family style dining. We love to make friends during trips but only if we feel like it.

At the present time the The Phoenix really sounds like the best bang for the buck because of the special. But man, there sure are a lot of options.

Staying on one of the Atolls - or to a lesser extent Ambergris - you're somewhat isolated from the mainland activities like the Mayan ruins, Jaguar preserve, howler monkeys etc. Some of the resorts do run day trips there but I think Turneffe only goes back to the mainland twice a week to exchange guests. So it depends on how much diving/non-diving you plan to do. http://www.turnefferesort.com/resort-info/how-do-you-get-here If you stay on the mainland at one of the mid-country resorts - all of the ones on my list - you trade dive site travel time for other things to do. An exception would be Ambergris but it's mostly beach, restaurants and diving - the mainland is a short flight/ferry ride over.

Really don't base your trip around diving the Blue Hole. It's a signature dive but IMO it's overhyped. If you're novice divers the Blue Hole is not really that good an idea. It's about 130' to see anything, you actually have to (legally) go into Deco to get below the stalagtites and the bottom is a long way down - like 450' IIRC. You might see a few sharks circling deeper but it will be a quick drop with a max of 10mins. at depth - followed by an anxious ascent. If you want to dive a Blue Hole, there's shallower ones in the Bahamas. Other dives in that area are excellent though. As mentioned above, Hamanasi won't let you go deep there - at 60' you'd be watching everyone else.

If you wanted to try a liveaboard, either will pick you up at the airport so your trip would literally cost the price plus fees (around $200iirc) and crew tip. The Belize Aggressor is going to be the nicer of the two boats as far as dining/amenities etc. But Sundancer II is quite a bit larger. You do kind of make friends with everybody on the boat during the week though, it's pretty inevitable.