Belize vacation destination advice/reccomendations needed (Diver/Non-Diver)

[peterbj7]

SDD - lots of hotels in San Pedro at all prices and most are good. Very popular and good value year-round is Banana Beach, a mile or so south of town. Nearer town Exotic Caye has been offering some amazing prices lately. In town, Spindrift is old and a bit faded, but excellent value and run by really nice caring people. I list more on my website.

Paula - I agree that the beaches on CC are better than many on AC, but I find that after a couple of hours on CC I'm bored. Lots more to do here. As to diving, if "Doc" is who I think it is then he's no longer there.

 

[paularogers]

Peter, By doc I mean Paradise Down. I was owned by O.J. then he sold it to the doc. Who has it now? I'm confused is the dive shop still there

 

[peterbj7]

Paula - yes, that's what I guessed you meant. It closed in the spring, and the "doc" moved all the gear plus the boats up to San Pedro, initially to Hustler's dock. He's subsequently had a disagreement with the then owner of Hustler's (that's also changed hands recently, and the dive center space is rented to one of the good small operators) and moved his big boat just offshore, where he still is. Doesn't appear to be doing any business, or anything much at all. Some of the boats seem to have gone, as they're not visible. OJ comes here periodically, and is apparently taking legal action to recover what went from Paradise Down. But Paradise Down dive shop is gone for good, although OJ still runs the bar there.

 

[Cap'n Ron]

I recommend you check out the Paradise Villas condos. They are just a bit nicer than Banana Beach, at the north edge of town, so easy to walk any place, and the PADI dive shop, Reef Adventures, is located right there. Ched is the PADI Dive Instructor and is reputed to be the best on the island. There is an excellent pool for your girlfriend, and there is swimming/snorkeling off the dock over the little eco-reef system. Try www.ReefAdventures.net. Enjoy!

 

[Ecologic Divers]

Cap"n
Are you part of reef adventures? if so, please state that you are before you discuss or advertise a dive center. By the way Ched is a great PADI instructor, his dive center is not a PADI dive shop. There are several great instructors on the island, from Protech, Ramons, amigos, to ecologic who are PADI dive centers

 

[yakivet]

Since Cap'n Rons home page is listed as http://www.reefadventures.net/ I'd say it's a pretty safe bet. One more pea in the pod. :42:

 

[ZzzKing]

I recommend you check out the Paradise Villas condos. They are just a bit nicer than Banana Beach, at the north edge of town, so easy to walk any place, and the PADI dive shop, Reef Adventures, is located right there. Ched is the PADI Dive Instructor and is reputed to be the best on the island. There is an excellent pool for your girlfriend, and there is swimming/snorkeling off the dock over the little eco-reef system. Try www.ReefAdventures.net. Enjoy!

We just got back from a week on Ambergris Caye. We dove with ecologic and stayed at Paradise Villas. The villas are about 100 yards from the dive op and have a nice pool and are very close to town but also very quiet. Met several of the property owners and they were good folks also. ecologic is a good operation. They started up their business last spring and are mostly veterans from Protech. We enjoyed diving with them.

I would stay there and dive with that group again and I am not associated in any way with either operation.

 

[RussR]

Good info! Thanks everyone. We decided on Caye Caulker's Seaside Cabanas. Relax, dive, and walk everywhere we need to go.
We may actually push this trip to the fall (October/November 07') and do something closer (cheaper) in the spring like Cozumel since Aruba was so expensive....

 

[RussR]

Just booked the trip to Belize! Staying in Caye Caulker where the pace is sloooooowww

I did some research on dive ops and it is either Frenchies or Belize Diving services

I cannot wait! although i will have to arrange a quick trip to florida between now and April