There really is hardly anything to Belize City. Not a lot to get immersed in.
Help us out - recommend a Belize trip
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There really is hardly anything to Belize City. Not a lot to get immersed in.
OP
cnherrick
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Stoo
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Now Huracan goes on my bucket list
Sorry about that.. It's one of the few times I can't recommend them. I was speaking to the owner just the other day though and they had guests stuck at either end of the trip for two days. There's one especially exposed area east of Turneffe Atoll and waves there were reported at 16' or something evil.
San Pedro/Ambergris Caye would be the obvious spot in Belize I thing.
Alternately, Grand Cayman and so on have excellent healthcare systems I understand.
Downing
Contributor
All of the diving in Belize is easy, even the Blue Hole, so no issues there.
Based on your wish list, I recommend Hamanasi in Hopkins. It's fairly upscale with its own dive operation in-house. You and your brother could spend some time in Hopkins or do other mainland stuff, like cave rafting, zip lining and/or Mayan ruins clambering. You would even be fairly close to Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), which is a once in a lifetime type experience.
You probably wouldn't be able to book an entire boat, though. If that's at the top of your priority list you might want to talk to Ralph and Patty at Splash in Placencia. They have four boats, a couple of which are pretty small and depending on how booked they are they might be able to accommodate you. I know that under the circumstances they would try. You could also try Turtle Inn and Roberts Grove in Placencia. Definitely something you would need to arrange in advance. You didn't say when you plan to go but your chances of scoring your own boat would be better in the summer, during the slow season.
If you're willing to skip the immersion into Belize, then there are several resorts on the cayes that are exceptional: Turneffe Island Resort, Turnfeffe Flats and Blackbird Caye to the north and Hatchet Caye to the south. They're like summer camp for adults in that all you do is eat, sleep, dive and relax and everything's within a five minute walk. You definitely wouldn't be able to reserve your own boat, but the number of divers would be small, especially in the summer. When we stayed at TIR twice, we never had more than six divers and sometimes as small as two or three on each of their two boats.
You could also consider splitting your time between one of the caye resorts and spending time on the mainland. If you did that, then I'd recommend heading into the Caye District. Lots of "eco-resorts" in the jungle around San Ignacio, and you would be really close to ATM and the Caracol and Tikal ruins. Or go really remote and stay at Chan Chich near Gallon Jug and check out Barry Bowen's estate and still be relatively close to those three.
Skip Belize City unless you need to stay there to get out to one of the cayes. It's a rough town, to put it mildly, and not really set up for tourists.
Good for you for taking your brother on a trip under these circumstances. Lotta love there.
Based on your wish list, I recommend Hamanasi in Hopkins. It's fairly upscale with its own dive operation in-house. You and your brother could spend some time in Hopkins or do other mainland stuff, like cave rafting, zip lining and/or Mayan ruins clambering. You would even be fairly close to Actun Tunichil Muknal (ATM), which is a once in a lifetime type experience.
You probably wouldn't be able to book an entire boat, though. If that's at the top of your priority list you might want to talk to Ralph and Patty at Splash in Placencia. They have four boats, a couple of which are pretty small and depending on how booked they are they might be able to accommodate you. I know that under the circumstances they would try. You could also try Turtle Inn and Roberts Grove in Placencia. Definitely something you would need to arrange in advance. You didn't say when you plan to go but your chances of scoring your own boat would be better in the summer, during the slow season.
If you're willing to skip the immersion into Belize, then there are several resorts on the cayes that are exceptional: Turneffe Island Resort, Turnfeffe Flats and Blackbird Caye to the north and Hatchet Caye to the south. They're like summer camp for adults in that all you do is eat, sleep, dive and relax and everything's within a five minute walk. You definitely wouldn't be able to reserve your own boat, but the number of divers would be small, especially in the summer. When we stayed at TIR twice, we never had more than six divers and sometimes as small as two or three on each of their two boats.
You could also consider splitting your time between one of the caye resorts and spending time on the mainland. If you did that, then I'd recommend heading into the Caye District. Lots of "eco-resorts" in the jungle around San Ignacio, and you would be really close to ATM and the Caracol and Tikal ruins. Or go really remote and stay at Chan Chich near Gallon Jug and check out Barry Bowen's estate and still be relatively close to those three.
Skip Belize City unless you need to stay there to get out to one of the cayes. It's a rough town, to put it mildly, and not really set up for tourists.
Good for you for taking your brother on a trip under these circumstances. Lotta love there.
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Get in touch with David Thomas Cal who operates B&D Belize Magical Adventures. He has a small operation but some of the best personal service and great rates.
