Help with Family Trip to Belize!

[ScoobE]

First, I am new to both scuba diving and to scubaboard, so please excuse any naïve mistakes I may be making in this post. My wife and I are planning to take our three children (ages 13, 12, & 8) to Belize in Late February, 2016. My 13 year old daughter and I just completed our open water certification and would love to spend a few days diving during our trip. My wife and two boys don't dive, but do enjoy snorkeling and we are all always up for any kind of adventure.

I've read many of the other similar, "what to do / where to dive / where to stay" posts and have gotten a lot of good information, but decided to post my questions, because not much (that I could find) addressed diving with kids and "doing Belize" with non-divers. If it helps with the answers you may provide, the non-divers in my family are happy to do their own thing on the days that my daughter and I are diving, so I don't necessarily need options that include snorkeling, etc....although if that's an option, that would be nice!

Here are my specific questions:
1) Where do we want to call home? We will likely have about 4-5 days for diving. My preference would be to find someplace to stay and make day trips if need be to get to the dive sites. From what I can gather, the best options are: Amergris Caye, Caye Caulker, and Placencia (that's just what I could gather...we are open to other suggestions!). We "think" we would like to dive the Blue Hole one day, but could be talked out of it. Again, while my daughter and I dive, the rest of my family would want to be somewhere where they could find something to do...or go snorkeling where we are diving.

2) Any recommendations on where to stay? We would like to be comfortable, but don't need to stay at a Four Seasons. We are happy staying in a hotel, but we generally end up with 2 rooms in a hotel. So, if there was an option with a little more room than your typical hotel room that would be preferred. Our budget is flexible, but let's say $300/night (+/- $100/night) would be our target.

3) Favorite Dive Shops?

4) The plan is to spend 3 or 4 days on the coast and then 3 or 4 days exploring inland. I know this is a scuba forum, but if anyone has any suggestions for that leg of our trip we will welcome them as well.

Sorry for the lengthy post...and THANK YOU MUCHO MUCHO in advance for your responses!

Eric

 

[bradells]

Pretty simple given your requirements....

SPLASH in Placencia. You all can go diving/snorkelling. Day trips to ruins, jaguar reserve, monkey river, etc, etc. And the snorkelling isn't what most people do, which is let you swim around until you're tired. They send out a DM (or two), and give you a great guided tour of the area at Silk Caye and Laughing Bird Caye (Fish, Coral, hazards, etc). Plus some great grub!

I don't have any useful advice for staying in Placencia, I tend to crash at local friends places. But there are lots of options given your budget (guest houses, condo's, huts, etc)

Definitely call SPLASH and chat with Patty. They can do as much or as little as you'd like for planning your trip down to Belize (travel from BZE, accommodations, activities, etc), to the point of all you have to do is worry about sharing moments with your family (..... and making the plane to BZE)


Re Blue Hole. It is a very long boat ride from Placencia (~4+hr each way IIRC). I've been there 5 times this year. I never don't recommend it, but from Placencia, it's at the bottom of my list of things to do. It's a very long day for just over 2hrs of diving over 3 dives. The Blue Hole itself has been some of the best diving I've done in Belize (14+ large Grey sharks to ourselves), it also has been some of the worst diving I've done in Belize this year (Nothing and questionable displays of diving skills). More times than not, it's been meh. The other 2 dives (generally Half Moon Caye Wall and Aquarium) are excellent dives, and you have a great chance to see some large iguanas (if you haven't already gotten your fill from the mainland), hermit crabs, boobies, and more on your lunch break on Half Moon Caye.

Some of my favourite places to dive out of Placencia (and most of Belize) are Grand Channel, South Water, Glovers.... All are around 1.5+hrs away


Any questions, don't hesitate to ask!


BRad

 

[chillyinCanada]

Or you could stay on Ambergris Caye. In your price range you should easily be able to get a condo with sleeping for four. Check out Banyan Bay, just for one idea.

Local dives are only 15 minutes from shore. As a new diver you'll be happy with the diving off of Ambergris Caye. Lots of restaurants etc. You'll want to rent a golf cart and tour around the island. The kids will love it.

