Turneffe Island Resort

Every single aspect of TIR excelled. The food, the drinks, the service, the room, the diving and the snorkeling — each couldn’t have been better. The expert dive masters spear invasive lion fish and feed them to the ever present reef sharks. The Mesoamerican Reef is spectacular.

This was fatastic. Our 13-year old daughter did her open water certification on this trip, I am a pretty novice diver, and my husband is an advanced diver. We did a week diving package and it was truly amazing. Our dive master (Marcel), captain (Brad) and the dive master that did our daughter's certification (Hilario) all were awesome and went above and beyond in their enthusiasm, patience, focus on our comfort. Truly valet diving, where they do everything for you, was so fun and relaxing. The resort is small and quiet - there is always a hammock, or swinging bed, or chair by the water available. There are no locks on the doors (there is a safe in the rooms) and it's a pretty fantastic paradise vibe. Yoga on the beach was early but worth it - so lovely and relaxing and you watch the sun come up over the water. The food is simple but good - there are usually a few choices. They were accommodating to our daughter who doesn't eat meat and avoids dairy. The villas (we were in Villa 3) are beautiful and everything is very clean. The outdoor shower really is that amazing, especially to warm up after a dive. The drawbacks are pretty limited. It's expensive, but it does feel worth it when you're there. We had the drinks package, and sometimes it's not clear if what you're ordering is in the package or not - to be fair, however, since we didn't actually drink a lot they did refund us for the few drinks that were not in the package. The drinks package is probably not worth it unless you drink a lot, and if you're diving you won't be around enough to drink a lot hah. The gym is a sad, cramped, musty place - but you can certainly do all kinds of body weight stuff outside, run along the water etc if you're so inclined. There's no entertainment in the way traditional resorts have, but for us that's a plus rather than a drawback. If you're looking for a fun beach party resort, this isn't it - I think everyone was asleep by 9:30am. But if you're looking for some great diving, relaxation and feeling taken care of, Turneffe was amazing.

Amazing, amazing place! We had a multi-generational group with two kids, five adults. This was an amazing place to spend quality time. All the other reviews are right - the rooms are gorgeous, clean, well equipped (AC, mini fridge, modern bathroom). The food is AMAZING and you won’t go hungry! The drinks are plentiful. And the service is world-class. I do want to “mythbust” a few things that I saw mentioned in other reviews. I was unnecessarily apprehensive about these: 1) Some other reviewers said the schedule was rigid/ too structured. We did NOT find this to be the case. Breakfast runs from 7-9am if you’re not on a scuba trip. If you’re a bit late to lunch/ dinner, or your group shows up at staggered times, it’s fine! The servers are very accommodating. And if you want to skip a meal or skip happy hour, it’s also totally fine! It’s a very relaxed environment. 2) Limited activities for kids. Again, NOT an issue for us. We had two active boys with us (age 9 & 11) and they had a blast! In fact, the absence of TVs and screens really encouraged them to play and explore. They mostly spent time in the pool and on the beach playing games. The older one also had a lot of fun on a half-day fishing excursion. 3) Coral / reef health. This area is beautiful, it seemed MUCH healthier than where we snorkeled in Maui last year. The coral was colorful and alive, the fish and sea life were plentiful. Book with no hesitation and enjoy one of the best trips of your life! Thank you to the entire staff at Turneffe!

Our family of 4 just got back from Turneffe Island Resort (TIR). We were a mix bag of 1 SCUBA diver, 2 avid fishermen and 1 R&R mom. Everyone had a great all-around experience at TIR. The food & drinks were wonderful; rooms nice, cool & clean; physical grounds well kept; and, reception/staff were incredibly friendly. Our flight was a few hours late but somehow, with constant communication, we had a boat waiting for us to take us to the island. We certainly appreciated this as we no interest in spending the night in the city. Everything was seamless! SCUBA Diving - My daughter had a total of 7 dives including the Blue Hole. She thoroughly enjoyed the marine life (most notable are the sharks, groupers, lobster, stingrays, sea turtles) she saw and of course, the famous Blue Hole dive. The water was very clear and warm. Her comment was that 'just when she thought the dive couldn't get any better, it did!' Last year, she dove in Seychelles and she claims TIR offered a similar experience. Her dive master, Hilario, was excellent. Took wonderful pictures & videos, going beyond expected efforts. FISHING - My husband & son went flats fishing for 3 days. The bonefishing was tricky but worth the experience. While it was incredibly hot, the flats were not too far from TIR that the guide took them back for a couple of hours of rest & hydration. SNORKELING - The (day & night) snorkeling was fantastic! Clear waters with our guide, Luis, making it a point tolet us constantly know the species we were seeing. The water was generally warm and reef very healthy/vibrant. I have to admit, our Belize reef snorkeling was much much better than in Australia's Barrier Reef! R&R - Wonderful in-house masseuse, Roxy. Loved that TIR had daily specials that I availed of. I can't end this review without some special shout outs. Hilario, the dive mater really out did himself. Luis, our snorkeling guide, kept on surfacing to let us know what/where we can see species. We've never had a guide that thorough. Sean, in reception, was funny, helpful & we enjoyed his company during the evenings. Thank you Sean for taking our family pictures! Jason, the ever energetic deckhand, was on top of things during the snorkeling & diving activities. Fidel, our bartender, had the most creative & delicious drinks available. Irwin, our fishing guide, made sure our group had a good bonefishing experience. So go ahead, book your trip to Belize and TIR. You won't regret it.

