Solo Dive trip to Belize

[katzgar]

Edward, where is Tom Owens Caye? I can't find it on a map. Is that where you stayed when you dove with them? I'm guessing it's closer to Placencia than Punta Gorda since RCI moved it's mainland headquarters there.

Looks nice and it's a lot cheaper than the atoll resorts. Can you stay on the caye over the weekend or do you have to go back to Placencia?

I've been trying to dive out of Punta Gorda for years, specifically the Sapodilla Cayes, but now that RCI has moved to Placencia Garbutt's is the only "op" down there and it's just not economically feasible for them to take one diver. Dennis is a lot more about fishing than he is about diving. I can never seem to time it so that I'm there when a group is going out.

Have someone show you how to use gmaps it's easy to find

 

[Downing]

Lol, Google Earth. Completely forgot about that. Thanks, Katzgar.

 

[Edward3c]

Edward, where is Tom Owens Caye? I can't find it on a map. Is that where you stayed when you dove with them? I'm guessing it's closer to Placencia than Punta Gorda since RCI moved it's mainland headquarters there.

Looks nice and it's a lot cheaper than the atoll resorts. Can you stay on the caye over the weekend or do you have to go back to Placencia?

I've been trying to dive out of Punta Gorda for years, specifically the Sapodilla Cayes, but now that RCI has moved to Placencia Garbutt's is the only "op" down there and it's just not economically feasible for them to take one diver. Dennis is a lot more about fishing than he is about diving. I can never seem to time it so that I'm there when a group is going out.

I gather you’ve now found the Caye. No they don’t allow customers to stay on the island over weekends, if they did I’d go more often.

 

[kradatzke]

Thank you all for the input As it a ways off I have time to do a little research on San Pedro Ambergris Caye, I guess when I say simple "rustic" accommodation's maybe a better description is a simple and basic but still clean. Looking at a few places on Trip Advisor I see a few in the $150 range on the beach with a pool

Any suggestions on good dive operators?

 

[Downing]

Well, that seems like a lot to me, but I don't need/want a pool. My wife, on the other hand, can't seem to live without one.

Dive ops on AC? Amigos del Mar, Chuck and Robbies. Ramons Village if you stay there and maybe even if you don't. They are mentioned here a lot. And recently this thread gave especially high marks to B&D: Exceptional Personal Service and Diving.

There are more. Easy enough to find if you scroll through the threads here. Have a great trip!

Edward: In the interest of not highjacking this thread any further, I sent you a PM.

 

[katzgar]

Thank you all for the input As it a ways off I have time to do a little research on San Pedro Ambergris Caye, I guess when I say simple "rustic" accommodation's maybe a better description is a simple and basic but still clean. Looking at a few places on Trip Advisor I see a few in the $150 range on the beach with a pool

Any suggestions on good dive operators?

there are people that make a living posting fake reviews on TA so maybe skip that. There are 5 PADI shops on AC, start with them.

 

[Ralph Capeling]

Katzgar says "Placencia is 20 miles from the reef so not optimum. Ambergris caye is far and away the most popular for reef dives. The atolls are the best diving but pricier."

That is a little bit like shooting from the lip!

The remoteness means that the conditions here are pristine. You need to come here if you want to dive with whale sharks. Ambergis Caye is very good and I do like diving there because of the short boat rides, but access to Glover's Reef is much better here. The access to inland adventures here is excellent. Most of the southern half of Belize is protected by wildlife sanctuaries, forest reserves and parks - with lots of inland adventures, maya sites, access to natural Belize living and culture.

You can leave Placencia in the morning and zipline, go river tubing, visit a Maya Ruin and be back on a very nice beach with a drink in your hand before it gets dark.

Yes, more folks go to Ambergris but folks that want some space for themselves should really consider the southern coast from Hopkins to Placencia.

Regarding diving the Atolls, we dive Glover's and Lighthouse from Placencia.

Regards
Ralph

 

[katzgar]

Going further than you have to is is really not necessary. When you check the map turneffe and lighthouse are closer to San Pedro than they are to Placencia

 

[Ralph Capeling]

Going further than you have to is is really not necessary. When you check the map turneffe and lighthouse are closer to San Pedro than they are to Placencia

Well that is certainly true but look again at the map and remember that the prevailing wind is from the east north east. We travel up the ship channel to South Water Caye and then take thecut to Lighthouse from there. All of the time we are protected, initially by the barrier reef and then by Lighthouse Atoll. Going from San Pedro, you are in open water the whole time.

No knocks against Turneffe - it is a great destination, especially the elbow, but we rarely go to Turneffe because most of our guests prefer Lighthouse and Glover's over Turneffe when going on a long boat ride.

Regards
Ralph

 

[katzgar]

Lighthouse is also closer to San Pedro