Named one of the 'Best Dive Resorts in the Caribbean and Atlantic' in Scuba Diving's 2022 Best of Readers Choice Awards, Blackbird Caye Resort is located on an island in Turneffe Atoll and features 16 air-conditioned cabanas and villas with views over the Caribbean Sea. A short flight from Belize International airport, or a 52 km boat transfer, and you will find yourself in this little piece of atoll paradise. It is the only resort on Turneffe that is able to offer flight arrivals for guests at the airstrip on Blackbird Caye.
Turneffe Atoll is the largest of the 4 Caribbean atolls. It offers varied diving with deep water walls, shallow lagoons, coral gardens, a huge wreck, and sand chutes. It a great spot for juvenile fish as well as the larger fish species of Belize such as groupers and snappers, as well as eagle rays and turtles. There are around 25 dive sites just a few minutes boat ride away (and 70 in total) for you to explore, but you can also expect a weekly trip to Lighthouse Reef and the famous Blue Hole. The high quality of the sites attracts experienced divers but the easy conditions make it suitable for relative beginners too. Being a PADI 5 Star Resort, Blackbird Caye is the only resort on the atoll whose primary focus is on scuba diving, not fishing. For those wanting to learn diving, the resort is also equipped to provide introduction dives, as well as full open water courses and open water referral programmes.
Most of the sites are only 5 minutes away and this makes Blackbird Caye Resort attractive for mixed non-diver/diver groups; no need to spend all day on the boat riding to and from the sites - just 1 hour and you're back at the resort! The snorkelling around Blackbird Caye is also some of the best in Belize, which is another attraction for non-diving snorkellers. Then there's the fresh water swimming pool, sea kayaks, paddleboards, fishing rods, a jetty which attracts all manner of marine life, a complimentary internet facility to keep in touch with friends and family - plenty to keep non-diving guests busy.
The resort is set on a secluded sand spur with its own idyllic, 3 km long, coconut palm-fringed beach on one side and a mangrove fringed lagoon on the other. One of its key features of the resort is that it provides a natural and bio-diverse environment. Walk up the beach a little for some interesting bird watching or visit the lagoon and you can spot saltwater crocodiles and rare manatees. There is no urbanisation here, just the sun and the palms, the sand and the sea.
With a maximum of just 34 guests, Blackbird Caye Resort is an intimate property with rustic Caribbean charm. The staff provide a personalised touch in getting to know a little about each guest without being intrusive. The cantina offers buffet-style family dining which encourages guests to get know each other if they choose. The resort culture allows guests to forget to the pressures of every day life and to re-connect with their stress-free inner self. You can relax in a hammock on the porch of your beachside cabana or sip a sundowner in the bar right on the water's edge.
The 6 modern beachfront
Villas at Blackbird Caye Resort offer the most comfortable and spacious accommodations in the resort. They are beautifully detailed modern rooms featuring a large bathroom with glass shower cubicle, and large sliding patio doors leading to a private porch with chairs and hammock, from which to enjoy the stunning views of the Caribbean Sea. They have a king or 2 queen sized beds.
The 2
Deluxe cabanas are set within foliage and flowers, a few steps away from the Caribbean Sea. They are located on the secluded southern side of the resort and have king size bed and lounge area. The
Ocean Suite is constructed in the shallows and has a private deck over the water. The 5
Superior cabanas are smaller than the Deluxe, they have a king size or twin queen size beds and a seating area. The 3
Triplex cabanas are 3 rooms in the within the same structure. They are smaller and share an enclosed porch. These have double or twin beds. All the cabanas have rustic exteriors but the interiors are furnished in a modern style.
All the accommodations at Blackbird Caye Resort have:
- Air-conditioning and ceiling fans
- Double or twin beds with reading lights
- Beachfront screened-in porch with chairs/hammocks and sea views
- Private bathroom with hot water shower, towels and toiletries
- Coffee making facilities
- Fridge (not in Triplex)
- Personal safe (Deluxe and Villa only)
- US type plug sockets with 24 hour electricity
Blackbird's offers great diving at sites considered to be among the best in the Western Caribbean. There are more than 25 sites located within easy reach (and 70 in total), and 15-20 named sites within 1.5 miles (3 km) which are used exclusively by the resort. Some of the popular spots you can dive include the Elbow, Calabash Cut, West Side Story, CoCo Point, Chinaman's Wall, The Witconcrrete Wreck, and Sting Ray Motel. All are boat dives since the water around the resort is very shallow.
Full day 3-tank trips to Lighthouse Reef to dive at the Blue Hole, Half Moon Caye and Long Caye are an optional extra and require 6 divers to sign up. The trip also includes a land visit to the bird sanctuary on Half Moon Caye.
The 'PADI 5 Star Resort' operation offers 3 boat dives a day. After breakfast, you will depart at 8 am for the first dive of the day. There is a second dive at 11 am and a third after lunch at 2:30 pm. 1 night dive is included in the 7 night and 4 night packages (and replaces a day dive).
Blackbird Caye Resort operates 4 dive boats ranging in size from 11-15m. Each boat has twin 200 HP engines, tank racks, ladders and shade. Trips include a skipper, divemaster, tanks, weights & weightbelts, rinse tank for cameras, drinking water and towels. The resort also operates another boat exclusively for daily snorkeling trips. Snacks are available when divers come back to the resort.
