We are planning a family trip with newly certified teenagers next month. We are looking into Blackbird Caye, Tranquility bay on Ambergris Caye or even Turneffe Lodge Resort. (Although Turneffe Lodge Resort is the most expensive.) Any advice or experience here? We are very excited to spend some time on the water and will also spend a few days inland which we have pretty well worked out.
Tranquility Bay on AC or Turneffe Atoll
- Thread starter SusieS
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Turneffe island lodge Hands Down
Fantastic resort
Fantastic Diving (some of the very best in Belize)
Might be the most expensive but there is a reason for that it really is the very best resort that allows you to incorporate 2 of the 3 atolls in Belize and dive the very best diving in Belize.
Do a search on this forum for several trip reports and Turneffes #1 fan, Downing will be posting shortly LOL he loves the place and has nothing but good things to say in fact he cant stop writing about it LOL
and I am in total agreement with him.
A great place.
Gaz Cooper
Fantastic resort
Fantastic Diving (some of the very best in Belize)
Might be the most expensive but there is a reason for that it really is the very best resort that allows you to incorporate 2 of the 3 atolls in Belize and dive the very best diving in Belize.
Do a search on this forum for several trip reports and Turneffes #1 fan, Downing will be posting shortly LOL he loves the place and has nothing but good things to say in fact he cant stop writing about it LOL
and I am in total agreement with him.A great place.
Gaz Cooper
And Tranquility Bay is very well received by its guests. Small, highly personal, very quiet, with its own dive centre offering totally personalised diving. Far enough from San Pedro town to forget it ever existed, but close enough for a day out either in town or on the mainland somewhere - ferries provided to your timetable. Close enough to swim to the reef, and with no passing boat traffic it's safe to do so. And it's tranquil.
Downing
Contributor
Do a search on this forum for several trip reports and Turneffes #1 fan, Downing will be posting shortly LOL he loves the place and has nothing but good things to say in fact he cant stop writing about it LOL
Guilty as charged, LOL.
It's our favorite vacation spot.As Gaz said, there are several recent TIR trip reports on this board which will probably answer all your questions. Someone also did a Blackbird trip report here not too long ago, and there was a compare and contrast TIR/Turnfeffe Flats trip report here last fall with TIR coming out on top.
About the only thing I would add at this point is it's possible your teenagers may need more stimulation that TIR offers. There's not a lot of night life there, but they could elect to go on a guided crocodile hunt. We did that the last time we were there and spotted a few with the biggest one not very far from our cabana.
Most of the guests are adults without kids, but there's usually a few teenagers there when we go and they seemed to be enjoying themselves.
TIR isn't cheap but it's a pretty good value considering that the price of admission includes diving, food and lodging. Without having stayed at Blackbird, all I can offer is my impression that the overall experience is supposed to be better at TIR. I imagine Blackbird has its fans, too, who may disagree with me.
Sharkygill
Contributor
If you want night life, cheaper prices, and ok diving with a trip or two that is spectacular, then stay on A/C. To really get the most out of diving stay on the atolls. My wife and I stayed at Turneffe Island Resort last spring break, and it was awesome. Every dive was great, the dive staff had no problems helping us as newer divers, and the food was fantastic.
That said, I'll be trying Huracan next time I hit Belize. TIR jumped the price $400 per person this year over last, and while they were great, I suspect Huracan is on the best locations daily that Belize has to offer.
What ever you choose will be fun, it's just a question of how much fun you want to have. Good luck!
That said, I'll be trying Huracan next time I hit Belize. TIR jumped the price $400 per person this year over last, and while they were great, I suspect Huracan is on the best locations daily that Belize has to offer.
What ever you choose will be fun, it's just a question of how much fun you want to have. Good luck!
I went with three divers from Ecologic Divers on an all-day dive trip up that way. We stopped for lunch at Tranquility Bay. Nice looking place! I spoke with one couple who was staying there for a week. They really liked the facilities. The food at the restaurant was outstanding. It is a bit remote for me but if you want a sense of seclusion, I would certainly consider it.
Hey thanks everyone for your input! Sounds like everyone loves Turneffe Lodge. I know they don't get any bad reviews on tripadvisor either. Sorry to hear that they just raised their prices but we are still considering.
We aren't worried about the lack of night life at either place, but don't want to do any deep dives on this trip. The resorts sound like that isn't a problem. I know we wouldn't dive the blue hole if we go to Turneffe, but it still sounds like a fun day trip/excursion and that you could just do a shallow dive there for fun.
Must decide soon. Back to the airline schedule... Sure would be fun sometimes to have an unlimited budget!
We aren't worried about the lack of night life at either place, but don't want to do any deep dives on this trip. The resorts sound like that isn't a problem. I know we wouldn't dive the blue hole if we go to Turneffe, but it still sounds like a fun day trip/excursion and that you could just do a shallow dive there for fun.
Must decide soon. Back to the airline schedule... Sure would be fun sometimes to have an unlimited budget!
Downing
Contributor
If you do choose TIR or one of the other two resorts on the atoll, feel free to skip the BH dive but do make the trip. The other dives out there are fantastic and some of the best Belize has to offer.
TIR starts your week with a 40-foot checkout dive. The rest of the week's dives are typically around 60 feet max, give or take a few, with the exception of the BH of course. The dive masters there keep a close eye on everyone, especially new and/or young divers and especially at the beginning. It's very much a safety first-type operation.
That's a bummer that they raised their prices. TIR runs a fair number of 2 for 1 type specials but those are usually later in the season and without a lot of notice. They slashed their prices summer before last when the economy was in the tank and raised them only slightly last year. Sounds like they think the recession is over, lol.
TIR starts your week with a 40-foot checkout dive. The rest of the week's dives are typically around 60 feet max, give or take a few, with the exception of the BH of course. The dive masters there keep a close eye on everyone, especially new and/or young divers and especially at the beginning. It's very much a safety first-type operation.
That's a bummer that they raised their prices. TIR runs a fair number of 2 for 1 type specials but those are usually later in the season and without a lot of notice. They slashed their prices summer before last when the economy was in the tank and raised them only slightly last year. Sounds like they think the recession is over, lol.
R6Josie
New
was there this last january....wow.. turniffe flats will cater to your personal needs....they gave me an awsome discount for a 2 week stay....and the food at turniffe flats was the best i have ever had anywhere in belize....coconut creme pie to die for, made all of the coconuts on the atoll....i couldn't have asked for anything more....the snorkeling around the blue hole was just as spectacular as the hole itself....also the snorkeling around half moon cay is the best anywhere in the caribbean...take your kids there for sure...the dive master, Abel, will take very good care of your children and watch over them......he is the best.....great place...i have never been to blackbeard, but i would highly recommend the turniffe flats resort....also great fishing there.....cannot wait to go back.....have fun
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