Hamanasi Belize trip

[floydpackard]

My wife and I just got back from a week of diving off the southern reef. We had a great time. We stayed at the Hamanasi resort and really enjoyed it. It is quite isolated and there is no night life, TV or town of any report around. Some people like it that way and others prefer more top side action. The resort is very nice. The food was great and the ac was welcome. The one bad thing about the area is you are about 30 minutes from the reef and while we were there the weather was up and we were continually beating into the waves. There is no lee diving out there. My wife and I are beginning divers and this is only our second trip, our first being to Cozumel for our ow. They were very helpful with both of us. The dive masters were great also, very kind and helpful even with sea sickness issues with my wife. The reef was very nice. No other divers were seen all week other than our group. Nice large coral formations and large sponges. Turtles, eagle rays on most dives. Sharks, morays and all kinds of fish. The viz was moderate with the rough weather. We hit Glovers and really enjoyed it also. All in all a very nice place. I would recomend it to anyone who wants reefs that have very little traffic and like it quite. The one negative was not having sheltered diving from the elements and the longer boat ride.
Floyd

 

[triggertravel]

Floyd, Thank you for sharing your trip. My wife are planning to stay at the same resort next May. Do you have any advice on places to eat or tours to take?

Thanks,
Will

 

[floydpackard]

You will not find any place to eat outside of the resort. There is a small town called Hopkins that is about a 15 minute bike ride from town. We went into Hopkins once and that was enough for us. Other people enjoyed Hopkins and the drum maker there. The food was very good at the resort and presented on white table cloths and candle light. I liked their coconut icecream. We had lobster and several other great menu items. We had several people that went on the tours that they have. The water fall tour is rigorous but very spectacular. Several of them really enjoyed the cave trip. The ruins were also very enjoyable for several of them but it is a longer drive. The jaguar tour was so so, of course they saw no cats and it was mostly jungle. We did not do any of the out side tours as we were there to dive. The pool is very nice and the grounds well kept. The rooms are also very nice. The diving was very enjoyable with large critters seen every time and tons of reef fishes. The coral and sponges and fans covered every inch of the reef and it was well developed. The walls start at about 50 feet and drop off steep from there. We did the trip to glover atol and were glad we did it was very nice. I watched underwater video from those that did Turneff and it was also very nice with large schools of fish at the elbow. You will have a great trip. There are sand fleas so take some deet. I used light weight long pants and had no problems. Others that wore shorts seemed to get bitten up more. It seemed to me that the women got bitten worse than the men. Don't ask we why. We enjoyed our room on the lower floor not one of the tree houses. It put us closer to the pool, the dock and dining and we still had a view. You should have a great time.
Floyd

 

[triggertravel]

Thank you for the response. I was worried I was going to have another CoCo View experience. This place sounds incredible! Thanks again for taking the time to respond.
Will

 

[hebrideskid]

Could you elaborate on your CoCoView experience?

 

[gypsyjim]

My girl friend and I are also visiting Belize this March, and staying at Hamanasi. I'm the diver, she may someday finnish her cert. but is more interrested in the tours (and the sun). I read that there is a "druming center" or school there that is an enjoyable experience. Any other comments or suggestions about this resort or the diving there? Jim.

 

[triggertravel]

Could you elaborate on your CoCoView experience?[/QUOTE

CoCo view was one of those places people really like or really hate. Out of 30 people at our resort....39 were sick! I'm not sure if it was the food or the sess pool the penisula Coco view sits in. The dive staff was great. The resort staff seem to be more about their day than the guests. Had I not been sick and ignored the indifferent staff...this could be a great place. I wish I would have stayed at Anthony's Key.

 

[triggertravel]

My girl friend and I are also visiting Belize this March, and staying at Hamanasi. I'm the diver, she may someday finnish her cert. but is more interrested in the tours (and the sun). I read that there is a "druming center" or school there that is an enjoyable experience. Any other comments or suggestions about this resort or the diving there? Jim.

You'll have to let us know how Hamanasi is and the drumming center!

 

[traveltina]

So my husband and I are renting a car - is there a city close by to eat other than Hopkins?

 

[gypsyjim]

Hi. Just got back from Hopkins @2:30 this AM. Not only is there no city near Hopkins, there is very little else near Hopkins. It is a very basic native oceanside settlement with a lot of character, very poor and yet very friendly to visiters. Other guests at Hamanasi Resort, where we stayed rented a car and drove. They had a ball, but although there are a great many very small native spots to eat we can't offer much help. We did have a real ball at the Drumming Center in Hopkins, an extremely primative outdoor watering hole where strangers are welcomed and the young drummers involve everyone in the evenings events. Remember though, I did say primative. By the way, absolutely fabulous diving on the Southern Reef, Grovers Reef, and Turniff Atoles. Enjoy! Jim