Tobacco Caye

[raina79]

Has anyone stayed on Tobacco Caye?? If so, I'd like to hear details....I'm researching options for a Feb or March one week dive trip. What is the diving and dive shop like? Can you shore dive? Snorkel? I may have a friend with me who is a non-diver, but who also may want to take her OW. How would it be for a beginner?

Also, open to any other suggestions.....I was initially thinking Cozumel. If anyones been to both, which do you prefer? I have already been to Belize - Placencia and caye caulker, so looking for something different. Only have one week, so just want to get someplace and stay put, which is why an island appeals to me....

Any advice, info is much appreciated! THX!

 

[Hank49]

I've never stayed there or dived with a resort there but I've been there a few times. It's a beautiful, small island right on the barrier reef with a pretty wide cut going out to sea on the south side of it. Snorkeling looks really good there as is the diving. But other than that, there isn't much else. I've talked to a few tourists coming off the boat that brings them back to Dangriga and they said it was great.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi raina79,

I have done both; Coz dozens of times & Tobacco Caye twice.

Perhaps I'm missing something, but I'm not sure I understand how these two locations were selected for comparison as beyond being islands they're apples and oranges from the get go:

Coz is 198 sq miles; Tobacco Caye is less than 5 acres.

Coz has direct flights from the USA & MX; Tobacco Caye can only be accessed by a ~45 min boat ride from Dangriga on the mainland.

Coz has roads all over the island and cars, jeeps & motorbikes to rent; Tobacco Caye has no road and no vehicles.

Coz has around 90 dive ops; Tobacco Cay has 1.

Coz has over a 100 places to stay, from one star to five star, and uncounted places to eat and party; Tobacco Caye has 4 places to stay, none more than two stars, and two bars. None have AC, phones, TVs, PCs or the like.

Coz has movie theaters, a bowling alley, dolphin/sea lion experiences, horseback riding, parasailing, tours, ferries over to the mainland, etc.; Tobacco Caye has absolutely no diversions other than snorkeling, scuba & a little fishing. Don't worry, you'll "stay put" ; ).

Coz is drift diving with no real shore diving; Tobacco Caye is out from & back to the boat or shore diving. Diving is fine for a beginner.

Once you've decided on a venue, and given the differences between Coz and Tobacco Caye you've got scads of islands to chose from, I can help you select accommodations and a dive op.

Perhaps you might like to consider an island of intermediate size and development which is suitable for a beginner such as Utila, Roatan, Bimini, etc.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[peterbj7]

Coz is drift diving with no real shore diving; Tobacco Caye is out from & back to the boat or shore diving. Diving is fine for a beginner.

Can you expand on that last comment, as it could be taken negatively? I haven't been there myself though I've heard reports from people who have, and I thought the diving was supposed to be pretty good. If you've dived in other areas of Belize, how would you compare it with them?

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi Peter,

The TC dive op mostly does sites 5-10 min offshore. IMHO on balance these are pretty average scuba, which I'd say about much of Belize (with the exception of the outer atolls) & I've dove a lot of it. Now when you get a Glover's Atoll run going out of TC, it's another story altogether.

If you want to get a flavor for these sites, stay over on Placencia and do a smattering as day trips.

Regards,

DocVikingo

 

[raina79]

On TCL's website they advertise they have access to 20 different dive sites, which seems to be plenty of new ground to cover over a span of 5-7 days, but if they don't venture too far, that is another story.....that is why I'm hear asking you guys! I did not select the 2 places b/c they were similar, so DocVikingo, you're not missing anything....the 2 options I'm thinking is either Yucutan or Belize, and am open to ANYTHING! Been to the Bay Islands and would like to try something new. Thank you DocV for giving me a taste of the differences.....I am now somewhat turned off of the idea of Cozumel. I am not too keen on really touristy places - I'm more of the backpackery type! I like chilled out, quiet places. BUT, I've heard the diving is amazing, so I'm trying to decide if it is worth putting up with for a week!

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi raina79,

If you're the backpacker type, then give TC a go and push the dive op for Glover's Atoll. The island definitely is rustic.

Not sure where you've gone in the Bay Islands, but Utila & Guanaja, especially the later, are pretty laid back & undeveloped.

How about San Salavador in the Bahamas? Small, largely undeveloped island, only 2 resorts and dive ops, only one of which you'd consider (Riding Rock), fabulous walls.

Just had two more thoughts:

Yucatan - check out Xcalak down on the MX-BZE border.

Belize -- check out Placencia.

Have fun.

DocVikingo

 

[raina79]

Bahamas perks my interest......what are costs like?? Have you been? I checked out Riding Rock - looks nice! Also looks like the island is very rich in history. Did you dive with RR? Are the boats crowded??

I've been looking into Glover Atoll too, after you guys mentioning the good diving there. A friend I met the last time I was in Belize went there, and raved about it. It looks like the same thing as TC, but maybe a bit cheaper?? Camping for $99 a week - dorms are a bit more then that. I'd rather be close to the good diving!

Thanks for the suggestions. I will look into Xcalak, but I've already been to Placencia.

 

[DocVikingo]

Hi raina79,

I've been to San Sal x3, all at Riding Rock. Boats are not crowded and they treat you like a competent diver unless you demonstrate otherwise. I'm a fan.

IMHO, Glover's Atoll is among the best diving in BZE. I'd be surprised if you were disappointed.

If you've been to Placencia, I'd put Tobacco Cay low on your list.

Have fun,

DocVikingo

 

[Valwood1]

I stayed at Tobacco Caye for five nights in August and generally would second Doc Vikingo's comments about the mini-island.

The one dive shop concentrates on spots inside the reef; the spots are "okay" but not generally spectacular. The Shark's Cave was interesting, even without sharks. The better diving was, I think, outside the reef, and I paid extra to do that (I was the only diver those days, and the extra money was well-spent).

The dive shop will not go to Glover's Atoll unless there are four people. When I was there, I was about the only diver, even though there seemed to be a pretty good crowd on the island. Accordingly, no trip to Glover's, and that was disappointing.

I've got a short report somewhere in this forum that gives more details.