Except for trips to the Blue Hole and The Elbow (double tank trip), the boat returns to shore after each dive since the sites are on average only 10 minutes boat ride from the resort. On Blue Hole trips, the larger Big Bird boat is used (max. 30 divers) and takes approximately 1 hour 20 minutes to reach Lighthouse Reef. The trip departs at 8 am and returns around 4 pm; a BBQ is also provided.
The dive centre has a nitrox membrane facility (standard is EANx 32%), a storage area for guest equipment, a camera table, and a shower, first aid and emergency oxygen. There are full sets of dive gear available to rent. The resort staff will rinse and carry your equipment daily; almost a 'valet scuba' service.
The resort is equipped to handle introduction dives to non-divers, plus runs advanced courses and full open water diver courses and referral programmes.
Safety: Depending on the level of severity of a diving related emergency evacuation, the journey to the nearest de-compression chamber in San Pedro (Ambergris Caye) is 45 km and will take between 15 minutes by low-flying airplane/helicopter or 1.5 hours by boat. The dive boats at Blackbird Caye Resort are equipped with life vests, oxygen, VHF marine radios, cell phones, compass and medic first aid kit. One divemaster is provided for every 8 divers. More oxygen and first aid are available back at the resort. We recommend you take out your own scuba diving insurance.
For non-diving related accidents and incidents the nearest hospital and police facilities are in Belize City, 50 km away.
Blackbird Caye Resort provides a comfortable, intentionally relaxed base for scuba divers seeking an authentic Turneffe Atoll experience. Designed as an intimate hideaway, the resort complements its world-class diving with a focus on simplicity, sustainability, and immersion in the natural atoll environment. In keeping with the eco-sensitive nature of the atoll, the resort operates with island generators, rainwater reservoirs, and reverse osmosis water purification.
Beyond the dive deck, the resort and its surroundings offer genuine downtime. Kayak along the calm shoreline, relax with a book in a beachside hammock, or observe the rich coastal wildlife right from the resort’s jetty - a prime spot for seeing stingrays, juvenile reef fish, and the occasional cruising saltwater crocodile. The atmosphere at Blackbird Caye Resort is one of peaceful disconnection, though complimentary WiFi in central areas allows you to stay connected if needed. Your stay also includes a weekly guided boat trip to the Calabash Caye Nature Trails for terrestrial exploration.
Resort facilities include: Beachfront restaurant and bar with satellite TV - Dive centre - Freshwater swimming pool - Private beach with sun loungers - Complimentary sea kayaks and stand-up paddleboards - Beach volleyball - Complimentary WiFi internet in common areas - International telephone - Laundry service - Babysitting services (on request) - Gift shop
Location: Blackbird Caye, Turneffe Atoll east coast, Belize
Guest safety is paramount, with the resort maintaining an active storm procedure and evacuation plan, supported by the nearby coastguard outpost on Calabash Caye.
After a day of diving the vibrant walls of Turneffe or exploring the iconic Blue Hole, refueling is a key part of the experience. At Blackbird Caye Resort, meals are a highlight of the day, focused on hearty, freshly prepared fare served in a quintessential Belizean setting.
All meals are enjoyed in the open-air, thatched-roof palapa restaurant perched right on the water’s edge. Here, the rhythm is both social and satisfying. Breakfast and lunch are served as bountiful buffet-style meals, offering a wide range of options to fuel a day of activities. Dinner is a more formal, plated affair with a varied menu that often features locally caught fish and seafood, alongside chicken and meat dishes. The chef prepares everything from scratch, resulting in set but generous meal times.
A beloved daily tradition at Blackbird Caye Resort is the 5 pm happy hour at the waterside bar. This is the natural gathering point to meet fellow divers, enjoy hors d'oeuvres, and share stories of the day's adventures over a well-earned cocktail or cold beer as the sun begins to set.
What to expect:
* Breakfast: A substantial spread including fruit juices, coffee, tea, eggs cooked to order, ham, bacon, sausage, pancakes, potatoes, fresh fruit, cereals, and toast.
* Lunch: A varied buffet with options such as salads, a sandwich bar, rice and beans, pasta dishes, and stir-fries.
* Dinner: A changing menu of international and Caribbean-influenced main courses, featuring fresh seafood, meat, and poultry.
* Weekly specials: Look forward to a Friday night BBQ of fish, ribs, and chicken, and a traditional Belizean lunch of stewed chicken, rice and beans, and fried plantains on Sundays.
* Beverages: Complimentary coffee, juices, and purified drinking water are available all day. A full bar service is on offer.
* Dietary needs: The kitchen can accommodate special dietary requests, including vegetarian, with prior arrangement.
The focus at Blackbird Caye is on wholesome, delicious food in a stunning, relaxed environment perfect for recharging before another day of exploration on Belize's legendary reefs.
"
Staff was very helpful and friendly. Rooms were clean, comfortable, spacious, and well-maintained. Food was plentiful, expertly prepared and presented, and delicious! Dive guides were very safety conscious. I enjoyed everything about this trip! " -
Lyn Hayes, United States, 24 November 2023 ...
