Looking for Dive Shop in Belize to Take Advanced Cert. Dives

[Gibson19]

Hi - I plan on being in Belize this April and hope to get in my cert dives for my PADI advanced open water. This is my first time to Belize, so I'm open-minded to where I dive. Any recommendations on dive shops that cater to beginner divers and/or your favorite dive spots in the country is appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Downing]

Belize is a small country but it's still a big place and chock full of quality instructors.

Most divers think of Belize as San Pedro on Ambergris Caye but there's a lot more to Belize than just AC. I haven't been there, but plenty of others have so you'll get lots of recommendations shortly.

You may be considering heading further south to Placencia. If so, I can recomend Splash Dive Center. I dived with them last summer and am headed back for more this June. First-class dive operation with excellent instructors. I did Rescue plus four other specialty certifications over two weeks with three different instructors, along with a bunch of recreational dives. Splash has a banner ad that runs on the ScubaBoard Belize page, and one of the co-owners, Ralph Cappeling, checks in here frequently so they're easy to contact.

SP is very much a tourist town and has more of everything that caters to tourists in terms of accomodations, restaurants, bars and dive shops. Placencia is smaller with a laid-back fishing village vibe but there's a wide range of accomodations, etc. and plenty for tourists to do there as well. Plus it has very easy access to mainland activities like jungle hiking and Mayan ruins.

Either location would serve you well.

 

[peterbj7]

... and there are other areas as well, such as Caye Caulker, Thatch Caye, Hopkins, and of course the atolls (principally Turneffe, which has two dive operations).

In San Pedro my first recommendation for training dives would be Island Divers, though there are several other good ones - Hugh Parkey's Belize Dive Connection, Reef Adventures, Amigos del Mar, Ramon's all come to mind. Do you have any preference as to where you stay?

Another option on Ambergris Caye but quite a long way from San Pedro is Tranquility Bay, which is a lovely place to stay and offers excellent uncrowded diving. The resort joint-manager is a PADI instructor and knows his stuff (I trained him!).

 

[Pedro Burrito]

Hi - I plan on being in Belize this April and hope to get in my cert dives for my PADI advanced open water. This is my first time to Belize, so I'm open-minded to where I dive. Any recommendations on dive shops that cater to beginner divers and/or your favorite dive spots in the country is appreciated.

Thanks!

I would recommend the dive shop at Hamanasi in Hopkins. Hamanasi Resort: Belize Dive Training | Belize Dive Certification | Advanced PADI Courses in Belize!

 

[Downing]

As far as the Turneffe Atoll goes, I don't think you can get an Advanced cert at Turneffe Island Resort. They just do OW referrals (not cheap, btw). I don't know about Blackbird and Turneffe Flats.

Hamanasi enjoys a sterling reputation.

I guess the point is that it's probably best to first determine where you want to stay. Once you've done that, finding quality AOW instruction should be easy. Heck, you might even be able to do it in Haulover Creek in Belize City with Sea Sports.

 

[SCUBAPA75]

If you go to Ambergris Caye...Chuck and Robbies is a great op to dive with. They are super fun and cater to what everyone wants to do and see...popular with the locals. Big Sexy is a great divemaster.