Best dive shop in belize and surrounding area?

[sdreefers]

Hello all!

My wife and I are going to Belize in the beginning of June. We are brand new to diving and will be doing our classes over the next several months. We will also take our nitrox classes. Just a little background info about our diving experience, not much, maybe 5 open water dives when we arrive in Belize!!

Anyway, we are looking for a dive operation that is safe and caters to small groups or private parties. Cost is not much of an issue as I would rather spend more and be safe. I don't want to push my limits and I, at this point, don't know what they are. So, that said, who do you think would be a good place to dive through. We think the blue hole would be fun but probably to advanced for us as new divers, so, I have heard the outer atols are the way to go and also local reef diving off of San Pedro but there are so many diving companies that it's poseing a problem trying to pick one.

Thanks again!

 

[vondo]

I really like Frenchie's on Caye Caulker (island next to San Pedro). From the website, though, it looks like they may not have Nitrox. It would have been useful on a few of the dives we did, but not all. As a new diver, you may not get more bottom time with Nitrox anyhow since your air consumption rate may be the driving factor. Surface intervals tend to be an hour anyhow with snacks or lunch and such.

I'd wait on the Blue Hole until you have more experience. The other two dives down there are great, so see if you can just do those.

 

[sdreefers]

Frenchie's! Allright, I will check them out now and see! Thanks for giving me a name! Nitrox isn't a must by anymeans as I have never dove with it so I probably, at this point, won't really gain much benefits like you stated, my air consumption will probably be fairly high. I will check out Frenchie's!

 

[sdreefers]

Ok, I checked out Frenchies and they look pretty good. I also checked out Hugh Parkey's diving which looked nice.

 

[vondo]

You should get other opinions, but I would not be interested in staying in Belize City.

There are good ops on San Pedro too and hopefully you will get lots of advice from others.

 

[laserdoc]

Frenchie's! Allright, I will check them out now and see! Thanks for giving me a name! Nitrox isn't a must by anymeans as I have never dove with it so I probably, at this point, won't really gain much benefits like you stated, my air consumption will probably be fairly high. I will check out Frenchie's!

Wait on your nitrox until you are going someplace like Bonaire or Roatan where you will be doing 15 to 20 dives in a week. Thats where you will gain the benefits from it

 

[diver 85]

Vondo....Caye Caulker...now that's a blast from the past for my wife & I...went there by boat(as a little afternoon side trip) on one of our trips to Caye Chapel in the the late 80's, thinking back it was very laid back there......Diving wasn't too inspiring from what I remember, very mundane, but we did our diving from Caye Chapel(Pyramid Island Resort)....From what I see these days, the southern part of Belize seems to be the 'hotter spots', down by Dangreiga...Been thinking about making the Hummingbird Hwy trip again, from BC to Belmopan thru Dangreiga to PG.....Thanks for shaking up the ole memory box...good times we had back then....

 

[Ecologic Divers]

You are right there are several dive centers in Sam Pedro, Ambergris Caye. You can check out Protech at www.protechdive.com and www.ecologicdivers.com both handle small groups and are very professional. Many people will say Amigos del mar is a good is dive center as well. typicall they take out larger groups that the others. Please rethink the blue hole as it is an experience but not a dive for a new diver. the 2nd and 3rd dive of the trip are great. my suggestion is you snorkel the BH and dive the others.
dive safe

 

[Gr8ful Diver]

sdreefers - I've been going to Belize for many years. Lately, I've only been able to go for 3-4 days to get my "diving fix" so I've been staying in Belize City (not as bad as people say once you figure it out). Hugh Parkey's is by far the most professional dive shop in Belize. I've gone out of San Pedro, Caye Calker & Placencia and none of them compare in terms of professionalism and the readiness of the boats. The Fort George hotel is decent and it make it very easy to hook up with Hugh Parkey's. From the city it is about 45 mins. to an hour to Turneffe Atoll. The dive masters with Belize Dive Connection are great and they don't just hit all the frequently dived spots. I recommend giving them a try - you'll thank me in a later post. I'm going down in June and plan on 2 solid days of diving and I won't use anyone else.

 

[Gr8ful Diver]

I also forgot, Hugh Parkey's Belize Dive Connection just opened an operation about 10 minutes from the city on Spanish Lookout Caye. I found there website check it out.
http://www.belizeadventurelodge.com/