Recommendations for upcoming Belize trip.

[peterbj7]

I generally don't recommend inexperienced divers to do that particular dive, as it's very deep and short (not far removed from a bounce) The other two dives in that day are excellent, though, and if there are enough divers (at least 10) we like to arrange a 3-dive day trip to Lighthouse reef but leaving out the BH.

Another area regarded by many as a superb divesite is The Elbow at the southern tip of Turneffe Atoll. To my mind it's not quite as good as Lighthouse at its best, but you still get three very good wall dives, varying in depth from 90' to 50'. For less experienced divers this is a better bet. It's also a fair bit cheaper, partly because operators charge less (it's closer so less fuel is used) and also because you don't have to pay the $40 tax required for the BH day.

Either way it'd be a good idea for you to do one or two days local diving before you go out to the atolls, and if you're going to do the BH I recommend you get some deep diving experience before the day. The BH dive takes you (nearly) to 150', which is beyond recreational limits and I'm sure a lot deeper than you will ever before have dived.

 

[any-key]

are you looking for a resort?

My wife and I stayed at Hamanasi in July and it was fabulous
http://www.hamanasi.com

we liked the small, friendly atmosphere
and they run a 5 star PADI operation (the only one for miles)
they offer inland adventures and 2 tank diving everyday

at night it was like staying at home, without the TV
(they also have wi-fi for your laptop)

 

[Don Wray]

I had the same question last night at class and got the same response there from those that had dove the BH. Looks cool in the logbook but money and time could be spent more wisely.

 

[Jeff88]

My wife and I were in San Padro over last Thanksgiving. We were both new divers then also. We did our local diving Chuck & Robbie (www.ambergriscayediving.com). Robbie did a great job as DM. We liked the small dive groups and very personal service from them. We chose not to do the Blue Hole dive trip but instead took the Turneffe elbow trip with Amigos Del Mar. Most of my pictures posted in my gallery are from that trip. Make sure you try to make it to BC's beach bar for their barbeque on Sundays while your there. Lobster should also be in season in November if you like it. Some of the best food we ate while we where there was from the little hole in the wall places...very good and cheap. We are planning another trip there next April..can't wait.

 

[peterbj7]

Sadly BC's have stopped their Sunday barbeques.

 

[mike_lutz]

Anyone have suggestions on where a good place to stay with a small group of divers of divers with various expirience levels?

 

[peterbj7]

If their experience is so divergent that they can't dive together then you need a dive center with several trips happening at the same time - ie. a big one. If they can go on the same trip but need to dive at different depths then you'll need more than one DM and a suitable dive site, but not necessarily a large dive center. Where they stay depends on how they group into rooms and has nothing to do with their diving abilities. In short, insufficient information. I can suggest places in this area that probably will do, and I can think of some particular places in some other areas. Another major factor is cost.