Trip Report to Ambergris Caye, Belize

[pilot fish]

Hm. We stayed at Sunbreeze Resort, right down from Ramon's, and had a great time from July 2 - 10, right before y'all were there.

We did the day trips to Turneffe, also Lamanai, the cave tubing and Belize Zoo, all of which were fantastic.

I loved the huge groupers and the very friendly nurse sharks, which were almost like pets....they kept following us around. I miss them, but I'll be back.

We dove with Aqua Dives, which was great, although I would recommend SeaRious Adventures for the mainland trips. AD takes little bitty boats for the trip to Belize City, and it's a rough ride in a 25' or so boat.

Cave tubing looks like it was a great thing to do. How far into the cave did you go? Did you do the Blue Hole or just the dives at Lighthouse, which I hear are great dives?

 

[likelite]

Didn't do the Blue Hole, because I heard it wasn't worth either the trip or the money. The cave tubing was so stupendous I can hardly describe it. I don't have the photos developed yet - took a waterproof disposable instead of my big underwater rig - but will post a couple when I do.

We went all the way through three separate caves, out in the middle of the jungle, in a natural river with water so clear it was unreal. Cool and marvelous in the hot weather. They hand out a headlamp, so you can see a little bit, but it was kind of creepy and cool. Actually it was just like the Discovery Channel, those big caves you see on HDTV sometimes.

This was combined the same day with a trip to the Belize Zoo. It's a lot of travel - boat to the mainland, bus to the zoo, bus to the tubing - so that you do more travel than the activity you've signed up for. We had to nearly run through the zoo, but it was still worth doing.

 

[pilot fish]

Didn't do the Blue Hole, because I heard it wasn't worth either the trip or the money. The cave tubing was so stupendous I can hardly describe it. I don't have the photos developed yet - took a waterproof disposable instead of my big underwater rig - but will post a couple when I do.

We went through three separate caves, out in the middle of the jungle, in a natural river with water so clear it was unreal. Cool and marvelous in the hot weather. They hand out a headlamp, so you can see a little bit, but it was kind of creepy and cool. Actually it was just like the Discovery Channel, those big caves you see on HDTV sometimes.

This was combined the same day with a trip to the Belize Zoo. It's a lot of travel - boat to the mainland, bus to the zoo, bus to the tubing - so that you do more travel than the activity you've signed up for. We had to nearly run through the zoo, but it was still worth doing.

That sounds so cool. Wish I could have done that .I find all that travel after you get to your destination tiresome. I kind of stay put once I get to a place. Part of my trip, aside from diving, is relaxation

 

[leadweight]

If you don't like Ramones, try Banana Beach next time. I am there right now, for a month.

 

[Rescue Diver68]

Where do we go for cave tubing? That sounds great!

 

[Clutchcargo]

We were there in September as a wing-it weekend. We planned stay at Captain Morgans but once we arrived they said that they were full so we ended staying at the Banana Beach Resort. In hindsite, I'm glad we stayed there because we checked out Captain Morgans and it's one the other side of the rope ferry and pretty far away by golf car. Our final day there we drank our way down the beach and Ramones was one of the stops. It was nice but I was happy with BBR, it was far enough out of the way for my preference.
I wish the beaches were nicer and once we learned that the toilets out on the docks drop directly down into the ocean ("Yuck") that was enough for us, so we used the swimming pool exclusively.

 

[pilot fish]

We were there in September as a wing-it weekend. We planned stay at Captain Morgans but once we arrived they said that they were full so we ended staying at the Banana Beach Resort. In hindsite, I'm glad we stayed there because we checked out Captain Morgans and it's one the other side of the rope ferry and pretty far away by golf car. Our final day there we drank our way down the beach and Ramones was one of the stops. It was nice but I was happy with BBR, it was far enough out of the way for my preference.
I wish the beaches were nicer and once we learned that the toilets out on the docks drop directly down into the ocean ("Yuck") that was enough for us, so we used the swimming pool exclusively.

Hi Clutch. Unfortunately too many people drank their way down the beach, and that made Ramone's a bit busy and a tad noisy. Ramone's is a nice looking place but they don't have a handle on security so a lot of the property is used by guests from other resorts and locals.

 

[Dive Bunny]

Hi Dive Bunny. We had lunch one day at Banana Beach resort -nothing special. I got the impression that Banana was the same as Ramone's but not as nice looking? Yup, that's what peole told us, they were advised to walk the beach from their resort to town, which meant a lot of foot traffic in front of Ramone's . Many of the people walking by would stop at Ramone's and sit on the chairs and go in the pool and no one would know the difference. It just wasn't private and restful enough at Ramone's, although it looked great in the ads and brochures

What you said about the Blue Hole is identical to what I've heard from a score of divers that dove it. Glad I did not suffer through a 3 hour boat ride at 5:30 in the morning to do it.

I think about everyone says the same thing about the blue hole. We had a whole boat full of people and I think they all had the same opinion. It sounds neat and you see it in all of the dive magazines. But once in the water you are like.....oooook. There is honestly nothing to see besides a few reef sharks. We were lucky to see a few fish. It really is a big blue hole. It is like $300 for 2 people, which is definitely pricey for what you see. The other 2 dives you do that day are very nice though.

 

[Dive Bunny]

Hi Clutch. Unfortunately too many people drank their way down the beach, and that made Ramone's a bit busy and a tad noisy. Ramone's is a nice looking place but they don't have a handle on security so a lot of the property is used by guests from other resorts and locals.

Hi Pilot,
I was happy staying at the Banana Beach. The food was not the best, but we ate in town most of the time for dinner. It might not look as good as Ramone's but the rooms...at least ours was very clean and I had no complaints. They kept the pool and facilities nice and the staff was very helpful and friendly. Clutch, we took a golf cart down to Capt. Morgans and it is quite a ways down. Good thing you didn't stay all the way down there. If you were trying to drink your way down the beach to town I don't think you would have made it haha!

 

[pilot fish]

I think about everyone says the same thing about the blue hole. We had a whole boat full of people and I think they all had the same opinion. It sounds neat and you see it in all of the dive magazines. But once in the water you are like.....oooook. There is honestly nothing to see besides a few reef sharks. We were lucky to see a few fish. It really is a big blue hole. It is like $300 for 2 people, which is definitely pricey for what you see. The other 2 dives you do that day are very nice though.

That opinion of the Blue H. is universally held, ok, nothing special and very pricey for what you see. Everyone says the next two dives are superior. They wanted $195 PP at Ramones for that dive, although that price consisted of small box breakfast, on a rolling boat, no thanks, and two other dives. 5:30 in the morning departure, on vacation, and divers show up and pay the freight? noooooooooooooooope.