Little Cayman Beach Resort or Isla Marisol Glover's Reef Belize

[TX Chick]

We are planning a dive trip for the end of August and are trying to decide between Little Cayman or Glover's Reef Belize. Anyone know which has the best diving?

 

[ReadyDiverOne]

Haven’t been to Glover’s Reef but have been to LCBR four times and diving, dive operation and resort are all excellent. Bloody Bay wall diving on north side of island (20-30) minute boat ride is world class—beautiful reefs, walls, swim throughs, lots of life. LCBR and Reef Divers staff all terrific. Highly highly recommend LCBR. Going back in December if I can wait that long!! One caution: watch the weather carefully. Hurricane obviously shuts the place down but strong (18 knot plus) winds blowing from the south southeast can sometimes make waves in cut too large to get out.

 

[KathyV]

They seem like very different destinations. Isla Marisol Glover's is more rustic and it is quite remote so the diving may be more pristine - I don't know, I've never been there. But remote doesn't always mean pristine, I have stayed at the Reef House on Oak Ridge Island off of Roatan and it is remote but not pristine IMO - but Glover's sounds even more remote and less populated - so maybe it really is pristine!

Glover's is known for whale shark diving but I think that is in the Spring, perhaps you'd like to plan something else for August and head to Glover's next Spring?

I noticed that the Isla Marisol website says "air conditioning available on request at time of booking". I'm guessing that means a window unit in the bedroom? That scares me a little because I'm a mosquito-magnet and some of the worst mosquitoes I've encountered on tropical vacations were in Belize, both on the mainland and while spending a week on Ambergris Cay. The only time we weren't tormented by mosquitoes in Belize was on a liveaboard; but maybe mosquitoes aren't a big issue for you?

They have plenty of mosquitoes on Little Cayman too! But I know that the AC works well in the hotel rooms at the LCBR and I find that comforting. I love the LCBR and the Bloody Bay Wall diving, and it is rather remote and quiet but it is not rustic, they even have a small spa!

I think it depends on what you are looking for, there are others here on SB that will be familiar with Isla Marisol at Glover's Reef and will be able to advise you. They probably have smaller dive groups at Marisol than at LCBR.

Please let us know what you find out, it sounds like an interesting place!

 

[AdivingBel]

Not sure about Glover's Reef, but just retuned from the Belize Aggressor IV where we spent the entire week at Lighthouse Reef. Very nice diving...that said Bloody Bay Marine Park, Little Cayman is the best diving I have done in the Caribbean and I've been there in August on several occasions. LCBR will spoil you. All IMHO, YMMV.

 

[ScubaBunga]

I would say you can't go wrong with either of them. As remote as Little Cayman is, Glover's atoll is that much more. At Little Cayman has some small stores and even a sports bar! Isle Marisol has.. well diving (great diving) and a place to sleep. I just got back (April 2018) from LCBR and loved it. I was at Glover's atoll back in October 2001 (been a while) at Manta Resort (across the channel from Isla Marisol). I had been diving around the Caribbean for 10 years at that time and it was my wife's first trip. She saw more that week than I had in the 10 years! If you are ok with very rustic location and have your own entertainment outside diving, I'd say Isle Marisol. If you want to ensure basic comforts and a little extra outside diving and the resort, LCBR. Either way that's a much better choice (win-win) than ANY I've had at my desk today!!!

 

[drrich2]

IIRC, it’s been said that at LCBR you can get 2 morning dives and 1 afternoon dive, and if there’s sufficient interest maybe a couple of night dives in a week?

How many dives can you max. at the other place and dive op.?

 

[KathyV]

IIRC, it’s been said that at LCBR you can get 2 morning dives and 1 afternoon dive, and if there’s sufficient interest maybe a couple of night dives in a week?

How many dives can you max. at the other place and dive op.?

Good point! I found this on the resort's web page "Isla Marisol Resort is a certified PADI Dive Resort offering 3 dives every day and night dives each night." so you could regularly get 4 dives total per day.

 

[ReadyDiverOne]

At LCBR, it’s 2 dives in the morning and one in the afternoon. Only night they offer night dive is Thursday and then only if they have 6 people. Rarely happens, for whatever reason.

 

[scubadada]

At LCBR, it’s 2 dives in the morning and one in the afternoon. Only night they offer night dive is Thursday and then only if they have 6 people. Rarely happens, for whatever reason.

I did 2 night dives on one of my visits to Little Cayman, Tuesday and Thursday.

 

[KathyV]

@Ricardo V. recently supplemented his boat diving on Little Cayman with some shore dives, that is not a common practice but it sound like it has potential, as he says at the link below:

https://www.scubaboard.com/community/posts/8139619/