Belize or honduras for Open water certification ?

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Frank23

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Hi, We're backpacking Central America for scuba diving, We're landing in Guatemala city, on february 11thm We'll be in Central America for 2 months. My buddy does'nt have his Padi certification.

Can someone suggest us a good itinerary from Guatemala city , to anywhere from Mexico to Panama for good diving .

Where should we go to start and get the Open water? Utila or Belize?

Personnally I hav'nt seen Belize and I'd like to dive there but I'm thinking it might be more expensive. Who knows about a cheap place to get the certification and dive in Belize?

Also thinking of going to Cozumel if going by Belize , good idea or not ?
 
I was more looking for a possible diving itinerary doable in 2 months.
 
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You'll probably do better and enjoy more on Roatan. I believe Belize will be more expensive, and as much as I enjoy the diving there, really not much to see on safety stops, whereas that is not the case at Roatan.
 
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A PADI Open Water ceritifcation only takes a few days regardless of where you do it. Honduras (specifically Roatan) has a good variety of dive sites close to shore including beautiful walls, wrecks, and sandy areas, and is generally very inexpensive. Belize (specifically Ambergris Caye - San Pedro) is a little more expensive but has a good topside life and a great selection of food.

Heck...if you are going for a few months I'd go to both! Flip a coin and pick the starting point!
 
From Guate City, you can head south and cross the border into Honduras, see the ruins at Copan, then take a bus to San Pedro Sula and then on to La Ceiba. Take the ferry to Utila. Your buddy can join the hundred other backpackers there getting certified. But for a few resorts, the island really caters to scuba diving backpackers. When you're ready to leave, see if you can hitch a ride on someone's boat crossing back to Livingston and Rio Dulce, Guatemala. From there you can make your way to more ruins at Quirigua. Then go north to Tikal and see the country's most famous ruins site. From Tikal, you can make your way to the border with Belize, do some diving in Belize. If you have more time, head up the coast to dive in Playa del Carmen or Cozumel. That itinerary should keep you busy for two months.
 
Please make sure you take normal. reasonable security precautions when doing this kind of travel through Honduras. Many people do it each year without incident and have a great time. Tourists are usually not the targets of crime. Maintain awareness of your surroundings and limit the valuables you carry - which is a good idea anywhere you travel.
 

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