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Turneffe Atoll in Belize provides a home to many creatures – find your perfect stay with our guide to Turneffe Atoll accommodation options.
Turneffe Atoll, a large coral atoll in the Caribbean, off the eastern coast of Belize, truly has something for everyone. Thanks to its status as a Marine Protected Area (MPA), the wildlife and beauty of Turneffe have remained intact. The progressive management of the MPA means that local people can derive sustainable livelihoods through fishing and ecotourism – by staying on Turneffe Atoll, you’ll be contributing to the upliftment of local communities. In other words, you won’t be the only person who benefits from your stay here.
Turneffe Atoll is home to many iconic, important and vulnerable species, including many types of reef fish, sea turtles, sharks and the American saltwater crocodile. The mosaic of habitats found at Turneffe mean that many species can thrive there, and recent innovations including the deliberate sinking of The Wit to form an artificial reef are attracting more wildlife in even greater numbers.
However you choose to explore Turneffe Atoll – on land, following a nature trail, or underwater (scuba diving or snorkeling), there is always something new to discover (including traces of Mayan history) or a new species to encounter. You can even pit your wits against wily permit and tarpon when you go catch and release flyfishing.
Now, all you have to do is choose where to stay on Turneffe Atoll – check out our recommendations below.
This warm and welcoming PADI 5-star diving resort focuses very much on the superlative diving to be had in the warm, clear azure waters around Turneffe Atoll – including at Great Blue Hole, Half Moon Caye, on the wreck of The Wit and at over 70 other dive sites. When you’re not under the water, you’ll be able to relax and enjoy the newly refurbished accommodations, including beach villas, and a total of 17 oceanfront cabanas sized for couples and families. You can even use the interactive map feature on their website to select your ideal cabana in advance.
Blackbird Caye has Turneffe’s only airstrip, making charter flights from the mainland an option if you want to maximise your island time. Packages at Blackbird Caye are all-inclusive – all you have to do once you arrive is relax and immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the Caribbean.
In keeping with the ethos of the Turneffe Atoll MPA, Blackbird Caye takes a sustainable approach to energy generation and water use, so you can relax in the knowledge that your only impact will be the footprints that you leave on the beach.
While diving is what Blackbird Caye is best known for, it’s far from the only activity on offer. You can also snorkel on the shallow reefers, or take a paddleboard or kayak out for an excursion. The island is a paradise for birds – and birders – and you can also explore the nearby mangrove forests and lagoons for a change of scene. Last but not least, there’s nothing wrong with simply lounging by the oceanside pool!
Immerse yourself in the captivating charm of Turneffe Flats, an award -winning destination that seamlessly combines quality guest activities and great service, with an eco-friendly business approach. Catering to flats fishers, scuba divers, and marine ecotourists since the early 1980s, this renowned lodge provides top service, quality air-conditioned accommodations and wonderful cuisine , all nestled within the breathtaking landscapes of Turneffe Atoll.
Enjoy world-class flats-fishing led by Turneffe Flats’ professional flats fishing guides. Dive enthusiasts can explore vibrant coral reefs with certified instructors. Ecotourists and snorkelers can enjoy our world-class snorkeling and and variety of marine eco-tour opportunities through the Atoll Adventure Program.
A commitment to sustainability sets Turneffe Flats apart. Choosing this destination goes beyond booking a stay; it signifies supportfor a more eco-conscious future. Discover the unique offerings at Turneffe Flatsand become part of a community dedicated to preserving one of the world’s most remarkable ecosystems.
Turneffe Flats, through their sister conservation organization Turneffe Atoll Trust, played a pivotal role establishing the Turneffe Atoll Marine Reserve in 2012, and in subsequently founding TASA. Turneffe Flats continues to be a major financial supporter of the Marine Reserve with donations supporting the Adaptive Management (Science) Program and s other vital functions.
Turneffe Atoll Trust, a US 501(C) 3 organization as well as a Belizean NGO, works closely with TASA providing a powerful symbiotic relationship. Turneffe Atoll Trust has led efforts to protect bonefish, permit and tarpon throughout Belize, ban marine gillnets country-wide and develop the Turneffe Land Trust perpetually protecting 17,000 mangrove-covered acres at Turneffe Atoll.
Craig Hayes, the owner of Turneffe Flats, underscores the importance of a well-funded and efficiently managed marine reserve for the environmental sustainability of Turneffe. Hayes emphasizes that nature-based tourism depends directly upon healthy ecosystems, and the longevity of such tourism depends upon tourism and environmental conservation working closely together.
Turneffe Flats emphasizes top-quality marine-based tourism including some of the World’s best flats-fishing with experienced, personable flats guides. Enjoy , concierge scuba diving with our superb dive team or marine eco-adventures, with world-class snorkeling and a variety of marine eco tours. Guests may also choose to relax and enjoy Turneffe Flats’ on-site amenities.
