Recent return from Belize (Tobacco Caye)

[Zenshift]

To avoid total procrastination allow me to announce to the world:

Tobacco Caye is the WORST experience ever I would NEVER go there again and the personal service from the Reefs End staff was horrible !!!!! I would recommend going elsewhere!!! I personally hated having the sea 10ft from my cabana's hammock! The treatment was as if I was family! If I had wanted caring attention, I would have stayed home! I mean, who ever heard of a Dive Master who insisted on a first name basis and hung out with new divers to show them the ropes? Preposterous! DO NOT GO THERE!!! It was horrible. Oh, wait, I'm only protecting my 'find'. Ask for Eric the Dive Master. Yes we saw a Whale Shark @ Gladden ... yes we dove with turtles @ Glovers Atoll ... yes we found Octopi on our Night Dive ... yes our check out dives were better than 'premium' dives in P.R. ... yes I will answer anything you want to know ... but they have no hot showers! Everyone must avoid this 5 square acre island at all costs ... Go to Ambergris Caye!!!!!! ... I must go now, my tongue is permanently embedded in my cheek.

 

[jaydub]

sounds like a horrible experience. please provide a website for this resort/caye so one can look into this horrible resort as to never be suckered into going there

 

[Hank49]

To avoid total procrastination allow me to announce to the world:

Tobacco Caye is the WORST experience ever I would NEVER go there again

This is terrible news...I just moved north of Dangriga and am planning to check out Tobacco and some of the other cayes nearby as soon as I get the motor mounted on the Carrot Juice (my new skiff). Man, now what? I guess I'll have to move back to Ohio and drive a truck ....... Thanks for the post. hank

 

[Zenshift]

I haven't uploaded these pics to the S.B. gallery yet ... but they are on flickr. The resort website (and my photos on flickr) are:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/toppshelff/
http://www.reefsendlodge.com/

:wave-smil

 

[Dave C]

Glad you had a good time. I went to Manta Resort on Glover's Reef about 9 years ago (nice place, like a South Sea atoll) and we went past Tobacco Caye on our way out there. I've always kept Tobacco Caye in mind since then, as it is supposed to sit right on the reef and you can snorkel right off the beach. I am an avid snorkeler (don't dive). What was your impression of the snorkeling? I Googled Tobacco Caye after I read your post here. One guy didn't like it, as he said the caye was full of trash and the snorkeling wasn't that great. Another guy said it had really good snorkeling. What do you think? Based on your report, it doesn't sound like the caye's trash hindered your experience that much.

Thanks for any response you give, as I am always looking for places to go that have good off-the-beach snorkeling.

 

[Zenshift]

We snorkeled the last day (to help off-gas) and thought it was wonderful. We saw all of the fish we saw on our dives (better view at the bottom, but clear vis from surface as well).

Several other guests who stayed and snorkeled often saw the resident school of 50 or so tarpon ... a squadron of eagle rays ... and a few thousand fish. The reef is on your doorstep. You can also arrange for short trips to South Water Caye or other local snorkeling spots for $30-$35 pp. You can also ride along to dive spots and snorkel there (for a higher cost).

As for the trash ... there were things washed up on shore. The deal is that 1/2 the island is occupied by native Belizeans. It is not a resort island. However, the amount of trash was negligible and I never thought twice about it. We thought the island looked "lived on". Not a Sandals resort. If you can't keep an open mind, TC is definitely not for you. As for me and my g/f, the island was beautiful and the people friendly ... the important things were over the top great.

Hope that helps.

 

[puffer]

Wow this looks great. I am going on a south american trip, stoping in Belize, some of my pals don't dive. Do you think they would be bored at Tobaco Cay. Also does the resort you stay at offer deals for people who don't dive. Can you tell me the name of the dive shop.

 

[Zenshift]

Sorry about the monthlong delay in answering ... not a lot to do on the island if you're not diving. Laying in a hammock and reading is about it.

The other answers are together: the dive shop is part of Reefs End Lodge ... doesn't have a formal name. The costs associated with running a scuba resort are not passed along to non-divers. You pay only what you use or agree to. Since its a small operation, you may not get a chance to go to some dive sites farther away (they request at least 4 to make the trips to Glovers and a few other sites).

If your buddies fish, they could arrange that. The end result is the fact that it is an island the width of 2 football fields by the length of 1 field. No TV's or sidewalks, but a lot of hammocks and relaxing vibes.

 

[Zenshift]

Just in case you couldn't read through my sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek style: Tobacco Caye, Reefs End Lodge, and the people that we encountered made for the absolute best vacation ever!

So much so, that my fiance and I are going back for a beach ceremony this winter.