As for the Blue Hole, I highly recommend you save that dive until you and your daughter have many more dives under your belt. While many new divers do go to the Blue Hole, it's not a good idea that there do so IMNSHO.

---------- Post added December 17th, 2015 at 11:06 PM ----------

And I believe that yur family will so enjoy this he island that you'll return as often as you can, eventually going to Placencia as well and i the fullness of time after many dives, the Blue Hole day trip will become one of your favorite ways to spend a day. But waiting until you have more dive experience is what will give you that!

 

[large_diver]

We went to Belize during Christmas week 2014; we are going again in January. We are a family of 4 = 2 of us are certified divers (my daughter and me); 2 are snorkelers, but tried discovery dives last year. Our kids are older = now 19 and 21.

In 2014 we did a combo trip = half the week in the Belmopan area at a place called Caves Branch Lodge and half the week on Amergris Caye.

Caves Branch is not cheap, but is in a great setting and has an unending selection of jungle adventures, many of them right on their property (Caves Branch is located on a 60,000 acre property). Each night the staff come to your dinner table and plan the activities for the next day...most included in the lodging price (thus the higher cost). Day 1 we did a hike through the jungle to a huge sink hole....rapelled via ropes 300 feet down into the hole and had lunch there before climbing/hiking back out. Day 2 we split up - I did cave tubing while wife and kids did waterfall climbing inside of a cave system (jumping back down the waterfalls into water pools on the way out...a little hard to envision but they LOVED it). Day 3 we took a day trip to Tikal in Guatemala for a full dose of Mayan ruins/history. Accommodations are surrounded by jungle...you fall asleep to the sounds of jungle critters, including the sometimes VERY loud howler monkeys. One night we did a guided jungle hike and saw tarantulas, various lizards, monkeys, etc. Meals were in their open air dining room, buffet style, tables often shared with other folks. We had a great time there.

Belize Adventure Tours | Belize All Inclusive Vacations | Belize Resorts – Caves Branch Jungle Lodge

On Ambergris we stayed at the Sunbreeze Hotel, which is literally across the street from the small San Pedro airport. Despite the proximity, noise is not an issue. The Sunbreeze is not luxury...kind of a solid 3 star. They have a nice restaurant on site. Location is great since it is right in town...easy walk along the beach to various restaurants (do some research in looking at accommodations, as many are further out of town and require a golf cart). Diving was through Hugh Parkey's Dive Connection, which is also on site.....solid experience. For some reason the Sunbreeze web-site seems to be down at the moment, but you can find plenty of reviews on Tripadvisor. Diving on AC was mainly to local sites within a 10-15 minute boat ride, including Hol Chan Cut. At many of the sites, the shallowest point was 40-50 feet, dropping deeper along the spur/groove reefs. Hol Chan starts very shallow (8-10 feet) ....we did both a day dive and a night dive there. Lots of nurse sharks, turtles and rays. Wife/son did a fishing excursion one day arranged through the hotel front desk....they had a great time and came back with fish, lobster...and the hotel restaurant cooked it all up for us for dinner that night. We also took a day trip to Caye Caulker on a catamaran, including a stop at Hol Chan cut for snorkeling, open bar on the boat and lunch on CC. Very fun day done through Sea-Rious adventures (their dock is about 100 yards from the Sun Breeze). Would definitely recommend them for various excursions. We enjoyed AC - definitely touristy, lots of restaurant/bar choices, easy accommodations, decent diving, fun excursions. To get to AC, Caves Branch transferred us to the Belize City Airport....15 minute flight to AC on a small prop plane.

SunBreeze Hotel (Belize/San Pedro) - Hotel Reviews - TripAdvisor

Hugh Parkey's Belize Dive Connection, San Pedro

Ambergris Tours | Belize Tours | Searious Adventures

For early 2016 we decided to book a trip with Slickrock Adventures, spending a week on their small eco-resort out on Glovers Reef atoll (a week of kayaking, stand-up paddling, snorkeling, diving, windsurfing, kiteboarding, etc.). Looking forward to that trip. Again, kind of pricey...but the price includes all meals, transport to the island and most of the activities.