Turneffe Island Resort is our favorite place to stay when visiting Belize. From the moment you arrive on Little Boykel Caye, the staff makes you feel like part of the family. The rooms are cool, clean, and comfortable and in our opinion perfect. The plunge pool and screened porch is the perfect area to unwind after a day of flats fishing. The friendly and patient fishing guides ensure you get opportunities for your targeted species. Plus, the island’s Happy Hour and family-style dinners are great for meeting new people. Turneffe Island Resort has it all, and we can’t wait to visit again soon.

We enjoyed a fabulous week with two other couples. From the moment we got off the fast boat it was a Fantasy Island experience. The hospitality to the guests was over-the-top. We had one server at all our meals who knew all of our names and needs. One of the top vacation experiences in my life. The scuba diving was very, very good. Coral and sponges were better than other Caribbean experiences. The marine life was unspoiled -- except for the black tipped reef sharks that followed us for 'spicy' (spikey) lion fish treats that the dive master speared. A fabulous experience.

This was my 7th time returning to Turneffe Island Resort and we will be coming back. I went back and looked at my review from 2019 and realized that everything that I had said back then was still true and the Resort has gotten even better. Your time at Turneffe will always be first rate- the staff are extraordinary and the accommodations and food are wonderful. The cabins are so comfortable with indoor and outdoor showers and air conditioner that will keep you cool through the night. I always appreciate the amenities in the cabins- lots of storage space, plenty of outlets for your electronics and toiletries that are very nice. And did I mention an endless supply of very soft towels. There is even a mini bar and small fridge if you want to keep anything cold. The diving is still the best that you will find in the Caribbean- sharks, turtles, rays, eels, and a very healthy reef system. The dives leave as scheduled and the dive masters are extremely helpful in assisting with your gear and insuring that each and every dive is safe and enjoyable. The ride to the dive sites is short- no more than 10 minutes- and you return to the resort for the surface intervals (with cookies and snacks available). My son split his day between diving and fly fishing and the staff were extremely accommodating to his schedule so he was able to go back and forth between diving and fishing. The food was fresh and plentiful with an emphasis on local menus. I can't say enough about what a great experience you will have at Turneffe. I return year after year because the diving is good, the staff incredible, the accommodations great and the food wonderful! I promise that you will love your visit to Turneffe Island Resort.

Just GO! You will be amazed at the location, the accommodations, the food and especially the staff! We felt like family. They remembered our names, they knew our food preferences, room, snorkeling, drink preferences within the first 12 hours. Never ever have we felt so welcomed and appreciated. Huge shout out to Jessie and Christian in the dining room. Luis was amazing! Itza and Victoria at the spa…incredible massages. And Shawn was so accommodating and fun! These people will make your experience. Plus Michelin quality food that will having you rethink your likes and dislikes. Everything was fantastic

We just returned from our best dive trip ever. Let me start with the resort itself, which met our expectations. For the price it was exactly what we expected. The staff were friendly and accommodating, our room was nice, and the A/C worked great. I read a few reviews where there were complaints about bugs, but in April/May we experienced zero bugs. The accommodations were pleasant and peaceful. The diving was spectacular, and our dive master, Hilario, was the best. He made sure that all the divers on his boat were prepared and ready to dive prior to each dive. After each dive he gave each diver a short briefing and tips on things they needed to improve upon such as buoyancy, trim, etc. We had a diver who had a physical condition that limited lifting, and Hilario took extra care of this diver to ensure they were able to enjoy all of the dives. Hilario was the best. He knew each dive site like the back of his hand. He knew where to look for unique fish species, he called the sharks his pets, and he even had a pet grouper that followed him everywhere he went on one of the dives. We saw dozens of fish species, various rays, sharks, octopus, lobster, etc. Just incredible! And we dove the Blue Hole!