General Belize question...

[TruckDiver1981]

Hi all, just a quick one. My girlfriend and myself are discussing our next 'long haul' holiday, and Belize is high on the list. It would be roughly mid december time that we would go through to early January. Am i right in thinking there are year round dive sites which would be suitable at this sort of time of year?

Thanks for any help/info/tips

 

[T.C.]

Hi all, just a quick one. My girlfriend and myself are discussing our next 'long haul' holiday, and Belize is high on the list. It would be roughly mid december time that we would go through to early January. Am i right in thinking there are year round dive sites which would be suitable at this sort of time of year?

Thanks for any help/info/tips

You are correct that there are year-round sites. I dove there last year in mid January and had no issues with cold, current, low-viz or any other detraction.

May I make a recommendation? If you're looking for a great land excursion, I went to the Caves Branch Jungle Lodge, for a few days, and had a great time. They'll pick you up at the airport, and take you back to anywhere in Belize City.

I did that, and then went on the Belize Aggressor III Liveaboard. It was great diving, good food, and comfortable to live in. I'm certain that your girlfriend would enjoy both trips.

I'd be happy to answer any questions about these.

 

[Mark IV]

I lived and worked in the western Caribbean area for many years, and got down to Belize a number of times, over several years. I've dived Cay Caulker and Ambergris Cay, and did a small live aboard with a couple freinds that ran out of Ambergris, and went to the blue hole, half moon cay, etc.
In my experince, Belize has relatively cloudy water and brown lifeless reefs, and isn't worth the cost and trouble of going for diving, versus other options. The same goes for Roatan. I'm not saying they're utter dogshit, but they're hardly impressive. If you haven't been to Cozumel, that's where I'd recommend, for the region. The diving is tough to beat (in this hemisphere), and you get that whole exotic-foreign-paradise vibe, without the cost and trouble of flying halfway around the world. It's also safer and cheaper than many foreign localles.
Also, I haven't personally dived the Caymans or the ABC's, but I had tons of freinds that had worked in both, from what i understand, they're all better than Belize or Roatan (though they're probably gonna be more expensive overall, than belize or roatan).
JMHO, take it for what you paid for it.

 

[Diver Rick]

.....In my experince, Belize has relatively cloudy water and brown lifeless reefs, and isn't worth the cost and trouble of going for diving, versus other options......

I agree 100%. And your friends are correct about the ABC's and Caymans. More specifically, Bonaire and Little Cayman/Cayman Brac have by far the clearest waters and abundant wildlife underwater than anywhere else in the Caribbean.

But yes, more expensive.

 

[TruckDiver1981]

Thank you one and all. It would be a mixed holiday of diving and also diving

 

[lthomas132]

I lived and worked in the western Caribbean area for many years, and got down to Belize a number of times, over several years. I've dived Cay Caulker and Ambergris Cay, and did a small live aboard with a couple freinds that ran out of Ambergris, and went to the blue hole, half moon cay, etc.
In my experince, Belize has relatively cloudy water and brown lifeless reefs, and isn't worth the cost and trouble of going for diving, versus other options. The same goes for Roatan. I'm not saying they're utter dogshit, but they're hardly impressive. If you haven't been to Cozumel, that's where I'd recommend, for the region. The diving is tough to beat (in this hemisphere), and you get that whole exotic-foreign-paradise vibe, without the cost and trouble of flying halfway around the world. It's also safer and cheaper than many foreign localles.
Also, I haven't personally dived the Caymans or the ABC's, but I had tons of freinds that had worked in both, from what i understand, they're all better than Belize or Roatan (though they're probably gonna be more expensive overall, than belize or roatan).
JMHO, take it for what you paid for it.

Yea, I just hate diving off Belize. Visibility can only be 100 ft. or so, terrible. This pic is from Turneffe Atoll. Please don't dive here, save it for the rest of us![ I hate it, & that's why we're going back in April.ATTACH=full]444206[/ATTACH]

 

[Mark IV]

Yea, I just hate diving off Belize. Visibility can only be 100 ft. or so, terrible. This pic is from Turneffe Atoll. Please don't dive here, save it for the rest of us![ I hate it, & that's why we're going back in April.

LOL, will you calm down already?
I clearly stated that it was only my humble opinion, (which another diver immediately concurred with, as did a majority of other people I've known that have dived there.)
And obviously, there can be better and worse conditions at different times and different locations.

 

[lthomas132]

LOL, will you^ calm down already?
I clearly stated that it was only my humble opinion, (which another diver immediately concurred with, as did a number of other people I've known that have dived there.)

Your opinion & 25 cents used to get you a cup of coffee.

 

[Mark IV]

Your opinion & 25 cents used to get you a cup of coffee.

Yeah,ok, so what's your point ? The OP is asking for info on diving in Belize. I've been diving in Belize. I offered my opinion, based on numerous dives, spread out over several years. No harm/no foul.

 

[lthomas132]

Yeah,ok, so what's your point ? The OP is asking for info on diving in Belize. I've been diving in Belize. I offered my opinion, based on numerous dives, spread out over several years. No harm/no foul.

True, but I hate misrepresentation. Do try Cayman Brac and Bonaire sometime. Did my first diving at Cozumel in 1982. IMHO it has gotten overcrowded with too many cruise boats and high rise resorts. One of my old dive buddies said: Diving in the Caribbean is like sex, even the worst I had was good!