Another great option for scuba divers, Turneffe Island Resorts is your picture-postcard Caribbean luxury resort, with red-roofed cabanas and villas nestled beneath vibrant green palms, and just a few steps away from white sand and warm ocean.
Turneffe Island Resort offers eight deluxe rooms, four superior rooms with even more expansive views, and ten private villas (ideal for honeymooners – just saying). Imagine a scene from the movie ‘Castaway’, but with all your creature comforts taken care of.
Relaxation is a given at Turneffe Island Resort – grab a hammock and while away the day, or enjoy the traditional Belizean cuisine. Your day begins with a coffee as you watch the sunrise, and can end with a beach BBQ featuring mouth-wateringly fresh seafood.
In between, the ocean is your oyster – dive, snorkel, kayak or flyfish – or stay a day or two longer and fit in every activity. The undoubted diving highlight is the chance to explore the Great Blue Hole – the world’s largest underwater sinkhole and an intriguing, monochromatic world of stalactites and sharks.
Diving excursions to the Great Blue Hole also provide opportunities to drop in on the bustling coral communities at Lighthouse Reef, Half Moon Caye and Long Caye Wall.
In addition to diving, Turneffe Island Resort is also known as a flyfishing destination, and a prime spot to bag your ‘grand slam’ – a permit, tarpon and bonefish all in the same day. Seasoned local guides will accompany you as you stalk the shallows in search of your quarry and experience a different fishing site each day of your stay.
With 96 air-conditioned residences (including exclusive penthouse suites), Belize Dive Haven offers a more sociable experience of this remarkable Marine Protected Area.
The resort occupies some 47 acres of private land, close to some of Turneffe Atoll’s most interesting and pristine creeks, lagoon and mangrove islands. Every room at Belize Dive Haven offers ocean views, and there is even Wi-Fi connectivity so you can post your experiences to social media before you leave paradise. An on-call concierge service ensures that all your needs are taken care of during your stay.
Novice divers can earn their PADI certificates, while more experienced divers can enjoy exploring some of the best scuba dive sites in the Caribbean.
Diving excursions offer possible encounters with iconic species including Caribbean reef sharks, sea turtles and dolphins, while the coral reefs abound in colourful fish, some familiar, others entirely strange. Manatees and American saltwater crocodiles can also sometimes be seen – and the boat captains and diving guides at Belize Dive Haven know all the very best spots, depending on the time of day or the season.
Turneffe Atoll is renowned throughout the Caribbean and beyond for its exceptional diving – think great visibility, warm water year-round and an incredible array of species. A stay at Belize Dive Haven is the ideal way to experience this beauty and diversity for yourself – as the saying goes, come on in, the water’s lovely. Plus, so are the reefs, the lagoons, and the mangroves, so which will you explore first?
A luxury yacht charter from Belize Sailing Vacations lets you enjoy the best of Turneffe Atoll without the need to come ashore at the end of each day’s adventures. Each BSV yacht features all the amenities of a luxury island resort, including experienced, friendly and knowledgeable local crew members and exceptional hospitality.
With a private catamaran charter, you can sail wherever you like – and reach remote islands and atolls with ease. Biodiversity hotspots like Belize’s Turneffe Atoll can be included on your itinerary, with the ships’ captains using their expertise to perfectly position the boat for direct access to the best dive sites and most secluded fishing spots.
Belize Sailing Vacations has built up an enviable reputation for professionally conducted, customised sailing vacations and luxury yacht charters, undertaken with great sensitivity for the marine environment and the many species of wildlife encountered on each voyage.
Tailormade yacht and catamaran charters from Belize Sailing Vacations are designed to meet the needs of all sorts of traveller, whether you’re looking to scuba dive, fish, relax or simply enjoy being all at sea while the crew attends to your every need.
As soon as you come aboard, you’ll sense the mystery and beauty of the Caribbean, and can look forward to visiting such remarkable destinations as the dive sites of Turneffe Atoll and other prolific coral reefs.
BSV voyages are run on an all-inclusive basis, and can be tailored to provide unforgettable experiences for families or honeymooners. Time on the waves can be combined with excursions ashore, whether to visit Mayan ruins or enjoy a spa treatment at a luxury resort.
Any land-based activity, such as nature trail or a spa treatment at a luxury resort can be added to your tailormade BSV itinerary, although the emphasis is naturally on marine experiences. When your hotel can float and navigate, you can wake up in time to experience sunrise on a deserted, palm-fringed beach, or have breakfast directly above a world-class dive site.
The wreck of the Wit off Turneffe Atoll offers some of the best wreck diving in Belize.
Immerse yourself in the fun, educational adventure of Belize’s first snorkel trail.
Try for a Grand Slam when you flyfish in the shallow coastal waters of Turneffe Atoll.
Turneffe Atoll has retained its biodiversity and offers the best scuba diving in Belize.
Walk back in time as you see the mangrove forests of Calabash Caye.
100% of your donation will go to support the work of the Turneffe Atoll Sustainability Association