How about Belize!

[Parsons]

Been to Little Cayman and Bonaire. I liked diving one alot more than the other. Is Belize more Little Cay or Bonaire? Dive shop planning trip.

Thanks DP

 

[Gaz]

Hi

Belize is such a diverse diving destination and has lots of different diving depending on where in the country you decide to dive.

Both the places you mention I would say that Belize in the Atolls is more akin to Little Cayman with regards to Bonaire Belize has lots fo Big fish as opposed to Bonaire which tends lack bigger fish species.

Ambergris Caye tend to be choppier diving than both those locations since they are located on the lee side as compared to the winward side like Ambergris.

Spend a lot of time researching to be sure you dive the part of Belize that best suits your tastes in diving.

Take a look at my dive Belize site which has some interesting articles posted and lots of dive site descriptions

Gaz

 

[Rescue Diver68]

I agree with Gaz. It totally depends on where in Belize you go.In terms of fish life(size aside)and reef colors I can tell that diving Ambergris Caye is not in the same class as Bonaire or Caymans. Blackbird is better but still not even close. If you go to Long Caye or Half Moon Caye you are looking at comparable diving. The diving in Belize is a very wide variety in my opinion. I haven't tried any of the southern Atolls (yet).

 

[DeputyDan]

I have only dove in Belize by liveaboard. The diving out on the outer fringe islands was more like reefs in Bonaire but with bigger fish and moray eels.

I dove the Caymans by liveaboard also, and it was my favorite - I would return to any of the three without hesitation.

 

[Parsons]

The dive shop likes Ambergris Caye, more places to eat,etc. But checking out Gaz,s web site a trip to the Blue Hole with two Lighthouse wall dives and a trip to Tuneffe Atoll could get some diverity in the trip which is what I like. Thank you all for the great input.

DP

 

[Rescue Diver68]

It will be a long ride to the Blue Hole and Turneffe from AC. These are usually special and more expensive trips.
When we stayed in AC they did not have enough divers to make the trip. Fortunately we also went to Blackbird and got to the much shorter ride to the BH and Lighthouse. They are both fabulous dive sites.
AC does have a nice little laid back town and good food. Elvie's is not to miss if it is still open. Hol Chan in AC does have good diving and is an amazing night dive.
But the local diving is better in other parts of Belize.

 

[Gaz]

The Blue Hole trip form Ambergris is a long day but well worth it for the dives you will do, it takes about 2 hours and a half to get out there and you will do the Blue Hole Plus 2 wall dives.

A nice additional day of diving when diving Ambergris caye.

Gaz

 

[underwater5]

gaz, saw your info about Glovers....
keep it coming......YGPM

 

[Edward3c]

If your looking for something different then Reef Conservation International operating out of Punta Gorda and diving in the Sapodilla Cayes (a marine reserve).

See ReefCI

Edward

 

[peterbj7]

Ambergris Caye diving is (IMO) very good, but if you dive the same reef much further south in the Southwater Caye Marine Reserve you see quite different diving. Walls rather like the walls at the atolls. I love both. I regard the Blue Hole as a bit of an anticlimax, not much more than a bounce dive to about 150ft and over very quickly. There's also little to see there other than the stalactites and stalagmites - no coral and no colour. But neat as a one-off. If you dive it as a technical dive that's another matter, but most people aren't able to do that.