Diving in Belize, high-end accomodations?

[ibj40]

I'd add in Turneffe Flats Resort as one you should check into, as well. Stayed there a couple of years ago, and my wife and I were the only two divers for the entire week.

Plus, I believe someone posted a special they are having recently.

 

[FrancisK7]

The opinions on the blue hole are quite polarized... some say its some of the best dives they've had in Belize and many say it's overhyped.

If we only take 10 local dives at the Phoenix and abstain from doing the Blue Hole, the Phoenix is even cheaper (2300$).

Sundancer II did look nice from my research, but we could stay at Turneffe for the same amount of money.

 

[flareside]

Francis, look at the bluehole as a bucket list item. Some people have it on their list, some don't. While it was neither the high point or the low point of my trip, I will never look back wishing I had done something else that day. It was not anything really amazing but was definitely interesting to see and there was certainly no feeling of a wasted dive afterward. Besides, the best part of the blue hole trip is the dives that follow in the national park.

 

[DeputyDan]

When We did a liveaboard in Belize (the PH boat) everyone but one person voted to skip the blue hole.
that one person was my youngest daughter - who didn't want to dive the hole - just see it!

 

[electrix]

We spent a week on the Belize Aggressor III in May it was fantastic we had the master cabin which is the only cabin above deck it's right behind the Captains quarters, did not here anyone complain about their room in the hull although they are much smaller. Food was great the crew was great the diving was great. Wake up have breakfast and dive, hot snacks between dives and a hot towel around your shoulders after each dive and hot chocolate after the night dive. Holds 18 divers this is the way to go if you like to be pampered. They pick you up at the airport and take you to the dock. You can get in 5 dives a day it is pretty much eat, dive, sleep repeat. Two morning dives then the boat moves during lunch to another site then two afternoon dives and a night dive. If you plan your trip about a week before a full moon you don't even have to have a dive light to see. The boat has two floodlights in the hull they turn on which attracts the fish, big Tarpon were all around us at times. I would not think twice about doing this trip again. You never change tanks once you are set up, the fill whips are at each divers station air and nitrox too. Every fill was over 3000psi and I tested every tank for CO and never got anything but .000 readings. You can stay on top of the reef in less than 60' and see everything or go on the outside and down the wall which was fantastic. It can be a long boat ride from some hotels to get to the good spots , one of the day dive boats came close to us one day and they were all staring at us. Plenty of shade too you don't have to get sunburned.

 

[FrancisK7]

Anyone has had experiences with diving at Placencia? Chabilmar looks nice, even though it'd be a bit more expensive than any other options I've considered thus far.

 

[vladimir]

Turneffe Island Resort fulfills most of your requirements. It is a 5-minute skiff ride from The Elbow—arguably the best dive in Belize—relatively upscale and comfortable, and they do a Blue Hole trip every week. (Even if you didn't want to dive the Blue Hole you'd want to take the trip for the other dives on Lighthouse Reef.) However, it is an all-inclusive, obviously, since there is nothing else on that little island, so you will be dining family-style at the same restaurant every night. The food was very good when I visited.

I stayed on the Aggressor on my other two trips to Belize, and I think the diving on average is better off the liveaboards, but my best dives were at the Elbow. I have never dived off the Peter Hughes boat, but I did tour it once. It was a nicer vessel, and they do the same itinerary. Diving the Blue Hole off a day boat might have added appeal for you; there is a higher likelihood of seeing sharks because day boats feed them from that mooring (the liveaboards use a different mooring).

 

[Downing]

I don't see how anyone could say the BH was a "best" dive. Unique, yes. Interesting to many, me included. Complete waste of air to the rest. But not a "best" dive. The other dives in the area would qualify, though.

I'd recommend Turneffe Island Resort if you're determined to do the BH and multiple dives on The Elbow. High end accomodations, great food, it's basically summer camp for adults. Don't let the inclusive thing scare you off. You'd have a wonderful time.

Or head to Placencia, especially if you want to do mainland stuff, too. Stay at either Chabil Mar or Francis Ford Coppola's Turtle Inn. You can dive the BH and Elbow with Splash Dive Center as part of their "Grand Slam" pkg off their brand spankin' new 42-ft Newton but be sure to call ahead to arrange it.

I've been to both TIR and Placencia twice and thoroughly enjoyed them. Different experiences so it depends on your priorities.

 

[FrancisK7]

I've narrowed it down to the Hamanasi. Can't go wrong with 3rd best hotel in Caribbeans I guess. Treehouse looks awesome as well. 2765/person for 7 nights including flight, dives, transfers, food, etc.

Chabil Mar at 3880$/person for 7 nights is incredibly expensive and though Placencia looks awesome, I'm not convinced it's the best bang for the buck even for a luxury resort. At least, I'm not convinced it's worth the extra 1100$/person for the trip over the Hamanasi.

TIR, in spite of the awesome diving it seems to provide, is expensive as well if you consider the accommodations and the limited dining options (3369$/person for 7 nights).

Liveaboards appear to be tremedous, but for this trip, we we're looking for a vacation with some diving, not a diving vacation. We'll definitely do it one day. I'd choose the Sundancer II over the agressor though, based on the reviews. Bigger and a bit cheaper. A 7 nights stay on the Sundancer II would come at 3185$/person, which is still quite bit more than the Hamanasi. I'm sure it's the best diving of any other option, though.

We probably will NOT do the BH on this trip. We'll definitely do it when we do a liveboard in the near future anyway.

 

[t4e]

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.

either we're looking at different hotels or your math is not quite there...all that for $2.5K sounded good so i went to check it out but for the life of me i can't even come close to your price, more like about an extra $1K