Favourite Dive Shop in Belize?

[fred3798]

I am looking for referrals to people's favourites in Blize. I hope to dive at Ambergris Caye and Turneffe Attol. I like a dive shop that has guides who enjoy pointing out local reef life and that offers lots of customer service. I know many SB users prefer self-reliance and being left alone. I like the option of being led especially if the guide really knows the reef well. I am especially concerned about the depth of Blue Hole. I'll have my own dive plan but I want someone with lots of experience taking people to that depth and is all about safety.

Referrals please.

 

[yakivet]

I am looking for referrals to people's favourites in Blize. I hope to dive at Ambergris Caye and Turneffe Attol. I like a dive shop that has guides who enjoy pointing out local reef life and that offers lots of customer service. I know many SB users prefer self-reliance and being left alone. I like the option of being led especially if the guide really knows the reef well. I am especially concerned about the depth of Blue Hole. I'll have my own dive plan but I want someone with lots of experience taking people to that depth and is all about safety.

Referrals please.

You'll certainly get lots of comments on this topic as everyone has their own favorites. My personal favorite is Island Divers on Ambergris. My wife and I have been diving with Rudy Duran and his group for a number of years now. We usually make a yearly trip in the Spring. His boats have never been overcrowded and his divemasters do a very good job. On several trips, it has been only my wife and I on the boat. His boat Captains are talented and tend to err on the side of conservancy when it comes to weather, wind or wave conditions when it comes to exiting the reef cuts for access to diving. On more than one circumstance I've seen them come to the assistance of other dive shops boats. If you are looking for a little more attention, they will give it to you. Likewise if you like to do your own thing, they'll keep a watchful eye. Enjoy your trip when you put it together.

 

[Downing]

Well, my favorite dive shop in Belize is Splash Dive Center but they're in Placencia, which is south of AC and the atolls.

I think you'll be glad to learn that having a dive guide is a requirement, not an option, in Belize, unless you just rent or buy a tank and go off on your own.

I already sang the praises of Turneffe Island Resort on the atoll in a different thread, but their dive op is definitely top-notch. You'll start your week with a check-out dive. They will want to watch you put your gear together, then take you to a spot not far from the dock and further observe your comfort level on a relatively shallow, approximately 40 feet, dive. After that, they'll take over the gear duties. You'll have the same boat captain and dive master on every dive throughout the week so that they're familiar with your experience and comfort level.

On the Blue Hole trip, they usually add some staff to the dive group via the assistant manangers or managers so that they have about a two or three to one ratio of guests to staff.

You should consider taking an advanced class, which includes a deep dive, or a deep diving class before you go. It's not mandatory, however, and I doubt most BH divers have more than the basic certification.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Well, my favorite dive shop in Belize is Splash Dive Center but they're in Placencia, which is south of AC and the atolls.

I think you'll be glad to learn that having a dive guide is a requirement, not an option, in Belize, unless you just rent or buy a tank and go off on your own.

I already sang the praises of Turneffe Island Resort on the atoll in a different thread, but their dive op is definitely top-notch. You'll start your week with a check-out dive. They will want to watch you put your gear together, then take you to a spot not far from the dock and further observe your comfort level on a relatively shallow, approximately 40 feet, dive. After that, they'll take over the gear duties. You'll have the same boat captain and dive master on every dive throughout the week so that they're familiar with your experience and comfort level.

On the Blue Hole trip, they usually add some staff to the dive group via the assistant manangers or managers so that they have about a two or three to one ratio of guests to staff.

You should consider taking an advanced class, which includes a deep dive, or a deep diving class before you go. It's not mandatory, however, and I doubt most BH divers have more than the basic certification.

Do you get to dive the same place through Splash Dive Center that Turneffe Island Resort frequents? I was looking to dive with Splash because of the probability of whale sharks but if Turneffe can offer the chance of similar encounters then I would prefer a resort type setting.

