Best instructor/dive shop nearest Guatemala?

[Jeff-McClaran]

Hello there! I have my PADI Open Water Certificate and am looking to continue my education and certifications. I am currently running an NGO in Guatemala and was wondering if anyone knew of a great instructor or dive shop that is close to here. There doesn't seem to be any shops with instructors for AOW or Rescue here in Guat. On the PADI website, it seems like the closest shops for these certifications is Cancun or Costa Rica. I was wondering if anyone knew of any in Belize or had suggestions on the best instructor or shop close by. I would like to get to know one and stick with them for my certifications. Thanks!

 

[wetb4igetinthewater]

Hello there! I have my PADI Open Water Certificate and am looking to continue my education and certifications. I am currently running an NGO in Guatemala and was wondering if anyone knew of a great instructor or dive shop that is close to here. There doesn't seem to be any shops with instructors for AOW or Rescue here in Guat. On the PADI website, it seems like the closest shops for these certifications is Cancun or Costa Rica. I was wondering if anyone knew of any in Belize or had suggestions on the best instructor or shop close by. I would like to get to know one and stick with them for my certifications. Thanks!

I only observed open water course being taught to one couple by one instructor from one dive center in Belize. It didn't look good.

 

[Damselfish]

Where in Guatemala, it’s a big place.

There are plenty of good dive centers in Belize. Also consider island of Roatan off Honduras.

But define “close” - assuming you’re planning to fly to this place for the occasional long weekend or whatever, it would be more a matter of how easy it is to fly from your location to there, not so much absolute distance.

 

[Jeff-McClaran]

Where in Guatemala, it’s a big place.

There are plenty of good dive centers in Belize. Also consider island of Roatan off Honduras.

But define “close” - assuming you’re planning to fly to this place for the occasional long weekend or whatever, it would be more a matter of how easy it is to fly from your location to there, not so much absolute distance.

Hello Damselfish, anywhere in Guatemala, there isn't really anywhere I can't drive there. Belize is actually close enough to drive to and I will check into Roatan in Honduras. Other than that, it would be flying. I looked at Cancun because it is pretty cheap to fly there as is Panama. Since I don't know the dive shops/instructors in this area, I am basically looking for recommendations for a good PADI instructor/dive shop.

 

[Damselfish]

I meant where are you in Guatemala. If you’re talking driving, Placencia Belize area might make sense and there are good ops there. (We dove with Splash a few days long ago, they were good. I hear good things about Seahorse.) But even that looks like a 10 hour drive if you’re coming from say Guatemala City. Most other diving in Belize is offshore on the atolls and cayes so that complicates your travel.

You would likely fly to Roatan, though I suppose you could do it by land/ferry but it’s an even longer drive to La Ceiba to catch the ferry. (If you were doing land/ferry, you might also consider Utila, which is more of a pain to fly to than Roatan.)

You will probably find much better diving in Cozumel than Cancun, though the flights might cost more. (Some people fly to Cancun and do land/ferry to Coz, but thats another slog.) Depends what your priorities are as far as cost/time. For a couple classes Cancun might be fine, but others will have to chime in with specific suggestions.