I'm looking at doing a trip to Belize but I'm not understanding how anyone gets from Point A to Point B. I inquired about a cottage across the river from Monkey Town and was told there is a water taxi to Monkey Town but if you want to get to a dive shop in Placencia it's "a half hour boat ride" but where do you get the boat? Then it looks like (on Google Earth) that there are no roads to the dive shop but ferry routes are clearly marked. Someone said it's a 3 1/2 car ride from Belize City to Placencia and after two days of travel that doesn't sound very appealing. Someone suggested Off the Wall but they are talking about $650 for a boat to take you there. The ferry to Cozumel costs considerably less
Do most people take a small plane from Belize City to Placencia? In short, what is the usual procedure for going diving in Belize? I've found places to stay for as little as $32 per night but I'd rather pay more for less of a challenge to get to the dive shop. I also don't want to be in town--I want quiet. It would like to have a "vacation" from the USA and not end up some place where they think everyone wants to listen to rock and roll 24 hours a day. For once.
Is diving always more expensive in Central America? Everything was pricey in Costa Rica. I get the impression that a dive boat just above the border of Belize might cost $80 and once you cross the border it's more like $180.