Belize City or Placencia

[Scott T]

I am planning a trip for next year for the family. All of us dive, but I'm the only fanatic. We are looking for a couple of days of diving, a couple of days for sightseeing (my daughter really likes the idea of tubing in a cave) and a couple of days of whatever. I like the idea of Airbnb for a whole house and am considering Placentia over Belize City because it's a bit closer to some of the sightseeing. We are not interested in the Blue Hole, so just about any diving will be cool for us.
What are thoughts, pros and cons of each area.

Thanks in advance,

Scott

 

[DeputyDan]

No- No- No -No on Belize City. If you want that area go to Caye Caulker or Ambergris Caye.

Placentia is fine.

I would suggest using Luis Godoy for your outings, He is very good. Luis Godoy, Belize Nature Travel, Tour Guide and Operator, ExperienceBelize.com

 

[Damselfish]

second that. Belize City is a place to pass through as quickly as possible if you need to, not a base for a vacation.

The cave tubing is fun, though I'd check out the cruise ship schedule and plan any activities that are often done as cruise excursions for different days.

 

[JohnnyC]

Placencia would be great. Call Splash Dive Center. They do all of the diving stuff plus a bunch of other tours around Belize, including tubing, ziplining, etc.

 

[chillyinCanada]

If you've only got a week, decide which is most important, diving or tubing.

San Pedro, Ambergris Caye should be able to satisfy most of the things you want to do and leave you relaxed and happy.

However, if sightseeing is what you really want, you'd probably do better to forget about diving and just go inland.

If you've got 10+ days, then Placencia with Splash for all your desires or stay inland (Cayo or Caves Branch) and then to the Cayes or Placencia for diving and shore.

 

[Darnold9999]

Agree - Belize City is a place to pass through to somewhere else. Placencia is nice, but my experience of the diving is that the reef is quite a ways out so doing a couple of dives will take most of the day. Ambergrise diving is a very short boat ride so a couple of dives takes most of the morning, leaving the afternoon for exploring the island. A few days diving then go to the rest of Belize and explore. Trying to do both from Placencia is not that easy. It is a very nice place however so you really can't go wrong - unless you base your stay in Belize City.

 

[dlofting]

Placencia is nice, but my experience of the diving is that the reef is quite a ways out so doing a couple of dives will take most of the day.

Boat rides are 45-90 minutes, depending on where you're diving.....but your surface interval is on a beautiful caye with a hot lunch served. You're back in Placencia with plenty of time for a walk around town, dinner and/or drinks at a beach bar. (I actually like the boat rides, but I know that I'm a bit unusual with that)

 

[chillyinCanada]

My standard recommendation to those planning an inland and shore-based split trip, is to inland first and shore-based second.

 

[Damselfish]

I think it's often better to do 2 locations on a Belize trip if you want both diving and sightseeing. I've always dove from a liveaboard in Belize and have no first-hand experience with doing inland activities while based on the water anywhere, but I don't think it's terribly convenient. It's not going to be a dive in the morning, ruins in the afternoon kind of thing - more like you dive while the rest of your family does ruins or whatever. Between distance and sometimes road conditions It can take awhile to get around. Even when we stayed inland much closer to the sightseeing it's not quick.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Damselfish, nailed it!!