Hi everyone. We are planning a trip to Ambergris Caye in mid July and want some opinions about hotels and resorts as well as dive operators. My husband and I have 20+ years experience diving and are bringing our 14 and 16 year old sons who have been certified for 4 years. We would appreciate any information to help to plan this trip. Thanks
Hotels and dive operators on Ambergris Caye
- Thread starter sheilaver
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cowjazz
Contributor
We have stayed twice at the Victoria House ( http://www.victoria-house.com/ ). Very nice full service resort, and I cannot complain about a thing. They set up trips with Amigos del Mar ( http://amigosdive.com/ ) for our diving at Turneffe Island and the blue hole. I would suggest you do some diving outside of the Ambergris reef. The reefs around Turneffe, Half Moon Caye and outside the blue hole were some of the best we have done. Long boat rides to those sites, but well worth it. You'll eat lunch on a remote caye or the bird sanctuary, and they stop on other uninhabited cayes on the way back for post dive drinks. They picked us up right at the resort's dock. For local dives they used their on site shop.
I would leave some time to tour the mainland. Our favorite mainland trip was a combination tour of the the Belize Zoo and a canoe trip through a cave on Barton Creek near San Ignacio. The resort can set up your excursions and diving for you, or you can go on your own.
Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.
I would leave some time to tour the mainland. Our favorite mainland trip was a combination tour of the the Belize Zoo and a canoe trip through a cave on Barton Creek near San Ignacio. The resort can set up your excursions and diving for you, or you can go on your own.
Feel free to PM me if you have any other questions.
One website that was a great resource and I used to collect information about ambergris caye was www.ambergriscaye.com
They also have a message board where you can inquire about any questions you might have that werent covered when browsing through the rest of the site. I stayed on the southern part of the caye at a place called bananna beach. I liked the place, they include a free tasty breakfast every morning and it was not some low scale continental type breakfast, you are actually seated in their restaraunt and given a menu with breakfast meals you can choose from that include fresh fruit and fresh squeezed orange juice. They have their own travel/adventure business on site called monkey business, a restaraunt, two different pools, and a nice beach area out front. Although the rooms were nice and the staff was cordial I would not go back there. I found the hotel to be too far from "town" which is where all the fun happens at night. It was a 30 - 45 min walk on the beach to town, or you had to rent a bike or golf cart, or call a cab. When I go to ambergris caye again I will be staying at a place much closer to town.
I dove with protech and although I had a few hang ups, I still enjoyed every minute of my diving. The dive masters were all very knowledgeable and were quick to point out anything of interest during the dive. They are definitely NOT a cattle boat type operation, of the 10 or so dives I did with them twice I was the only paying diver on the boat and all other dives there were a max of 4 other divers. I have heard good things about Amigos Del Mar as well but did not dive with them since I was pleased with Protech. I have heard that Amigos Del Mar is sometimes a cattle boat dive op...taking out quite a few divers.
They also have a message board where you can inquire about any questions you might have that werent covered when browsing through the rest of the site. I stayed on the southern part of the caye at a place called bananna beach. I liked the place, they include a free tasty breakfast every morning and it was not some low scale continental type breakfast, you are actually seated in their restaraunt and given a menu with breakfast meals you can choose from that include fresh fruit and fresh squeezed orange juice. They have their own travel/adventure business on site called monkey business, a restaraunt, two different pools, and a nice beach area out front. Although the rooms were nice and the staff was cordial I would not go back there. I found the hotel to be too far from "town" which is where all the fun happens at night. It was a 30 - 45 min walk on the beach to town, or you had to rent a bike or golf cart, or call a cab. When I go to ambergris caye again I will be staying at a place much closer to town.
I dove with protech and although I had a few hang ups, I still enjoyed every minute of my diving. The dive masters were all very knowledgeable and were quick to point out anything of interest during the dive. They are definitely NOT a cattle boat type operation, of the 10 or so dives I did with them twice I was the only paying diver on the boat and all other dives there were a max of 4 other divers. I have heard good things about Amigos Del Mar as well but did not dive with them since I was pleased with Protech. I have heard that Amigos Del Mar is sometimes a cattle boat dive op...taking out quite a few divers.
There are several resorts that can accommodate your family. Depend on what you want and what price range. I would contact Ecologic divers www.ecologicdivers.com as they can book you into the specific type of resort you want, they work with most.
Most of the resorts are condo style so they will have a kitchen as well as a living area.
Like jdub said Banana's is south, very nice with a pool, easy to get to via bike or golf cart. Xanadu, is a little closer, they have bikes they give you to use while you stay with them also they have free kayaks to use. Xanadu is a little more expensive than Banana's others closer too town. The Palm, Paradise Villas, it truly is better to work with a local shop as they can give you information on all the resorts.
As for dive operations, Amigos is by far the largest on the island there for they tend to have the most people on their boats. Protech, good shop, takes out smaller groups
speak with Peter the owner about packages. Ecologic Divers another good dive center located next to Amigos. Ecologic is a newer shop with new gear, started this year by a few instructors and divemaster. Contact Suyupa for resort,diving and trip info at ED. If you choose to do the blue hole the best is Amigos as they have the largest boat for the 2 1/2 hour ride. for the local reef diving you cannot go wrong with any of the above dive operations.
Most of the resorts are condo style so they will have a kitchen as well as a living area.
Like jdub said Banana's is south, very nice with a pool, easy to get to via bike or golf cart. Xanadu, is a little closer, they have bikes they give you to use while you stay with them also they have free kayaks to use. Xanadu is a little more expensive than Banana's others closer too town. The Palm, Paradise Villas, it truly is better to work with a local shop as they can give you information on all the resorts.
As for dive operations, Amigos is by far the largest on the island there for they tend to have the most people on their boats. Protech, good shop, takes out smaller groups
speak with Peter the owner about packages. Ecologic Divers another good dive center located next to Amigos. Ecologic is a newer shop with new gear, started this year by a few instructors and divemaster. Contact Suyupa for resort,diving and trip info at ED. If you choose to do the blue hole the best is Amigos as they have the largest boat for the 2 1/2 hour ride. for the local reef diving you cannot go wrong with any of the above dive operations.
Jeff88
Contributor
My wife and I have been to Ambergris Caye twice in the last 1 1/2 years (honeymoon and dive trip). There are many good hotels to be found..just depends on your budget. On our dive trip we rented a house near the northend of town for the week. We did our local dives with Chuck and Robbie @ Ambergris Caye Diving (http://www.ambergriscayediving.com). Robbie and his crew did a wonderful job. I would only use Amigos Del Mar for your Blue Hole and Turneffe Elbow trips. They use a larger boat w/ a head for the ~2hr each way trip. I have some pictures from our Turneffe trip in my photo gallery. Definatly check out the ambergriscaye.com site...lots of good info to be found. Also be sure to make it to BC's bbq on sunday afternoons...great food.
you might also want to check out PADI's website under the dive centers http://www.padi.com/english/common/...rgris+caye&Name=&CourseType=ALL&Submit=Submit
there are several dive operations that are not listed or approved with PADI
there are several dive operations that are not listed or approved with PADI
Damselfish
Contributor
nothing says a dive op needs to be listed or approved with PADI.ecosvl:
Damselfish:
So long as they don't claim to be.....
Damselfish
Contributor
of coursepeterbj7:
WarmGoingCold
Contributor
I will be staying down there next week at this resort:
http://www.banyanbay.com/
I will post a report on the resort and diveop when we return the following week.
http://www.banyanbay.com/
I will post a report on the resort and diveop when we return the following week.
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