Turneffe Island Lodge (tel. 501/220-4011 or 501/220-4142, U.S. tel. 800/874-0118, www.turneffelodge.com [1]) is on Little Caye Bokel, 12 acres of beautiful palm-lined beachfront and mangroves. Book a seven-night dive or fishing package and stay in one of eight ground-floor deluxe rooms, four second-floor superior rooms, and eight stand-alone cabanas.
It’s a popular location for divers, anglers, and those who just want a hammock under the palms. At the southern tip of the atoll, the lodge is a short distance north of its larger relative, Big Caye Bokel.
This strategic location offers enthusiasts a wide range of underwater experiences—it’s within minutes of nearly 200 dive sites. Shallow areas are perfect for photography or snorkeling; you can see nurse sharks, rays, reef fish, and dolphins in the flats a few hundred yards from the dock. All the dives mentioned earlier [2] and many more lie within 15 minutes by boat. The dive operation is first rate, and advanced instruction and equipment rentals are available.
Anglers have a choice of fishing for snappers, permit, jacks, mackerel, and billfish from the drop-offs. They can stalk the near-record numbers of snook, bonefish, and tarpon in the flats and mangroves. The lodge’s fishing guide has an uncanny way of knowing where the fish will be.
On the eastern side of the Turneffe Islands, Blackbird Caye Resort (tel. 501/223-2772, U.S. tel. 888/271-3483, www.blackbirdresort.com [3]) encompasses 166 acres of beach and jungle. It can accommodate 36 guests (double occupancy) with hot-water showers, private baths, and double and queen beds, as well as a duplex and triplex featuring private rooms and air-conditioning. Snorkeling, fishing, and diving packages are offered for about US$2,000–3,000 per week (depending on activities and accommodations) and include three dives a day, all meals, lodging, and airport transfers.
Turneffe Flats (tel. 501/220-4046, U.S. tel. 800/512-8812, www.tflats.com [4]) is famous among international saltwater fly fishers who know the value of being able to sight fish in wadeable flats for permit, bonefish, and tarpon. Or go for barracuda, snapper, jacks, or snook, and eat it up at night. Guided fishing is in the lodge’s 16-foot Super Skiff flats boats. Divers are welcome and will enjoy daily forays to scores of sites throughout Turneffe Atoll and Lighthouse Reef. Varied beach accommodations are comfortable and well-appointed and meals are eaten family-style.
Links:
[1] http://www.turneffelodge.com
[2] http://www.moon.com/destinations/belize/the-northern-cayes/turneffe-islands-atoll/dive-sites
[3] http://www.blackbirdresort.com
[4] http://www.tflats.com