Belize Adventure Travel, Belize Vacations at a Private Island

 

[katzgar]

look at the blue hole on youtube and make sure you want to do it, some feel it is a waste of money and time, in any case it is a tech dive and you are newbies so shouldnt be this trip. look at splitting your trip Ambergris Caye for reef diving and lots of food and drink. Placencia or Belmopan would be good for inland as much of that is in southern Belize. Rum, beer, hot sauce and chocolate making all can be toured. there are caves to tour and jungle national parks to be hiked. The Drums Of The Garifuna - Types And How They Are Made

[h=1][/h]

 

[AWMIII]

For reference, I spent 38 days over 4 trips in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye in 2015. It is our go to place for diving and family vacations. I also took a group of friends down to dive this year. I have been to Belize about 20 times. I have dove Turneffe, Lighthouse Reef, Laughing Bird Caye (in 1997) and Ambergris Caye. About 4 years ago, I started using Island Divers in San Pedro. They seem to offer the best balance between fun and safe. Most of the operators on AC tend towards the fun end of the spectrum. Many visitors come back saying xxx is the best diveshop ever. YYY is the greatest most fun DM in the world. Most are ignorant of the risks. I have done about 200 dives with Island Divers. I trusted the owner, Rudy Duran for the check out dives for my 11 year old daughter. Most of the dives I have done with them included fewer than 6 divers. They have 4 boats and spread out the divers when they are busy. They also offer great family fishing and beach adventures. One other thing to mention, the internet in Belize is not the internet in the US. We have become so used to having instant gratification and responses to queries. Many people fall into the trap of thinking that the fastest response is the best shop. I do not know who is currently the fastest response, but I do know who I would never dive with. Be patient in your email expectations. Also, beware, that Island Divers is no longer in front of the Holiday Hotel. They are down south near Banyan Bay at a much improved location. If you are not staying down in that area, they will pick you up at almost any resort.

The diving off of San Pedro is great in many regards. However, there are about 6 sites (out of about 60 total) that are the closest sites to town right outside the reef. They can be a bit crowded, but are actually pretty good. When the wind is up, many times we will go there to avoid a long trip outside the reef in the swells. I know people who want to spend 90 minutes per dive looking at things that are so small that I cannot see them. It is not a great place for serious macro photographers. Much of the exciting targets exist, but the dives are all guided group dives and hanging next to the same rock in 30ft of water taking a picture of a Western Caribbean Coral Flea for an entire dive just doesn't work. In addition, because it is a lee shore, much of the pretty coral is at least 45ft deep. Because of the depth, the colors can look washed out. I also thing that the algae that lives on the live coral is also more brown than many people like. This causes many people to proclaim that the reef is dead. There is some dead coral. The entire island is made of dead coral. There is also a lot of healthy coral, but it doesn't look like finding Nemo. There are lots of big animals like 3 species of turtles, numerous nurse sharks, gigantic morays, peaceful eagle rays, playful dolphins and shy reef sharks. When coupled with the other marine life, I find that the diving is never boring. There is something to be said for 5-15 minute boat rides and surface intervals on shore. It is a great lifestyle and is easy on the non-divers in your group.

My favorite place to stay these days is Isla Bonita Yacht Club. Call Beth Hart at 877-213-7929 book. Isla Bonita Yacht Club - Isla Bonita Yacht Club is Belize's only Yacht Club and features a beautiful beachfront hotel situated close to the charm of San Pedro Town yet far enough to relax!Isla Bonita Yacht Club. It is a 10 minute walk down the beach to Island Divers. It is a resort that gain a bad reputation years ago, but it has been taken over by the condo owners and is really nice. Because of its past, it is priced very favorably. They do not have any onsite restaurant or bar, but there are probably 50 places within a 10 minute walk and all of the units have full kitchens. There is a great grocery store and fruit stand directly behind the property on the main road. We find that the Yacht Club has the right balance between quiet and convenience. Town is getting busier and busier each visit that I make. The Yacht Club is a 10 minute walk from town, but is far enough away to be quiet and private. The property has a great pool, beautiful gardens and its own artificial reef under the dock in front.

