8 Days / 7 Nights

Belize is home to 3 coral atolls, which lie just past the Barrier Reef. Turneffe Islands Atoll is the largest of these and sits 25 miles off the coast. One of its unique charactaristics is that it has hundreds of mangrove islands in its central lagoon taht act as nurseries to a variety of fish. As a result, the marine life along the coral reefs is quite healthy. There are dozens of named dive sites ranging from shallow coral gardens to steep walls. The most famous site is The Elbow. Large schools of jack and snappers are often seen along this large channel. You will be staying at Turneffe Islands Lodge which is nestled on a private island and combines an excellent dive shop, great food and luxury accomodations. Most divers average about 3 dives a day, everyday so this package is best suited for those who love to be in the water. Every Tudesday there is a 3 day trip to Lighthouse Reef Atoll, where you can dive the famed Blue Hole as well as two spectacular wall dives. On Thursdays there is also a night dive. You will have plenty of opportunities to see a variety of coral and marine life. You'll certainly get plenty of opportunities to snap a few memorable underwater pictures. In addition to the great diving, this remote destination is quite relaxing, away from the crowds of tourists and immersed in a tranquil private island setting.

Read more about Coral Atolls in Belize

Itinerary & What's Included:
-  You will be welcomed at the International Airport by a representative of DiscoveringBelize.com
-  This 7 night package is from Saturday to Saturday, or Wednesday to Wednesday, so you must arrive on one of these days.
-  Private transfer from the International Airport to a dock in Belize City where you will board a boat for the 2 hour ride to Turneffe Islands Atoll. The boat leaves at 2 pm, so if your international flight arrives after this you will need to arrive one day before and spend the night in Belize City (this extra night is not included).
-  7 Night Accomodation at Turneffe Islands Lodge on Turneffe Islands Atoll
-  All your Meals and Drinks which include daily morning coffee or tea delivered to your room, evening appetizers, ice tea, water, coffee and lemonade drinks.
-  You have 5 full days of diving, with 3 tanks everyday. So you can do a total of 15 dives in the week. Dive sites include:
-  Dozens of Dive Sites on Turneffe Islands Atoll including The Elbow and a Night Dive as well
-  Day Trip to Dive Lighthouse Reef Atoll including the Blue Hole
-  After your stay you will be transferred by boat from the lodge to Belize City. You'll then be taken by road to the International Airport to catch your return flight home. You will reach the airport at 12 noon, so if you're return flight is in the morning you'll have to spend the night in Belize City (this extra night is not included) and catch your flight the next day.
-  Your dives include tanks, weights and belts.
-  The smile on your face at the end of the trip is free

Doesn’t Include:
-  Departure Tax
-  International Flight
-  Dive Equipment. You can bring your own or rent at the resort.
-  Gratuities as well as Hotel & Sales Tax, which are to be paid directly at the resort

Rates are per person and in US Dollars
Low Season: Jun 1 - Dec 22, 08
High Season: Dec 22, 07 - May 31, 08

Turneffe Islands Lodge on Turneffe Islands Atoll

This resort is located on a private island on the southern tip of Turneffe Islands atoll. They specialize in fishing and diving. Their dive and fishing boats as well as their guides are excellent. They provide diving and fishing gear that is in good condition, but it is always best to bring your own equipment. The resort is nestled right on a large sandy beach. However, most of the shoreline is covered in sea grass (which are good fish nurseries by the way) with sandy patches where you can swim. The accomodations are spread throughout the property between coconut trees. A few are stand-alone cabanas. The interior of the rooms are pretty much all the same with hardwood floors, walls and furniture giving it a warm cozy atmoshpere. They also have screened porches, a sitting area and air conditioning. Overall they are spacious and cozy. The restaurant and bar is where you'll socialize with other guests where meals are served family style. It has a hardwood interior and also features a patio overlooking the beach. The food is actually quite good considering the remotness of the lodge. On Fridays they do a fun beach barbecue.

Diving Turneffe Islands Atoll including The Elbow

There are hundreds of dive sites around this atoll. Some of the popular dive spots include Calabash Cut, West Side Story and Oasis. Your typical dive is a drift dive at around 80 feet along a wall, and the walls here are huge. The marine life is quite rich where you might see sea turtles, moray eels, rays and the usual variety of reef fish. The most popular site here is the Elbow, located on the southern tip of the atoll and is basically a very large channel. The strong currents bring a constant supply of nutrients which moves up the food chain attracting large fish. Although the coral formations are nice, the main attraction and what characterizes this dive is the usual sighting of large schools of fish such as jacks, blue tangs, permits or snappers.

Diving Lighthouse Reef Atoll including the Blue Hole

This is a full day of diving with 3 dives you are sure not to forget. Lighthouse Reef is a coral atoll, and is the most remote of the 3 atolls in Belize, making the reef and marine life the most pristine here. You start with a bang, plummeting 140 feet into the famed Blue Hole, a 400 foot collapsed cave with massive stalactites and sharks! Be warned, this dive is about the cave, there is no rich marine life or corals here. However the next 2 dives are walls with breathtaking coral formations and marine life, especially Long Caye wall, where the corals just seem to grow on top of one another. You will also visit Halfmoon Caye where you can relax in its crescent shaped beach and check out the endangered Booby birds. Overall this is a very memorable day of diving.