New Divers Planning a Trip to Belize

[north6633]

Hello all,

My first post here on Scuba Board. My wife and I were recently got our open water certifications on trip to Vietnam and since then have wanted to get some more diving in. Well, recently I was asked by my employer, that due to work being slow, that I takeoff 2 weeks in the first quarter without pay. So with that the first problem was solved, how do I get time off to go diving.

They asked that I only take one week off at a time. So that kind of limits where I could go comfortably and having been in Vietnam barely a month ago, its hard to justify the jet lag for just a week of vacation.

We had been looking at Cozumel, but after some research Belize seems much more interesting.

The question I have does anyone have suggestions diving there? I have read recent threads and have inquiries into Splash in Placenia and Hugh Parkey's, We are trying to do the trip on a bit of a budget, being that I am not getting paid during this excursion. We would like to do the trip with airfare to Belize for $4K including airfare to Belize, which is running about $1600 for the 2 of us right now. So with $2400, what can we do. I think we can get close to that budget but I am not sure and it not a super hard budget number just a target we woudl ike to stay around,

Things we would like to do on the trip is 1) get our Advanced Open Water Certifications 2) Just get some good diving in and enjoy some nice tropical weather

Accommodation wide we don't need a 5 star resort, just clean rom with a good bed and AC. Diving wise a reputable operator with good instructors.

Anyone have any suggestion on a good way to put together a week in Belize for a decent price?

Thanks in advance

 

[yakivet]

First of all, welcome to the Board. And Its always nice to talk to a fellow Eastern Washingtonian.

I think that with what you are proposing, you've got a lot of different options. It just depends on what you are looking for in a dive vacation. Strictly diving or diving with some other extracurricular activities. Belize is certainly a valid choice as its pretty easy to do a weeks vacation if you can combine the weekends on either end. On the way from Washington State to Belize you can pretty well figure on either spending the night somewhere during your air travel (SEA, MIA, DFW, LAS) or flying all night with a bit of a stopover. Usually can be into Belize by afternoon the next day. On the way home, you will also likely overnight somewhere along the way.

Ambergris Caye has been our family's usual choice. Usually in March or April, we've been 5 times in the last 6 years. It is very easy to combine some economical lodging with some affordable diving. The island has a great assortment of hotels/condos and a fantastic assortment of restaurants. In both cases you can spend a lot or spend a little. There are also lots of dive shops from which to pick. Here's a website that may help you (Belize Vacations, Tours, Resorts, News, Hotels, Travels, Flights, Weather, Maps, Real Estate) The lodging section of the website,, also helpful, is here: (Belize Lodging Guide, Resorts, Hotels, Accommodations, Reservations, Rooms in Belize) Our diving for the last 3 years has been with Rudy Duran and his shop Island Divers ( Welcome to Island Divers Belize ) Its a small shop that has always served us well. He and his divemasters are top notch. We'll be diving with them again when we return in April. They'll give you as much or as little help as you need and have always been a very safe operation. Like most dive operators, they'll pick you up at any dock along the Ambergris strip. He can provide additional dive instruction if you so desire and also has some pretty nice rental gear if its needed.

All in all, I think you can put together a trip thats well within your budget. The one thing I'd advise against is putting together an "all inclusive" trip to ambergris. There are far too many good options to tie yourself down. If you decide you want more information, PM me direct for some of the finer details. I also have covered a few of them in some of my other Belize postings. Ken :42:​

 

[peterbj7]

Bear in mind that if you're on a budget your money will go further if you go to either Mexico (Playa del Carmen or Cozumel) or Honduras (Roatan or Utila). Air fares to Belize are the killer.

 

[Downing]

Another welcome to SB from a fellow Pacific NW'er.

Air fare from here definitely puts a dent in the wallet. I just booked my trip for June and for the first time that I can remember Continental was cheaper than American. I did find some cheaper options, but as Ken noted they all involved staying somewhere overnight which means spending the savings on a hotel or "airport camping." I chose Continental's PDX red eye flight to Houston, so I'll be leaving here just after midnight, stopping off in Houston and arriving in BZ City in the morning. If all goes well, I'll be having lunch in Placencia.

I've heard that TACA flights are cheaper than American and Continental. TACA doesn't serve Portland (Seattle?) but it might be worth checking into flying into a TACA airport and flying to Belize from there.

I would think $2400 for two people for a week of diving is adequate on either Ambergris Caye or Placencia. You won't live like a King, but you'll have a lot more fun than one.

 

[beaverdivers]

Welcome to SCUBAboard!

Belize is amazing. Do it!

 

[north6633]

Thanks for the responses and welcome and hello to my fellow PNW divers.

Yakivet, I was down at the testing range this week looking at a job I am bidding its a small world. Thank you for all the links I am working through that right now. There are so many choices and I have made a few inquiries and hopefully will be able to start getting some accommodation and diving setup.