 

[Downing]

Do you get to dive the same place through Splash Dive Center that Turneffe Island Resort frequents? I was looking to dive with Splash because of the probability of whale sharks but if Turneffe can offer the chance of similar encounters then I would prefer a resort type setting.

Mostly no. Splash is based in Placencia, which is well south of TIR and the atoll.

As far as I know, TIR doesn't do Whale Shark diving.

Splash runs an overnight trip to the Blue Hole and the Elbow, doing dives along the way and up and back. But there has to be a minimum number of divers signed up for them to make the trip, so you should contact them before you go. There are a number of resorts in Placencia if you decide to go that way.

 

[CAPTAIN SINBAD]

Mostly no. Splash is based in Placencia, which is well south of TIR and the atoll.

As far as I know, TIR doesn't do Whale Shark diving.

Splash runs an overnight trip to the Blue Hole and the Elbow, doing dives along the way and up and back. But there has to be a minimum number of divers signed up for them to make the trip, so you should contact them before you go. There are a number of resorts in Placencia if you decide to go that way.

Makes sense. Besides the whale shark factor, how does the rest of the diving in the Placencia compare to TIR area?

 

[Downing]

Pretty comparable overall. The barrier reef is about an hour out from Placencia and is in very good shape. For whatever reason, I saw a lot more dolphins in Placencia than I ever did at TIR. But the other big stuff like sharks, turtles, eels, etc are comparable as well as the smaller aquatic life.

TIR's biggest strength is that it's an all-inclusive island with little required of you besides relaxing. Placencia's is that it's on the mainland with easy access to the jungle. So it just depends on what type of vacation you want to do, which is why I go back and forth. Like the candy bar jingle: sometimes you feel like a nut; sometimes you don't. You'll be happy diving either place, I'm sure.

 

[jlevine]

Everyone has his/her favorite dive shop. Personally, I like Ecologic Divers. They go to the Blue Hole and Turneffe. I enjoyed my trip with them to the Blue Hole and the subsequent two dives. I hope to go to Turneffe with Ecologic in the future. This forum has lots of good info on the various shops.

 

[daniel1948]

My only experience in Belize is at Off The Wall dive resort on Long Caye, Glover's Reef. Hard to get to, as it's a long boat ride from the mainland. But the diving is great. That's were I got certified and I was very happy with them. My instructor was no longer working there the second time I went, but still, I don't think you could go wrong with them. You don't have to be deep to enjoy Long Caye wall.

I didn't stay with them, though. I stayed with Slickrock, which runs a resort on the same island, and does lots of water sports. So I did maybe 5 dives a week, and the rest of the time I did other stuff. If you stay at Slickrock, you can dive a la carte at Off the Wall. But if you stay at Off the Wall, you cannot join Slickrock's activities, because the two companies operate differently.

 

[Bubba1]

I am looking for referrals to people's favourites in Blize. I hope to dive at Ambergris Caye and Turneffe Attol. I like a dive shop that has guides who enjoy pointing out local reef life and that offers lots of customer service. I know many SB users prefer self-reliance and being left alone. I like the option of being led especially if the guide really knows the reef well. I am especially concerned about the depth of Blue Hole. I'll have my own dive plan but I want someone with lots of experience taking people to that depth and is all about safety.

Referrals please.

Fred3798, Ambergris Caye has about 30 dive shops along its 22 mile coast, 25 or so are on its southern half. It's easy to do the Turneffe Atoll day trip from Ambergris. The dive market on Ambergris is regulated by the Belize Tourist Board so that all the operations will have a guide in the water with you and act as an underwater tour guide/ divemaster. They are trained in addition to the regular divemaster training to identify marine life and are knowledgeable about the reef. The Blue Hole dive is a 130 foot dive and can't be done shallower because the group stays together under the supervision of the divemaster and a diver staying shallower would mean they where not supervised and the dive is very chaperoned. The BTB requires one divemaster/Tourguide per 8 divers. Which shop you dive with may also depend on where your staying on the island.