Recent Experiences - Tranquility Bay Resort?

[ScubaJill]

Yes, contact Splash Dive for details on their whale shark dives.

Placencia (and area) is also a great place to consider if you're thinking of relocating to Belize.

I had come across Splash Dive's recent post about the whale sharks. I don't know if I can make it for the May full moon time period, but June is possible. I read that there is better diving in other areas of Belize and most dive trips from Placencia involve a longish boat ride. But I am piecing bits of information together, so that may not be accurate. I do want to check out that area, though.

 

[katzgar]

Placencia is about 20 miles from the reef . Have someone show you how to use gmaps.

 

[Yobubba]

Scubajill, We do get a little off topic sometimes.
Your question was,
'I came across a few mentions of Tranquility Bay Resort, but most of them are from 2013 and earlier. Does anyone have any newer experiences? It looks quite delightful.
Trip would be May or June.'
Tranquility Bay is definitely a sweet spot on Ambergris Cay and has great dive sites. I drop in from time to time during surface intervals The dive shop there is a little light and it's all so remote getting supplies and service is very difficult. I would love to live on that end of the island but need to make money and have contact with tourist for that. If i could be a hermit I would move in a heartbeat.

 

[Downing]

I had come across Splash Dive's recent post about the whale sharks. I don't know if I can make it for the May full moon time period, but June is possible. I read that there is better diving in other areas of Belize and most dive trips from Placencia involve a longish boat ride. But I am piecing bits of information together, so that may not be accurate. I do want to check out that area, though.

The boat rides are typically about 45 minutes to an hour each way, with the SI/lunch spent on a caye. Not so sure that the diving is any better or worse than the rest of Belize with the exception of the area around Half Moon Caye, where the diving is fantastic. Splash also goes to Glovers Reef, which is also spectacular but a longer boat ride out and back,

I'll be diving with Splash in June, leaving just as Whale Shark "season" is getting started in June. April and May are the best months for the WS.

 

[Hank49]

I was involved in building a shrimp hatchery right at Basil Jones cut in 2000. That's a ripping cut. Deep and lots of current. I'd love to get back and free dive it or blow bubbles and have a good boatman. Drift out and send up a marker buoy. I'm pretty sure there must be some huge schools of snappers there. I'd say it's one of the most high energy cuts in the reef in all Belize.
I have a lot about half way there from Town. I'm going up there next week to pay taxes and check it out. May take some fins, mask and weight belt. Can't shoot fish there. It's a reserve.....lucky fish.

 

[Yobubba]

I agree with these posts, you got some good info. We dive up that way occasionally. If you need night life you'll be disappointed and it's very difficult, if not impossible to get on a Blue Hole trip from Tranquility Bay. The hotel and it's waters are in the Bacalar Chico Reserve but it seem we never see a ranger to pay our park fees to. We also do the Dive/Beach BBQ trip there. The diving around the resort is excellent.

 

[ScubaJill]

Thanks, all, for the feedback. I've been looking at Huracan to do some diving for at least part of the week, then potentially travel by bus to Placencia. Of course, I may fly there, too, but I thought it would be nice to see some of the country.

 

[Downing]

Flying is definitely easier and quicker but more expensive. However, if you have a chance to ride the Hummingbird Highway, a bus trip would be a great way to go. The scenery is fantastic, and the (in some cases crumbling) one lane bridges are a hoot.