cayman islands, or belize?

[scubajim]

Ok so as a bonus my boss is gonna give me a 1 week vacation. Hes got a timeshare plan where i can go just about anywhere. I've narrowed it down to belize or cayman islands. I'm looking for excellent diving, and fun stuff to do above water too, since my wife will be coming and doesn't want to dive the whole time. So any suggestions or help would be greatly appreciated. Also any other places in the carribean i should be lookin into?

 

[mike1962]

I haven't been to the Caymen islands so I can't compare it to Belize, but I was in Belize in December and it was fantastic! We stayed on Caye Caulker Island which is about 40minutes by water taxi from the mainland. While there we went out to Hol Chan Marine Park with a guide and snorkeled (we aren't divers), swam with some nurse sharks in Shark Alley and were swarmed by rays in other areas. Absolutely incredible!

Here's a few pics

 

[dblue]

Second largest reef in the world, no brainer Beliz. I believe you can take a tire tube ride down on the rivers, if i remember correctly you go through caves; it's a blast.

 

[scubajim]

nice pics, thanks, i'm sort of leanin towards cayman since in belize i would be on ambergris caye, so i'd basically have to take a boat if i wwanted to go anywhere.

 

[mike1962]

Glad you liked the pics.

Ambergris Caye is quite close to Hol Chan Marine Park. We actually stopped there for lunch on our all day tour of Hol Chan. It is much more developed and thus touristy than Caye Caulker, and your right, you are stuck on an island. Ambergris is even further away from Belize City so it would be a long Water Taxi ride, though they do have an airstrip on Ambergris Caye. Have fun where ever you end up going!

 

[saltykelly]

My father lived in Belize for about a year and It seems like a wonderful place. If you decide to go there and want a personal boat chauffeur I could probably make a call for you. My dad's friend would probably take you fishing/ diving anywhere you wanted to go. For a price of course. Things are cheap in Belize, but nothing is free. That's what happens in an economy similar to Mexico.

 

[airinhere]

Well, Belize would be a great place to go dive for sure, but I would say try Grand Cayman if you get the chance.

There are several really good dive operations here and the diving is wonderful. Deep cliff faces to dive on the north end, shallow (60ft) reefs on the west end and deeper reefs to the south. Plus a ridiculous number of stingrays and eagle rays here (and turtles, so many turtles). I have been here about a month now and really like it alot.

Spent most of the last week diving with Don Fosters Dive and it is a first class operation that you should check out if you do come here. Soon my work Visa will be processed and I will be starting at Beach Club (Resort Sports) so you can also come there and we will make sure to treat you right.

I have a bunch of pictures now and some short video clips linked on my website.

www.airinheresreef.com

Either place would be very nice.

 

[scubajim]

hey aaron, thats awesome, i will prob be travelin over there around jan or feb, will you still be there? are you still shootin with the canon g9?

 

[airinhere]

Yep stil using my little G9 setup I made myself. My work visa is only supposed to be for 6 months so I should be done by mid Jan. And if I decide I do like it, I could potentially get to stay up to 7 years here. (they boot you off the island for at least a year after you been here 7 years).

 

[scubajim]

nice pics, i've got a g9 also with the canon housing, which housing are you using? which strobe?