Need help diving in Belize

[Shipwreckscanada]

I read many of the posts regarding Belize and found them interesting.

As a result, I would like to go to the following dive sites and activities.

Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley
Great Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef
Whale sharks

I can only do three dive trips since I’m not going alone and I am the only diver.

If this was the only chance you had to go diving in Belize, would these be good choices?
If not, what do you recommend?

 

[peterbj7]

Hol Chan is a very shallow site suitable for divers and snorkellers, and is often used when sea conditions are too rough to go outside the barrier reef.I wouldn't target it as a place to seek to dive.

The Blue Hole is a very deep (maybe 145ft) bounce dive over no bottom, and although it's a "bucket list" dive and is dived by many inexperienced people it usually disappoints. If I had only time for a few dives I wouldn't do it. The two dives that follow it on the typical day trip are superb, but require a considerable investment in both time and money.

To see whale sharks you need to be in southern Belize (eg. Placencia) within a few days of the full moon in (probably) April-June.

For me to give a complete answer to your question I need to know where you'll be staying, and what the non-divers in your group will be doing.

 

[Downing]

Per the Splash Dive Center website, the remaining Whale Shark "season" looks like this:

•April 25th to May 4th
•May 25th to June 4th
•June 23rd to July 2nd

As Peter said, you would need to go further south than AC if you're hunting Whale Sharks.

Placencia feels like an island but is actually a peninsula, so if your non-diving friends are into mainland stuff like Mayan ruins and jungle hikes those activities are a short drive up the one and only highway. They can do the same from AC but given that it's an island the logistics are more involved.

If they just want to hang on the beach and soak up the rays, both Placencia and AC have plenty of that.

If they're into boozing it up day and night, Placencia has some and AC has more of that sort of thing.

Shortest trip to the Blue Hole would be Hurracan Diving or one of the resorts on the atoll. Longest trip would be from Placencia, but Splash offers a package where you dive up and back over two days. In the middle would be from AC, about two and a half hours each way.

 

[Hostage]

I went to AC as a family trip for the two past years. Only a very small handful of us were actually divers 3/8+. I think we only did about four dives, the last of which was amazing as we swam with very curious dolphins: Scuba Diving with Dolphins in Belize - YouTube

Though our DM Lauddy (sp?) said that was very rare. IMHO the bests spots are better for snorkeling than diving. Shark Ray Alley and Mexican Rocks were our favorite spots to snorkeling, both are very shallow, to shallow for diving IMHO. Sometimes it is more fun to snorkel w/ family/friends than diving alone.

I would like to try to the blue hole. Most people that have gone said it is only worth it if you do more than just the blue hole, while a few said it is more to say have been there. The trip I hear leaves really early in the morning and gets back in the evening. As we were with family and spouses the laddies wouldn't have been to happy of all of us were gone for a whole day.

There are lots of good restaurants there too, so don't only eat at the resort.

 

[Shipwreckscanada]

Hol Chan is a very shallow site suitable for divers and snorkellers, and is often used when sea conditions are too rough to go outside the barrier reef.I wouldn't target it as a place to seek to dive.

The Blue Hole is a very deep (maybe 145ft) bounce dive over no bottom, and although it's a "bucket list" dive and is dived by many inexperienced people it usually disappoints. If I had only time for a few dives I wouldn't do it. The two dives that follow it on the typical day trip are superb, but require a considerable investment in both time and money.

To see whale sharks you need to be in southern Belize (eg. Placencia) within a few days of the full moon in (probably) April-June.

For me to give a complete answer to your question I need to know where you'll be staying, and what the non-divers in your group will be doing.

I will bestaying in Ambergris Caye for sure, but not sure which hotel yet, between June 15and 25.

The otherswill be spending time on the beach and visiting the ruins. My wife might comewith me for the boat ride.

 

[DeputyDan]

Whale sharks are out - wrong time of the year and wrong location.
Going out to lighthouse is pretty much an all day event.

If your wife wants to go out you may want to consider a manatee snorkeling outing - or something like it.

Snorkel Trips - Blue Tang Inn

 

[Shipwreckscanada]

Whale sharks are out - wrong time of the year and wrong location.
Going out to lighthouse is pretty much an all day event.

If your wife wants to go out you may want to consider a manatee snorkeling outing - or something like it.

Snorkel Trips - Blue Tang Inn

manatee snorkeling is good

 

[bradells]

I've been to the Blue Hole twice, down to 135ft. Departed from Caulker and Placencia. It's a long wavy ride no matter where you leave from.

Lighthouse Atoll is beautiful and has great snorkeling as well (Aquarium!)

As for Whale Sharks, gotta be there in the spring and down south.

BRad

 

[Shipwreckscanada]

Whale sharks are out - wrong time of the year and wrong location.
Going out to lighthouse is pretty much an all day event.

If your wife wants to go out you may want to consider a manatee snorkeling outing - or something like it.

Snorkel Trips - Blue Tang Inn

Having never been there, I am a little confused as to the time table. One dive center gives these dates as good for Whale Sharks. Are theywrong? I can post the website I got this information from if I am allowed to do so on this forum.

If these dates are correct, what would be the right location for Whale Sharks?
Or can I rent a car and go to the right place from Ambergris Caye?

March 26 to April 6
April 24 to May 4
May 23 to June 2
June2 to July 1

These dates look a lot like the dates provided by Downing.

If these dates are wrong then my problems solved.

---------- Post added March 29th, 2013 at 07:08 PM ----------

With about the Turneffe Elbow, I can see that it has astrong current. Do I need to be drift certified to do this dive? If so I havetime to get the certification before the trip.

Also I found that I can do a night dive at Hol Chan andShark Ray Alley, is it worth it?

 

[lthomas132]

"Or can I rent a car and go to the right place from Ambergris Caye?" A golf cart might be better; Ambergris Caye is an island.