I have looked Peterbj7 suggestion of Honduras, its definitely cheaper to stay and dive the but right now for the time frame I have to travel in its about $180/ticket more in airfare. Ended up looking at different dates in Feb & March and found the sweet spot to be 3/8-3/18 for the trip based on airfare. There are just so many cool places to see there.

Its funny, the great thing about diving is there a so many great places to dive and explore, the bad thing is there are some many places to dove and explore when you are trying to choose. What I have determined is there really is not a "bad" place to go for our level of diving we are still learning, so getting to dive with good vis in warm water with some sea life is all going to be new to us. So I am trying to keep that in perspective as I read and learn about the different options.

Trying to get lodging that works for us is going to be the trick. Not that we are picky, as I said in the first post as long as its clean has AC and decent bed were good. Its more a question of trying to determine what you get for your money.

What is the cost of food like in Belize? just eating out at an average restaurant? What could a couple expect to spend on food/day. Not talking eating from street vendors, but just a average food.

Thanks again for all the help. Looking forward to diving again. We did the OW course as a finisher to three weeks in Vietnam for something to do for the last week after spending 2 weeks on motorcycles traveling across the country and now it become a primary vacation activity.

 

[Downing]

Trying to get lodging that works for us is going to be the trick. Not that we are picky, as I said in the first post as long as its clean has AC and decent bed were good. Its more a question of trying to determine what you get for your money.

What is the cost of food like in Belize? just eating out at an average restaurant? What could a couple expect to spend on food/day. Not talking eating from street vendors, but just a average food.

If Placencia's still under consideration, I can recommend Diannis Guest House. I stayed in one of their cabanas last summer for $50/night (low season). We share the same list of basic requirements plus it had great water pressure in the shower. No ocean view but was nicer than the ocean view cabanas behind it that were going for $60/night. And it was a five minute walk to the village center, where Splash would pick me up and drop me off each day.



Edit: In looking at this photo, I feel compelled to add that I definitely shot the cabana's "good side." To the left, you can see the stairs, is Diannis Guest House proper. It's a fairly large, two-story building. To the right, out of view, are two more cabanas, both facing the Guest House. Behind it, barely visible, is another hotel, the one with the ocean facing cabanas. When I shot the photo, I was standing in what amounts to Dianni's unpaved parking lot. Just didn't want you to think it was quite as idyllic as it may look in the photo since that would be a little misleading. But still, it was more than adequate for my needs and a good value.

As far as food prices, I think they're about the same as what I pay here at home or at least not significantly higher. It helps if you like the national meal of chicken, rice and beans, which can be had for cheap. There aren't many viable options in BZ City so prices there are definitely higher for what you get. If you're headed to AC, you'll get lots of recommendations on where to get the best bang for the buck--Peter's the resident expert--and you could search the threads here because that question comes up a lot.

 

[nuderdiver]

Bear in mind that if you're on a budget your money will go further if you go to either Mexico (Playa del Carmen or Cozumel) or Honduras (Roatan or Utila). Air fares to Belize are the killer.

Yeah - the only reason why I can go is because we got RT tickets from Alaska to Belize for under $350 each. Gotta love the fare wars

The downside is you can't be too picky - you gotta go when the special is on. in are case, we arrive/depart on Tues/Weds, so that does limit some options, with respect to the places that are set up for Sat/Sat trips. We also would have preferred to go a little later to catch the whale sharks - but, as usual, budget rules.

 

[north6633]

Thanks Downing, great information. Have not decided between AC or Placencia. Have been collecting pricing for different options and this is great. I did hear back from Splash in Placencia with a Lodging & Dive package of $1500/each Diannis is one of the hotel choices for that price. It includes both of us getting our Advanced Open Water and 3 additional days of 2 tank reef dives and an inland tour. Total of 7 nights & 8 days. Trying get a feel for what kind of a deal that is. Definitely pushes us over the budget a bit and we still have to figure some food in there. Even though we can subsist on chick rice and beans just fine.

An off topic question. Does it make sense for us to get our Advanced Open water right after we got our Open water? Or would it make more sense to get some dives under our belts , have fun and not worry about taking the course. Not that the courses are not fun, we had a great time taking our open water.

Again thanks for all the input, its truly helpful as we navigate planning our first true dive vacation.

 

[north6633]

Yeah - the only reason why I can go is because we got RT tickets from Alaska to Belize for under $350 each. Gotta love the fare wars

The downside is you can't be too picky - you gotta go when the special is on. in are case, we arrive/depart on Tues/Weds, so that does limit some options, with respect to the places that are set up for Sat/Sat trips. We also would have preferred to go a little later to catch the whale sharks - but, as usual, budget rules.

Wow, $350, that's a great deal . I need to do some more fare shopping. I can do a mid week trip for that airfare. Thanks for tehheads up, giving me reason to search some more. When are you going to Belize, that you got that airfare?

Where in AK are you? Lived in Fairbanks for 20 years and went to high school in Anchorage and Nome. My mom still live in Anchorage.