I also love Caves Branch for a serious no sissies jungle adventure. I have stayed there 3 or 4 times for a few days before or after a stint on AC.

Placencia seems to dominate this forum. I have not been there since 1997. I know it is attached to the mainland on a long peninsula. It is possible to drive to mainland adventures from there. I must be a fairly serious drive though. The trip from the International Airport is a very long drive or a longer puddle jumper flight. The barrier reef is quite far so the boat rides are much longer. Some of the sites may be less trafficked than AC. The Whale Sharks are around for a couple months in the late spring. A new cruise ship terminal is opening in the next month or so just off shore, so it is likely to become a busier place in the years to come. The rabid supporters of Splash will likely say that I am wrong on every count.

Do not bother with the Blue Hole until you have done a bunch of dives below 100ft and are comfortable at that depth. It is a very long day (5am until 7:30pm or so). I thoroughly enjoy the trip, but it is an advanced dive and will leave your non-diving partners without you for the entire day.

 

[katzgar]

For reference, I spent 38 days over 4 trips in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye in 2015. It is our go to place for diving and family vacations. I also took a group of friends down to dive this year. I have been to Belize about 20 times. I have dove Turneffe, Lighthouse Reef, Laughing Bird Caye (in 1997) and Ambergris Caye. About 4 years ago, I started using Island Divers in San Pedro. They seem to offer the best balance between fun and safe. Most of the operators on AC tend towards the fun end of the spectrum. Many visitors come back saying xxx is the best diveshop ever. YYY is the greatest most fun DM in the world. Most are ignorant of the risks. I have done about 200 dives with Island Divers. I trusted the owner, Rudy Duran for the check out dives for my 11 year old daughter. Most of the dives I have done with them included fewer than 6 divers. They have 4 boats and spread out the divers when they are busy. They also offer great family fishing and beach adventures. One other thing to mention, the internet in Belize is not the internet in the US. We have become so used to having instant gratification and responses to queries. Many people fall into the trap of thinking that the fastest response is the best shop. I do not know who is currently the fastest response, but I do know who I would never dive with. Be patient in your email expectations. Also, beware, that Island Divers is no longer in front of the Holiday Hotel. They are down south near Banyan Bay at a much improved location. If you are not staying down in that area, they will pick you up at almost any resort.

The diving off of San Pedro is great in many regards. However, there are about 6 sites (out of about 60 total) that are the closest sites to town right outside the reef. They can be a bit crowded, but are actually pretty good. When the wind is up, many times we will go there to avoid a long trip outside the reef in the swells. I know people who want to spend 90 minutes per dive looking at things that are so small that I cannot see them. It is not a great place for serious macro photographers. Much of the exciting targets exist, but the dives are all guided group dives and hanging next to the same rock in 30ft of water taking a picture of a Western Caribbean Coral Flea for an entire dive just doesn't work. In addition, because it is a lee shore, much of the pretty coral is at least 45ft deep. Because of the depth, the colors can look washed out. I also thing that the algae that lives on the live coral is also more brown than many people like. This causes many people to proclaim that the reef is dead. There is some dead coral. The entire island is made of dead coral. There is also a lot of healthy coral, but it doesn't look like finding Nemo. There are lots of big animals like 3 species of turtles, numerous nurse sharks, gigantic morays, peaceful eagle rays, playful dolphins and shy reef sharks. When coupled with the other marine life, I find that the diving is never boring. There is something to be said for 5-15 minute boat rides and surface intervals on shore. It is a great lifestyle and is easy on the non-divers in your group.

