Belize Dive&stay suggestion?

[luk]

I'm traveling to Belize in a few weeks by myself. My first time in Belize. Could u suggest where to stay and dive for a week? I have advanced diver certification. I prefer staying in one place and just dive every day but am also open to travel to different cities it its worth it. Staying somewhere easy to walk to get food will be nice. I thought of doing a liveaboard but it's so expensive (~$2000). I don't have much time to do research so suggestion is appreciated thanks!

 

[JohnnyC]

Call Splash down south in Placencia, they can put something together for you. However, they dive the southern sites and rarely head up north to Blue Hole, etc.

Up north there is all the famous stuff, but it isn't as laid back as down south. Can't really go wrong with either.

 

[Downing]

Another vote for Splash Dive Center in Placencia. Patty, co-owner and operator, can help you with accommodations. Tons of places to stay in the village that are well within walking distance to places to eat. And Splash will pick you up and drop you off wherever you stay.

Ambergris Caye is also a very popular choice, but I've never stayed there so someone else will have to chime in.

Regardless, if you're there only a week, I'd recommend plunking down in one spot. Otherwise, you're going to spend one of your vacation days travelling.

 

[bradells]

SPLASH in Placencia or stay north on Caye Caulker and dive with BDS (Belize diving services).

Both are great shops, great boats and great staff.

Plenty of food, sleeping and laid blackness with diving on the menu.

BRad

 

[AKChester]

Had a great time at Off The Wall Dive Center. Full package, great food, and TONS of diving in remote and amazing wall diving off of Glovers Atoll.

 

[luk]

Which package from Splash would you recommend?

---------- Post added November 27th, 2015 at 08:39 PM ----------

Yea I'm also waiting for someone to chime in on Ambergris Caye too. I wonder how many days I should have for Ambergris dive if I want to. I plan on being in Belize by myself for a week diving, then I'll be in Ambergris Caye with a non diver so I won't be diving much or at all. But if there isn't much diving in Ambergris anyway, may be I can sneak in few dives while I'm there on the 2nd week.

 

[driftwood]

The diving off Ambergris is all deep finger and groove reefs. Lot of Nassau groupers and nurse sharks. I got pretty bored with the diving after 3 days. We did take a snorkeling trip to Hol Chan (?) which was very good (they feed the fish there).

 

[chillyinCanada]

What's your budget for accommodations? I can recommend a few places and operators in San Pedro. Does your non-diving friend like to sunbathe or activities?

---------- Post added November 28th, 2015 at 01:24 AM ----------

Sorry driftwood was so bored after 3 days diving there. Took me around 300 hundred before I noticed. Ambergris Caye is the diving central in Belize. Caye Caulker might be right up your alley, though it doesn't have a true beach.

Others have addressed Placencia so I'll leave that be other than to concur with the Splash Divers as the operator choice there.

 

[Downing]

Other than maybe the Blue Hole, I could do the same dive in Belize 300 times and not be bored. There's always something new to discover.

As far as Splash packages, it depends really on what you want to do. My favorite dives there are the ones they do at Glovers, but that's a full day commitment. You would take their "big boat" there, their 46 foot Newton, so it's a comfortable ride out and back. I like that boat so much that I tend to just "go where the big boat goes," regardless of where it's going. Splash sends several boats out every day, weather permitting of course, so you'll have lots to choose from.

If you're going to be there for two weeks, then I recommend you do either Placencia or Caye Caulker the first week since you'll be on AC the second. That way you'll experience more of Belize, get in a decent amount of dives and probably even dive some on AC, which as Chilly said, is Belize Dive Central.

 

[luk]

What's your budget for accommodations? I can recommend a few places and operators in San Pedro. Does your non-diving friend like to sunbathe or activities?

---------- Post added November 28th, 2015 at 01:24 AM ----------

Sorry driftwood was so bored after 3 days diving there. Took me around 300 hundred before I noticed. Ambergris Caye is the diving central in Belize. Caye Caulker might be right up your alley, though it doesn't have a true beach.

Others have addressed Placencia so I'll leave that be other than to concur with the Splash Divers as the operator choice there.

Thank you! my budget is about about $140/day for stay and dive together. Is that pretty tight for Belize? San Pedro sounds like fun. It's lively, right?
the non-diver likes beaches, swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, hiking and all other outdoor activities or pyramids, ruins-anything actually

---------- Post added November 28th, 2015 at 05:43 PM ----------

Thank you so much guys! What do u see in AC diving (other than groupers and nurse sharks-I like them but I wanna hear what else), and Placencia diving? How colorful is it? (Corals? Or lots of big fish?) How's current and visibility? What kind of dive?(drift, or something else?)