NYBoilermaker
Registered
So sorry to hear about your Brother Chuck. This is going to be great trip!
I recommend Turneffe Island Resort Turneffe Island Resort – Private Diving & Fishing Resort – Belize hands down. We can't wait to go back. Aside from the great service, the convenient but great diving and location, you can most definitely spend time doing other things for those who don't want to dive. Paddleboarding, snorkeling, world class fishing (Grand Slam) and kayaking...or if you want to relax, here's the best spot to read a good book or take in the sunrise before another great day of diving...
I recommend Turneffe Island Resort Turneffe Island Resort – Private Diving & Fishing Resort – Belize hands down. We can't wait to go back. Aside from the great service, the convenient but great diving and location, you can most definitely spend time doing other things for those who don't want to dive. Paddleboarding, snorkeling, world class fishing (Grand Slam) and kayaking...or if you want to relax, here's the best spot to read a good book or take in the sunrise before another great day of diving...
Damselfish
Contributor
What did your brother not like about Coz? What attracts him to Belize?
I like Belize but it's a relatively big place and tricky to get everything you want in one spot. If "immersion into Belize" means doing some of the stuff Belize is known for - like ruins, cave tubing/canoeing, all the jungle stuff - well that's mainland/inland and a haul from any of the diving. As mentioned, you can do sightseeing from the southern resorts, like around Placencia or Hopkins. At least then you can drive to stuff, but the reef is further away so days on the dive boat will be longer. Or you can do tours from Ambergris Caye, where the diving is close, but tours start with getting back to the mainland. Either way, day trips will tend to take the better part of a day, rather than a dive in the morning and tour in the afternoon thing. My position has always been that if you want to do both things, you're better off splitting a trip (ideally more than a week) between a dive spot and a mainland spot (not Belize City!) But if you want to stay in one place, someplace like Hamanasi might be your best compromise. Others can comment better on the diving in those places, as I've not been to Ambergris and have only done a handful of dives in the Placencia area. Most of my diving has been by liveaboard.
Staying someplace like Turneffe or other remote island and atoll resorts might be nice, but probably doesn't meet any definition of immersion and maybe not medical concerns either. Most will say you'll get the best Belize diving from a liveaboard, but again you'll have to plan a land stay for other activities, and there's the medical thing again. If you decide convenient access to doctors and an airport is very important, someplace like Cayman would meet the need much better than anyplace you'd want to stay in Belize. Realistically, whatever you're doing in Belize, you're likely to be somewhat remote.
I like Belize but it's a relatively big place and tricky to get everything you want in one spot. If "immersion into Belize" means doing some of the stuff Belize is known for - like ruins, cave tubing/canoeing, all the jungle stuff - well that's mainland/inland and a haul from any of the diving. As mentioned, you can do sightseeing from the southern resorts, like around Placencia or Hopkins. At least then you can drive to stuff, but the reef is further away so days on the dive boat will be longer. Or you can do tours from Ambergris Caye, where the diving is close, but tours start with getting back to the mainland. Either way, day trips will tend to take the better part of a day, rather than a dive in the morning and tour in the afternoon thing. My position has always been that if you want to do both things, you're better off splitting a trip (ideally more than a week) between a dive spot and a mainland spot (not Belize City!) But if you want to stay in one place, someplace like Hamanasi might be your best compromise. Others can comment better on the diving in those places, as I've not been to Ambergris and have only done a handful of dives in the Placencia area. Most of my diving has been by liveaboard.
Staying someplace like Turneffe or other remote island and atoll resorts might be nice, but probably doesn't meet any definition of immersion and maybe not medical concerns either. Most will say you'll get the best Belize diving from a liveaboard, but again you'll have to plan a land stay for other activities, and there's the medical thing again. If you decide convenient access to doctors and an airport is very important, someplace like Cayman would meet the need much better than anyplace you'd want to stay in Belize. Realistically, whatever you're doing in Belize, you're likely to be somewhat remote.
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Hank49
Contributor
Glover's Atoll Resort, Belize
Or, Marisol Resort, Glovers Reef.
Dive sites are 5-10minutes away. Some of the best dives in Belize.
I really like Glovers Atholl Resort. A bit sparce as far as first class but nice huts and very knowledgeable people. They have some huts here in Sittee River, which is beautiful, and they take you out to Glovers from here or Dangriga.
Or, Marisol Resort, Glovers Reef.
Dive sites are 5-10minutes away. Some of the best dives in Belize.
I really like Glovers Atholl Resort. A bit sparce as far as first class but nice huts and very knowledgeable people. They have some huts here in Sittee River, which is beautiful, and they take you out to Glovers from here or Dangriga.
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