Looking for Recommendations for Ambergris Caye Diving!

[mollyr]

Hi! I'm looking for recommendations for a scuba trip I am planning to Ambergris Caye in March. There are three divers and we are debating if we should dive either the Blue Hole or Turneffe Atoll. Has anyone done a shallower (not 120 feet) dive in the Blue Hole? I've heard this may be an option but not sure if its worth it for the less experienced divers. Additionally, how difficult is the boat ride out to these locations (very choppy?)?

If you've done this trip, are there any dive shops you recommend? We also have some snorkelers joining the trip so any dive shops that let snorkelers tag along would be great!!

 

[rudylgza]

I went with Amigos Del Mar. Did multiple days of diving and one day of snorkeling with just the wife and I. I dove the Blue Hole and it was "meh", Turneffe Atoll I am told is the better site. The boat trip was long but fine, would really depend on the day. Local dive trips were also good and are only a 5 minute boat ride out. Overall great diving, sharks on every dive, turtles, octopus, lobster.

 

[Knockneed Man]

Hi! I'm looking for recommendations for a scuba trip I am planning to Ambergris Caye in March. There are three divers and we are debating if we should dive either the Blue Hole or Turneffe Atoll. Has anyone done a shallower (not 120 feet) dive in the Blue Hole? I've heard this may be an option but not sure if its worth it for the less experienced divers. Additionally, how difficult is the boat ride out to these locations (very choppy?)?

If you've done this trip, are there any dive shops you recommend? We also have some snorkelers joining the trip so any dive shops that let snorkelers tag along would be great!!

Being that no one else has chimed in, I’ll give you my outdated opinion. I went in 2004 and dove the blue hole, which to me was an incredible dive - you dropped down to a shallow sandy flat at 40ft to wait for the group, then Superman’d off a ledge free falling to 140ft, then cut back in and wove in and out of the stalactites. Off in the blue towards the middle you could see at least fifty sharks - reefs and bulls. Then we ascended back to the sandy flat and sat on our knees as the dive boat threw tons of chum at the surface, as forty reef sharks moved in and went crazy - it sounded like thunder. As soon as they stopped the chumming the sharks immediately disappeared and we surfaced. Apparently the chumming is no longer allowed and everyone says it’s “boring”. But for me it was epic.

 

[schuylerclark]

The diving off Ambergris Caye is very nice, with quick boat rides out and back. The trip to Turneffe and Lighthouse Atoll is quite long, but the diving was spectacular. On the day trip to Lighthouse we went to Blue Hole, Half Moon Wall, and Aquarium with lunch on Half Moon Caye. One of the best days I've spent diving, and the Blue Hole wasn't the main reason why.

 

[34109411]

Hi! I'm looking for recommendations for a scuba trip I am planning to Ambergris Caye in March. There are three divers and we are debating if we should dive either the Blue Hole or Turneffe Atoll. Has anyone done a shallower (not 120 feet) dive in the Blue Hole? I've heard this may be an option but not sure if its worth it for the less experienced divers. Additionally, how difficult is the boat ride out to these locations (very choppy?)?

If you've done this trip, are there any dive shops you recommend? We also have some snorkelers joining the trip so any dive shops that let snorkelers tag along would be great!!

i went often to BZE. The blue hole is in turneff Atoll. Usually a dive at the blue hole is one dive there and two at turneffe. I use to stay in Caye Caulker and use Frenchy's. Yes it s a long ride to get to the blue hole like 2-3 hrs if i recall.

For the blue hole if it didn't change you need to be AOW.

As soon as you go off the ledge is pitch black yes it s nice and everything you could go see to the rock formation.

Much more fun and enjoyable is to stay much much shallower before the drop and play with the shark and the marine life, happen to me end up doing 1 hrs dive beside other diver that did 8 minutes bottom time at 42 meters.

Ask your dive master if you could stay with your group of 3 at a shallower depth he will bring the others deeper as they wish.

Sometimes they put deco bottle under the boat cause people will run out of air while at the safety stop. ( not sure if you call this a proper deco bottle but you understand what i mean).

 

[Edward3c]

I did the Blue Hole once and turned down many offers since. I spent 3 months on Turneffe Atoll when we a ran fun there every week, as a break from the survey work we were doing. The dives round Half Moon are worth it.

 

[34109411]

I did the Blue Hole once and turned down many offers since. I spent 3 months on Turneffe Atoll when we a ran fun there every week, as a break from the survey work we were doing. The dives round Half Moon are worth it.

lucky you are !

 

[crofrog]

The blue hole sucks. The other dives around half moon Caye are amazing.

 

[Edward3c]

lucky you are !

It was a Coral Cay Conservation expedition. We were based on Calabash Caye doing line surveys from 30m to the reef crest.

 

[laurenceh]

If you want great diving I would skip Ambergris Caye, it's glory days are in the past, too many tourists and cruise shippers nowadays. Head south for great diving and lovely unspoiled places to stay - Turneffe Atoll, Glovers Reef, Lighthouse Reef etc.