Belize
I have traveled to Belize twice. The first time was to Ambergris Caye. The trip required a short flight from the international gateway of Belize City to San Pedro, the main town, where you can find many great restaurants, shops, bars, and dive operators. We stayed in a private villa, toward the south end of the island, that was oceanfront and had a 100 foot dock. The dive operator I used picked me up here every morning. Accommodations include rental houses, hotels, and resort. We traveled here with several non-divers and they enjoyed themselves very much. Travel around the island is basically by golf cart. See if you can watch the feeding of the saltwater crocodile toward the south end and join in at the “Chicken Drop" in town. I did local diving in Belize around Ambergris Caye and also long range boat diving to the Great Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef. The Great Blue Hole is a fascinating bucket list dive. See stalactites and sharks, and prepare for a dive to about 130 feet. The dives at Lighthouse Reef were on spectacular, pristine reefs. This was my favorite area to scuba dive.
My second trip was to St. George’s Caye, a small private island accessed by a short boat ride from Belize City. The island has one resort that is all inclusive. This is truely an island getaway destination. We did local diving and trips to Turneffe Atoll. Other guests were non divers and some honeymooners and they said they were very pleased with their stay.
Overall, I found the scuba diving in Belize to be excellent, the food delicious, the people very friendly, and the culture to be diverse and interesting. When you visit, be sure to taste and take home some of my favorite hot sauce, Belize's famous Marie Sharp's Hot Sauce.
