If I were to choose one spot to rent....

[runway1]

If I were going to Belize for the first time - and I needed to choose one spot to rent for 1-2 weeks of diving and non-diving pleasantries, where would that spot be? One of the Cayes. Corozal, Belize district??

Inputs are greatly appreciated

 

[Downing]

Well, unless you're a glutton for punishment you probably wouldn't want to spend two weeks in the Belize district. Belize City is um, rough around the edges, and you can see and do what there is to see and do in that district in a couple of days.

But the rest of the country's one big tourist happy pot.

Since you're going for two weeks, you might want to divide your vacation between a caye or cayes and then Cayo, so you would dive one week and hang out in the jungle the next. Or vice-versa.

Or maybe head south to Placencia, where I'll be going next summer for two weeks (but it will be my third time to Belize, not my first), and split your time more equally between diving and running around the mainland.

Imho, it's hard to go wrong in Belize.

As you probably know, the "signature" dive there is the Blue Hole. Some hate it, some love it. There are threads on this forum that can help you decide which camp you're in. If you decide that's a dive you'll want to do, then that will probably influence where you stay for at least some of your trip.

A great travel book is Insight Guides Belize. Three hundred and fifty pages chock full of info, maps and color photographs. Lots of great ideas on where to stay, what to do and what to see.

 

[runway1]

I liked the blue hole in the Bahamas, but it's not a priority for me in Belize. Looks like the Cayes in various spots is the ticket. Thanks for the great tips!

Anybody else? Maybe a specific Caye/spot for a non-diving wife??

 

[Gaz]

For a 2 week stay I would not really advise one spot, Belize offers such a diversity and to stay in one spot for 2 whole weeks you would be be doing yourself an injustice.

Spend a week on Ambergris or Placencia or if you want the best diving Belize has to offer spend the first week on a Liveaboard or Turneffe or Glovers, then 4 nights on Ambergris or Placencia then 3 nights in Cayo in the jungles.

You could have a fantastic trip if you took in several locations rather than just one

Gaz Cooper

 

[DeputyDan]

When we did our Belize trip - we stayed almost two weeks and divided the trip into two parts.

Diving one week - jungle & Mayan activities the second week!

Don't regret a thing!

 

[runway1]

Awesome folks. Thanks for the tips!

 

[Damselfish]

I agree if you've got 2 weeks, do a week at a good dive location (or better yet a liveaboard) and the other inland. Trying to dive and tour from one place is somewhat possible, but a sort of inefficient compromise as it can take a lot of time getting between things. Where ever you are there will probably be things you'd like to do that just aren't practical from there - not talking about one small island here. So I wouldn't make that compromise your first time there if you don't have to or know that's what you really want.

And yeah, Belize city area is not where you go on vacation except to pass through on your way elsewhere.

 

[peterbj7]

I'd say a week on the northern cayes or somewhere within easy reach of Southwater Marine Park, followed by a second week staying at pone of the rural lodges somewhere near San Ignacio - Black Rock perhaps.

Diving on the barrier reef is totally different at the northern cayes (Ambergris or Caulker) from Southwater. Off Ambergris we have classic but quite rare coral spur-and-groove formations; Southwater has wall diving rather akin to the atolls (though not as good as the best, which IMHO is at Lighthouse Atoll).

The one thing I'd warn against is trying to cram too much into your two weeks. You need time to relax and live Belize time!

 

[Ralph Capeling]

You could probably get the best of both worlds by coming to Placencia. I say this because of the good access to inland attractions from Placencia and ability to adjust your plan on a daily basis between diving and inland attractions depending on the weather on any given day. You can check out Splash at Scuba Diving, Snorkeling & Whale sharks Belize|Splash Dive Center|Placencia Belize. Our core business has been diving and snorkeling but we do adventure tours. To find our inland tours go to Dive Center and click on other amenities where we list the most popular ones (we are still working on a separate website for inland tours) or contact Patty patricia@splashbelize.com

 

[runway1]

Excellent! Any good shore diving spots or is the area basically a boat diving environment?

Placencia, huh? A strong consideration. Thank you.