Belize - advice welcome

[boogeywoogey]

Planning a trip to Belize for 9 days early next year and I was wondering if anyone had any advice about where to stay and recommended dive operators.

On this trip I would like to:

1. Do as many dives as possible but must dive the big blue hole.

2. If possible complete my TDI cavern course.

3. See the Mayan ruins with my non-diving wife.

Any advice very welcome.

Boogey

 

[doole]

Don't know about accomodations; I stayed with a friend.

When you do the hole, definitely visit the park at Half-Moon Key on the way home. Bloody awesome.

Be prepared for some fairly deep (for rec) walls.

If you want nitrox, definitely take your own analyzer.

 

[1RUSTYRIG]

I stayed at the Banana Beach resort and dove w/ Amigos Del Mar. I would highly recommend Amigos as they are a class act. Great service and experienced guides! The DMs gave complete safety briefings as well as predive orientation and post-dive review. Great Crew!

As far as accomodations...heh....It's Belize...Nothing really jumps out at you as 5 start because there really isn't any 5 star there. Almost all the hotels on the Cayes are nice, have friendly staff, and good beaches. I would stay on the south side of the Ambergris Caye even though Capt Morgans' (north side) rooms are freaking gorgeous. The ride to and from town sucks and the mosquitos are plentiful.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Dive with Protec Belize on Ambergris Caye. Good boats, good staff, good equipment. 501-226-4690

 

[George Scherman]

I really liked the diving at Glover's reef. We stayed at Isla Marisol and dove with their dive master. There is good snorkelling for the non diver, but you are very isolated, so it's not for everyone. We also had a fantastic time doing a couple of cave trips (not ave diving) in the interior. We stayed and caved with Caves Branch resort. First trip was a little innertube float to an easy cave. Second was a spectacular all day 4 mile hike through a mountain. The route included clambering up over waterfalls and wading through an underground stream for most of the trip. There was a Mayan ritual site deep in the cave with undisturbed pottery. The speleoformations were gorgeous. I'd also highly reccommend taking two days, or at least one long one to go into Guatemala to Tikal. When we were there there were more coatis, monkeys and birds by far than tourists. The ruins are incomparable. If you have questions about any of this let me know.

 

[gangrel441]

http://www.zerovisibility.co.uk/Reports/Belizereport.htm

This is my report from earlier this year. I know the Aggressor has non-diver rates. Also, you could always talk your wife into doing OW while you are there...

I don't think they could accomodate you for TDI cave, though.

 

[RockyHeap]

I did 12 dives in 5 days off of Ambergris Caye,

Placencia seems to be a nice place to stay, and much cheaper than out on A.C.

After flying into Belize City, we headed out west to the Cayo District to check out the Jungle at Cave Branch Resort, and Mayan ruins. This was a highlite of our trip over 5 days.

This place was a blast, and the underground waterfall adventure caving tours are not to be missed.

http://www.cavesbranch.com/

Belize is very expensive for some things, and things are pretty highly taxed. Be sure to sample the One Barrel Rum.

The diving out at the Blue hole, lighthouse reef, and Turneffe flats was spectacular.

Out on Ambergris, we stayed at Xanadu resort which was just on the fringe of town, but they had free loaner bikes which made for getting around town real easy and FREE.

 

[divetahoe]

On this trip I would like to:
3. See the Mayan ruins with my non-diving wife.

Go to the Cayo district, but instead of only staying in Belize, hop the border and go to Tikal (http://www.belizex.com/tikal.htm) in Guatamala. The ruins are awesome and still jungle covered. Kind of like Chichen-itza, before it was cleared. Also ending that day in Flores (http://www.belizex.com/tikal-Flores.htm) is really cool. Flores is a town on an island in a lake. It makes for a pretty long day or stay one night in either place. Well worth the effort!

 

[gangrel441]

Be sure to sample the One Barrel Rum.

...and the cashew wine... :happyjaz:

 

[Damselfish]

...and the cashew wine... :happyjaz:

Is that cashew wine any good? I've been tempted the couple times I've been there, but haven't had an opportunity to try it first.