What is the best way to get to dive resorts in Belize. That is, what airport to fly in to and how long travel from there to the better dive resorts. Shuttle? Taxi? Resort recommendations for divers and non-divers/snorkelers teenagers.:cool2:
Getting to Belize
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Damselfish
Contributor
There's only one international airport to fly into - BZE.
Where in Belize are you thinking of going? Budget? It's a big country to get around (not like going to an island) and the dive resorts are all another flight or boat ride from Belize City. There is Ambergris Caye, southern Belize around Placencia, and assorted resorts out on the atolls and islands. Some places arrange transport for you. There are also a couple liveaboards leaving from Belize City but they'd generally pick you up at the airport and you wouldn't have to worry about it anyway. (It's possible to dive from Belize City, that's where the cruise ships come in, but it's not really a place to spend your vacation.)
Where in Belize are you thinking of going? Budget? It's a big country to get around (not like going to an island) and the dive resorts are all another flight or boat ride from Belize City. There is Ambergris Caye, southern Belize around Placencia, and assorted resorts out on the atolls and islands. Some places arrange transport for you. There are also a couple liveaboards leaving from Belize City but they'd generally pick you up at the airport and you wouldn't have to worry about it anyway. (It's possible to dive from Belize City, that's where the cruise ships come in, but it's not really a place to spend your vacation.)
Belize has but one international airport. A new one is almost ready in the south but not yet open.
The international airport is at Ladyville, 9 miles from Belize City. That is where you will land.
From there you can catch the puddle jumpers to any part of Belize - usually Placencia in the south, or Ambergris Caye a few miles off Belize City.
You can also rent a vehicle and from the airport drive around and explore Belize - Placencia is the only dive jumping off point accessible by road.
The international airport is at Ladyville, 9 miles from Belize City. That is where you will land.
From there you can catch the puddle jumpers to any part of Belize - usually Placencia in the south, or Ambergris Caye a few miles off Belize City.
You can also rent a vehicle and from the airport drive around and explore Belize - Placencia is the only dive jumping off point accessible by road.
Dive resorts are all over the place, so a great deal depends on where you're going. You can fly (or often boat) to the main centres (San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Placencia), but lots of resorts are nowhere near those centres and you'll need boat or sometimes road transport. To get to Hopkins (Hamanasi etc) will take plane and road. To get to any of the atolls and the resorts on them you'll fly to a suitable embarkation point (eg. Dangriga) and then take the resort's own boat - which likely will only go once a week.
Teenagers vary enormously in their demands. One who needs a constant supply of "night life" shouldn't come to Belize at all. One who needs an occasional dose might try San Pedro, so long as the resort is near town. Ones who can engage with the environment and see what there is to see will perhaps be happiest at more remote resorts. On Ambergris Caye I'd point them towards Tranquility Bay, a place where I've seen teenagers strangely content NOT to be "entertained" all day/night.
If you go to a small seaside village/resort, you must expect most of what happens there to be concerned with the sea. So if "non-divers" still like to snorkel, to fish, to go out in boats, to walk along the beach, they'll be happy. If they mainly want non-sea things to do then they've really gone to the wrong place. You CAN take land trips to the mainland from San Pedro, for example, and most people who come here for a week take at least one. But if such trips are your main reason for coming to Belize then you should go and stay on the mainland. There are both cheapo options and some wonderful (and expensive) jungle resorts.
"Night life" in San Pedro (and probably also in other places like Placencia) mainly consists in patronising bars. Drinking & talking, and sometimes listening to live music. Don't expect to find concerts/theatre or anything intellectual except as very rare exceptions. Take lots of books or a Kindle (no 3G service here).
Ralph Capeling
Contributor
For teenagers and non-divers/snorkelers you should consider Placencia. We have great diving plus excellent access to inland tours and adventures and Placencia is a very interesting village in its own right. About 25% of Belize is protected by parks and reserves and most of these are in the southern half of the country and Placencia is on the beach about the mid point of the southern half.
Splash has a kids club where we teach local kids who cannot afford diving lessons to dive for free. To date we have certified over 50 kids so we are very much used to teaching and diving with teenagers.
We partner with a number of hotels and resorts ranging from luxury to budget so we can arrange accommodation that will fit almost any budget.
You can check us out at Belize Scuba Diving Packages, Snorkeling & Whale sharks|Splash Dive Center|Placencia Belize. The video gives you a good idea of the diving and also some of our inland tours. If you want additional info on some of the more popular inland tours, you can click Dive Center on the banner at the top of our website and then click Placencia Inland Tours on the right hand side of the page that comes us.
If you would like additional information, e-mail Patty at patricia@splashbelize.com.
Splash has a kids club where we teach local kids who cannot afford diving lessons to dive for free. To date we have certified over 50 kids so we are very much used to teaching and diving with teenagers.
We partner with a number of hotels and resorts ranging from luxury to budget so we can arrange accommodation that will fit almost any budget.
You can check us out at Belize Scuba Diving Packages, Snorkeling & Whale sharks|Splash Dive Center|Placencia Belize. The video gives you a good idea of the diving and also some of our inland tours. If you want additional info on some of the more popular inland tours, you can click Dive Center on the banner at the top of our website and then click Placencia Inland Tours on the right hand side of the page that comes us.
If you would like additional information, e-mail Patty at patricia@splashbelize.com.
Downing
Contributor
Getting to Belize is easy.
It's figuring what to do once you get there that's a little trickier. Even though the country is relatively small, there's a lot to do and see for divers and non-divers alike.
A really good resource to help you narrow down the geography is Belize Insight Guide. It gives an historic and cultural overview of the country, then breaks it down district by district. It won't help you decide on which hotel or dive op but it will give you a good idea of where you want to stay and what you want to do and see. The book has maps of every district and is full of color photographs.
Once you've decided where you want to go, then this board is great for advice specific to the area you've chosen.
In the meantime, you may want to peruse the threads in the first few pages of this forum.
It's figuring what to do once you get there that's a little trickier. Even though the country is relatively small, there's a lot to do and see for divers and non-divers alike.
A really good resource to help you narrow down the geography is Belize Insight Guide. It gives an historic and cultural overview of the country, then breaks it down district by district. It won't help you decide on which hotel or dive op but it will give you a good idea of where you want to stay and what you want to do and see. The book has maps of every district and is full of color photographs.
Once you've decided where you want to go, then this board is great for advice specific to the area you've chosen.
In the meantime, you may want to peruse the threads in the first few pages of this forum.
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Another useful resource is Belize Vacations, Tours, Resorts, News, Hotels, Travels, Flights, Weather, Maps, Real Estate
For Specific Diving information with lots of informational videos and information on all areas of Belize and the pros and cons
Check out Dive Belize - The Complete Guide to Diving Belize
regards
Gaz Cooper
Check out Dive Belize - The Complete Guide to Diving Belize
regards
Gaz Cooper
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As MROMEO said, you have a choice of either a boat or a plane ride to places like Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker. I don't know the price difference, but it's a 20 minute flight compared to a 60 minute boat trip at least to Ambergris Caye. We did the plane, but also took a boat across to go to the ruins. It's not always friendly seas (as we found out going to the Blue Hole) and there's not a lot to see. Taking the plane is easy (same airport - next terminal) and the views from above are amazing. Round trip airfare was $120 per person.
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