Macro Photography in Belize

[Richard H]

Thinking of going to Belize in Q1 2009. I'm looking for somewhere that has the following :

1. Good macro photo opportunities.

2. Snorkelling for my wife, ideally she will come on the boat with the divers.

3. Quiet. No big party place.

4. Certain degree of comfort We aren't backpackers

Finally what is the weather like in that period ? Is it humid / hot ?

I have mostly dived in Asia (Bunaken, Bali, Lembeh, Sipadan) to date and fancied trying something different.

Thanks a lot,

Richard

 

[drew travers]

Our VRBO 55689 cabana suite may be what you are looking for. Drew

 

[peterbj7]

I can't speak for Placencia, though I do know of it as being quite a busy place these days. Caye Caulker would be quieter than San Pedro, though I think you'd be struggling on the "luxury" front. On Ambergris Caye there are several lovely quiet resorts well north of San Pedro, and to pick one I can recommend Portofino.

Another place that may well fill the bill is a private island resort in the mid-south of Belize called Thatch Caye. Quiet luxury without obsequiousness, and somewhere that IMO is worth far more than its modest charges.

Snorkelling rarely goes with diving, and I can think of very few places where divers and snorkellers could go on the same boat and both be satisfied. Hol Chan, south of Ambergris Caye, is one of those places. There is a similar place 5 or 6 minutes boat ride from Thatch Caye, close to Tobacco Caye.

When you say "macro photography" I'm not at all sure what you mean. By its very nature macro can be done virtually anywhere, even inside an office. What are you seeking? If you're thinking of underwater macro photography, then I think the above dive/snorkel site near Thatch Caye would be ideal. The island would provide a great deal of scope for macro, as there's a lot of varied vegetation and quite a few species of animals. I think the area of Portofino would also allow good land-based macro.

Forgot the weather question. In January it will be relatively cool (for Belize) to the extent that you may want long trousers and a light sweatshirt in the evenings. On a boat when you're wet you may like to wear a loose-fitting windproof cape or coat to reduce evaporation, especially after a night dive. During the day you'll usually find it hot and sunny, and a great improvement on London!

 

[Redondoscubadude]

You might want to check Isla Marisol resort on Glover's Reef. Excellent photo ops. My non-diving wife pronounced it the best snorkeling she's done - and from the beach. Remote and MTV will never film a Spring Break special there.

Belize vacation resort – Isla Marisol

 

[Richard H]

Thanks guys.

I did mean underwater macro photography. Are there little critters to photograph in Belize or is it all big fish wide angle photography ? In Asia there are masses of little stuff to photo.

 

[peterbj7]

It's mostly little critters here. Although we do have the odd larger creature, such as sharks, turtles and spotted eagle rays (and occasionally manta rays) you can go several dives without seeing any. I've done day and night dives at the site off Tobacco Caye, without a camera, but if I had had one I could easily have taken 100 shots per dive. Really worthwhile is finding an octopus and then trying to maintain your sight of it as it constantly changes appearance according to the background. I don't know why we call this chameleon-like, as the octopus does it so much better.

On the northern cayes (principally Ambergris and Caulker) the reef is around 1/2 mile away and there's little of interest inside it. So most photo shoots would be from a boat. An exception is that if you look VERY closely at the piers of docks, especially older established ones, you stand a good chance of seeing a tiny sea horse.

 

[Ecologic Divers]

As Peter said Porotifino is a great area for macro, Nice resort as well. There are two areas on Ambergris Caye you can go and dive/snorkel, Mexico Rocks and Hol Chan our marine reserve.
Outside the reef you you will have a lot of opportunities to macro photography, our dive masters carry cameras and you should see the shots they get.

I second the Middle Belize area and the resort Thatch Caye, very nice very private. you might want to split your time between both.
Enjoy

 

[Ecologic Divers]

As Peter said Porotifino is a great area for macro, Nice resort as well. There are two areas on Ambergris Caye you can go and dive/snorkel, Mexico Rocks and Hol Chan our marine reserve.
Outside the reef you you will have a lot of opportunities to macro photography, our dive masters carry cameras and you should see the shots they get.

I second the Middle Belize area and the resort Thatch Caye, very nice very private. you might want to split your time between both.
Enjoy

 

[Yobubba]

Steve i think its spelled Portofino.
But their is also Journeys End in that area that runs big dive package specials.

 

[peterbj7]

It hardly meets "quiet, not big party place".