Belize Dive&stay suggestion?

[luk]

Could u pl recommend a dive resort/package in AC, or a place to stay and dive operator? I can extend my budget beyond $140 I like something easy and convenient.
what do u think of best way to travel from Belize city airport to the hotel in AC?

I prefer not staying in hostel.

 

[katzgar]

placancia is hard to justify as it is 20 miles from the reef unless the nurse sharks are plentiful. CC is further from the reef than AC but CC is the place to stay if you are going to the atolls or the blue hole. CC itself is more about backpackers that have a hard time being around people. San Pedro is much more active with a brew pub and artisan chocolate.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Luk, At this point,your best bet is to contact Island Divers and Chuck and Robbie's. Ask each of them for hotel recommendations in a package deal.

I don't do package deals myself, especially in San Pedro because the diving can get blown out. If I were in your position, I'd prefer to negotiate a discount per dive assuming able to do a block of 10+ dives (for example).

Lots of ways to keep yourself occupied in San Pedro. Fun place but I still miss the good old days when there were very few beach bars and Fido's was half the size and while the nightclub had a big hole in the floor , it was super fun and not a no go zone like now. Time marches on. LOL

You'll love it.

 

[Ralph Capeling]

Our schedule shows a Blue Hole trip every 4th day (although we don't make it as often in the slow season due not enough divers to make it viable).

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.

---------- Post added December 8th, 2015 at 05:11 PM ----------

Grand Slam - the best dives of Belize in one week. Belize Scuba Diving Packages & Whale Sharks | Splash Dive Center | Scuba & Accommodation in Placencia Belize

Regards
Ralph

Which package from Splash would you recommend?

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


---------- Post added December 8th, 2015 at 05:22 PM ----------

Yes, the boat rides are longer but there are so many offsets to that. Placencia has the best beaches in Beize, whale sharks, is closer to Glovers which is like LIghthouse with great and pristine dive sites and the boat ride to Glovers is shorter than to Lighthouse AND Placencia has immediate access to some great inland adventures. Most of the inland adventures in Belize are in the southern half of the country. We are also reportedly more laid back (although every so often I have an intense day just so I can appreciate the laid back ones).

Regards
Ralph

placancia is hard to justify as it is 20 miles from the reef unless the nurse sharks are plentiful. CC is further from the reef than AC but CC is the place to stay if you are going to the atolls or the blue hole. CC itself is more about backpackers that have a hard time being around people. San Pedro is much more active with a brew pub and artisan chocolate.

 

[katzgar]

what you say is true but there are no PADI certified dive ops in S. Belize are there? Considering most diving is on a tight budget and reef in nature that does suggest san pedro.

 

[Downing]

Splash is a PADI shop. In fact, it's a "PADI 5 Star Dive Resort." I'm not sure what it means to be 5 stars and have often wondered why there aren't any 4, 3, 2, or 1 stars, but I've taken several advance classes there and have seen many new divers getting their OW certs. Patty Ramirez, Splash co-owner and operator, is a Course Director and is the one of the most experienced and knowledgeable divers I've ever met.

 

[katzgar]

Splash is a PADI shop. In fact, it's a "PADI 5 Star Dive Resort." I'm not sure what it means to be 5 stars and have often wondered why there aren't any 4, 3, 2, or 1 stars, but I've taken several advance classes there and have seen many new divers getting their OW certs. Patty Ramirez, Splash co-owner and operator, is a Course Director and is the one of the most experienced and knowledgeable divers I've ever met.

my bad, the PADI site isnt easy to navigate

 

[Ralph Capeling]

my bad, the PADI site isnt easy to navigate

Not only is Splash a FIVE STAR INSTRUCTOR DEVELOPMENT CENTER, it is only one of two in Belize that has a PADI Course Director. katzgar, by explanation, a PADI course director is required to lead any course to develop PADI Instructors. BTW, the other one is not in San Pedro.

This is not about the PADI website being hard to navigate, this is shooting from the lip without thinking and without doing any research. Asking questions is fine - that is what ScubaBoard is all about. Making absurd and misleading statements is another thing altogether.

 

[chillyinCanada]

Katzgar, I must say . . .wow . . . Why would you say such a thing?

Plus Placencia is a lovely place and Splash Divers an excellent shop. I look forward to returning.

The OP's budget i hard to help with since he won't consider staying in a hostel, not even a private room within a hostel setting.

 

[Downing]

I don't think he meant any harm. He just didn't know there are PADI shops in southern Belize and he doesn't like longer boat rides to the reef. Now he knows and if he ever gets to hang with someone as fascinating as me on a long boat ride he'll learn to like those as well.

Hamanasi in Hopkins is another one. In fact, they're a PADI 5 Star Gold Palm Resort, so Ralph it looks like they called your five stars and raised you a golden palm, lol. You should call their golden palm and raise them a platinum bannana.

Seriously though, both places would take very good care of you.

As far as budgets, Belize is pretty much like everywhere I've ever been. You can get by on next to nothing or spend like there's no tomorrow or operate somewhere in between and still have a great time.