Open Water Certification in Ambergris Caye

[drjrt]

We are going to Ambergris Caye the end of March and my two children (15, 17)
plan to finish their open water certification there (PADI). We are staying at a hotel
that is near Bottom Time Dive Center. They don't show up on the PADI web site but
have a valid resort ID #.

Anyone have experience with the Bottom Time Dive Center? Any reservations?

Thanks for any input you can provide.

 

[Gaz]

Any instructor will pick you up from wherever you are staying so look around and contact the one that makes you feel the most comfortable I can reccomend scuba Steve and Elbert Greer

Have known both for many years and both are excellent instructors

Gaz Cooper

 

[peterbj7]

Bottom Time went seriously downhill when their star DM, Rudy Duran, qualified as an instructor and left to start his own dive centre Island Divers. They have left their "in town" location and now only have their Banyan Bay one. They now have a very low profile.

As Gaz says, most dive shops will pick you up wherever you are staying. My personal recommendation would be first to try Island Divers (Welcome to Island Divers Belize ) or Ecologic Divers (Welcome to Ecologic Divers! , now under new ownership). Another local small operation is Belize Diving Adventures, and of course never forget Amigos del Mar (the largest operation in San Pedro).

Your children are learning, but are Mum & Dad already certified divers? You'll find great flexibility on your joining the kids during their classes.

 

[drjrt]

Thanks you.
I had already contacted Ecologic Divers and they are available.

I'm certified but my wife isn't and won't be able to dive for medical reasons.
I was hoping to "tag along" when the kids dive and then probably do one or
2 more dives later in the week.

We want to do some in-land exploring, too.

Thanks for the input!

 

[Gaz]

Thats great

My first job in Belize was as an instructor at Bottom time in 1992 I remember when Rudy first started working at Bottom time as a helper he is a really nice guy and its nice to hear he has his own school now.

Shame about bottom time but I guess when the owners focus is elsewhere business will always go down.

Gaz

 

[oddible]

Ecologic is fantastic. We just got our certification last month in Vancouver and the DMs at Ecologic were really gentle with us - Charlie and Marcos were very attentive and entertained as well as supported us. Junior seems like a very thorough and detailed instructor (we got our Nitrox cert there and also overheard him giving instruction to a family for their open water cert).