My favorite place to stay these days is Isla Bonita Yacht Club. Call Beth Hart at 877-213-7929 book. Isla Bonita Yacht Club - Isla Bonita Yacht Club is Belize's only Yacht Club and features a beautiful beachfront hotel situated close to the charm of San Pedro Town yet far enough to relax!Isla Bonita Yacht Club. It is a 10 minute walk down the beach to Island Divers. It is a resort that gain a bad reputation years ago, but it has been taken over by the condo owners and is really nice. Because of its past, it is priced very favorably. They do not have any onsite restaurant or bar, but there are probably 50 places within a 10 minute walk and all of the units have full kitchens. There is a great grocery store and fruit stand directly behind the property on the main road. We find that the Yacht Club has the right balance between quiet and convenience. Town is getting busier and busier each visit that I make. The Yacht Club is a 10 minute walk from town, but is far enough away to be quiet and private. The property has a great pool, beautiful gardens and its own artificial reef under the dock in front.

I also love Caves Branch for a serious no sissies jungle adventure. I have stayed there 3 or 4 times for a few days before or after a stint on AC.

Placencia seems to dominate this forum. I have not been there since 1997. I know it is attached to the mainland on a long peninsula. It is possible to drive to mainland adventures from there. I must be a fairly serious drive though. The trip from the International Airport is a very long drive or a longer puddle jumper flight. The barrier reef is quite far so the boat rides are much longer. Some of the sites may be less trafficked than AC. The Whale Sharks are around for a couple months in the late spring. A new cruise ship terminal is opening in the next month or so just off shore, so it is likely to become a busier place in the years to come. The rabid supporters of Splash will likely say that I am wrong on every count.

Do not bother with the Blue Hole until you have done a bunch of dives below 100ft and are comfortable at that depth. It is a very long day (5am until 7:30pm or so). I thoroughly enjoy the trip, but it is an advanced dive and will leave your non-diving partners without you for the entire day.

I agree. There are several that are marketing Placencia on this board.

 

[bradells]

I agree. There are several that are marketing Placencia on this board.

There might be a reason for that. Maybe we have dove all over the country, and maybe, just maybe stayed in every village in the country too....


For the given requirements (topside & diving at the same time in a limited time frame) Placencia is my logical suggestion.

Yes you can go to San Ignacio for a week and have terrific adventures, but, there is no diving.

Yup, you can go to Caue Caulker and Ambergis, but the day trips (for the other 3/5) of the family are a pain to get to.

Most sites from Caye Caulker are in the 70-90 minute range (with 'local reef' being a 20-40 minute boat ride), just the same as Placencia. It's just that all the dives are at least 60 minutes away in Placencia.

As for getting to Placencia, planes arrive in the afternoon from the states. The express bus leaves Belmopan by lunch (if not earlier) I don't recommend the bus (actually never have here). The cost of flights down from BZE are worth it, vs staying in Belize City overnight to catch the busses (yup, express to Independence, then a ferry to Placencia, or 2 regular school busses right into town). ... I don't recommend the flights to the cayes personally from BZE I'd rather use that cash on food/diving.

To each their own.


BRad

 

[katzgar]

"Most sites from Caye Caulker are in the 70-90 minute range (with 'local reef' being a 20-40 minute boat ride), just the same as Placencia. It's just that all the dives are at least 60 minutes away in Placencia." suggest you look at gmaps and remeasure CC to the reef

 

[ScoobE]

Thank you all for your input/insights! Having never been to Belize, it's hard to decide what to do in one week given all the fantastic options. I don't want to start any sort of "turf war" here, but based on the comments and having done a little more investigating since I originally posted this, I'd like some opinions here:

I originally thought that we would divide our trip into 2 parts - a few days on the coast, diving; and a few days inland doing the whole caving, Mayan ruins, ziplining, etc.

Now I'm wondering if we shouldn't spend our entire trip (likely 8 days) in one location and make day trips out for different activities. Again, my daughter and I will want to dive and my wife and boys will want to do "other stuff" (which may include snorkeling wherever my daughter and I are diving, but may not). Does that sound like a better plan than booking 2 separate hotels in 2 different locations? If there is a "Central Location" (i.e. Ambergris Caye or Placencia) that worked best...how easy is it to make day trips to do the "other stuff"?

Thank you all for the invaluable input thus far! We are getting really excited about this trip!

Eric