Belize Logistics: Need Travel Help & Operator

[Hop Devil]

We're planning a long dive weekend like 4-5 days and I was looking for some feedback and recommendations. Based on the fact that we pretty much lose the front and back days do to travel what area of Belize would you recommend. I understand we fly into Belize City but how do you travel from that point to the dive locations, and what would be the best option to reduce travel time and get into the water. Any great diver operators you would recommend.
Appreciate any feedback and tips from my fellow divers.
Cheers

 

[jaydub]

Well if you plan on going out to ambergris caye or caye caulker you will need to hop on a puddle jumper from philip goldson international in belize city (most likely the airport you will be flying into). Puddle jumper out to ambergris or caulker costs around $90 round trip and it is a mere 10 - 15 minute flight. If you go to ambergris caye I would recommend Protech, great dive op.

 

[Footslogger]

Have dove Belize twice but only on a liveaboard. Stayed at the Princess Hotel in Belize City before/after the trip and did some land based stuff.

My suggestion would be to contact a couple of the dive operators and see what they recommend. There may be an operator that would pick you up from one of the hotels downtown ??

'Slogger

 

[Darnold9999]

I would go with jaydub's advice here, ambergrise or calker and fly. The diving is easy to do from ambergrise, the outer edge of the reef is visable from shore and you can do as much diving as you want. Lots of operators to choose from. Further south and the reef is a long boat trip from shore so you get maybe two dives a day and a long boat ride. The diving is perhaps slightly better, but on a short trip I would go to ambergrise.

Another option I have not tried would be to go to one of the resorts on the southern cays. You would then be staying on the reef rather than on shore. More money, but probably better diving.

 

[Damselfish]

I wouldn't try to dive based from downtown, not that great a place, long boat rides, and only a couple ops. They sound ok but do a fair amount of cruise ship business - not sure a dive op could survive downtown without cruise ship biz? Don't think many people go stay in Belize City to dive. Agree going to Ambergris makes sense, lots of options there.

You could look into some of the atoll resorts, they may not do transfers everyday and you'd have to see how much of your trip is wasted getting to them, but probably still more efficient than trying to do multiple dive days out of Belize city.

 

[occrider]

The only divers I know of who stay in Belize City are those making a connection to jump on a livaboard (You know you're in trouble when even the guide books tell you not to visit a city). Personally I would stay in Caye Caulker or Ambergis Caye (You could dive out of Placencia, but I've never been there so I can't make any recommendations). Caye Caulker is a smaller island, less tourists, slightly cheaper, and more "Belizean". Ambergris is bigger, has more amenities, tourists, and is closer to more of the good diving. My personal preference is Caye Caulker because I hate tourists (despise cruise ship type people), and I'm usually on a budget. If you're in Caulker I would recommend Belize Diving Services, I had a good experience with them. If you're on Ambergris I used Amigos Del Mar which is a pretty reputable operator. My only complaint about Amigos was that it's a rather large dive operator (can be as much as 20 divers on a boat) so if you're looking for smaller groups of about 6 or so, I've heard good things about Protech. If you're looking to maximize diving (and expenses) I would recommend doing a 3 tanker to the blue hole and/or 3 tankers to one of the Turneffe Reef sites (Elbow or North). Email ahead to get schedules.

Oh yea, and if you're on a budget or are afraid of tiny planes you can take the water taxi from Belize City to any of the Cayes. It's about $24 round trip to and from Ambergris and $18 to Caye Caulker (2.5 hour boat trip). If you're a more budget minded consumer I can recommend good places to stay at around $50 or less a night. Been to Belize twice so feel free to ask away.

Oh I forgot to add: www.belizeforum.com was an INVALUABLE resource for mot of my needs.

 

[robm76]

Just got back from a week of diving there and it was awesome! You will undoubtedly love it.

ambergriscaye.com is a good resourse i used to plan.
dove with BAD and Amigos del Mar out of San Pedro, both good experiences.
If money is an issue, I would look into Caye Caulker for lodging.

For transportation, you can also take a taxi into Belzie City ($25US) to Caye Caulker Water Taxi Terminal to pick a boat to Caye Caulker and/or San Pedro for much less money (about $40-50US round trip if I remember right) but much longer trip (about 60 minutes to Caye Caulker, 90 to San Pedro)

Look to dive Hol Chan reserve off of Ambergris and if money and time allow, head out to the outer atolls (Light House, Half Moon, etc, to dive the same, Blue Hole, Elbow and some other cool wall dives.

 

[Ecologic Divers]

In ambergris Caye, you might want to look at Ecologic Divers, WWW.ecologicdivrs.com
they can help you with the flight and were you might want to stay. There are several good dive centers in AC. another is Belize diving Adventure and Protech. All are good with good reputations.
have a great dive

 

[occrider]

(about $40-50US round trip if I remember right)

Ooops yea you're right on the prices, I must be quoting one way figures.

 

[Diver Lori]

If I recall correctly, Turneffe Island Lodge does half week packages.

www.turneffelodge.com