69 replies to this topic

[peterbj7]

I was just looking that Hugh Parkey is adjacent to Sun Breeze. It would make the logistics of getting back and forth to the dive shop easier too. I remember when we did the Blue Hole with a different dive op a few years ago, that we had to first shuttle to the dive shop, then get transferred to the dive boats, then a ride back to the hotel on a different boat again. For me the intangible benefit of avoiding all of these transfers would be worth the additional cost.
http://hpbelizeadven...id=53&Itemid=69
Of course, we if we could do lunch during our Surface Interval between the 2nd and 3rd dive, that would work, it would just mean not being able to go back to your hotel room between dives.
Will the dive shop hold our gear between dives and overnight?

For a Blue Hole/Turneffe Elbow day that will still be the case if you dive with Hugh Parkey and stay at either of the hotels "down south", but really it's only one day out of the week. The rest of the time your dive boat will (probably) collect you from your hotel and return you there after. They will (if you wish) rinse and store your gear, and have it back on the boat already attached to tanks when they collect you the following morning.

Sunbreeze Hotel has a very good bar/restaurant ("Blue Water Grill") virtually next to the dive center and you could lunch there. That's also where the swimming pool is. Or just a short walk away you have Wild Mangos, whose chef has consistently won prizes for the best food in Belize, and nearby is Ruby's Cafe which does high quality cheap snacks. You won't go hungry if you opt not to go back to the hotel for lunch. There's a shower at the dive shop so you can freshen up & change first.

If you do decide to go back to Banana Beach (which would also be my recommendation) you'll find their well-regarded restaurant there, as well as one or two Belizean fast food stands in the vicinity.

But if I were you I'd watch out for eating too much at lunchtime. If you're anything like me you'll just donate it to the fish on the third dive. A snack from Ruby's would suit me just fine.

[Ariesno1]

But if I were you I'd watch out for eating too much at lunchtime. If you're anything like me you'll just donate it to the fish on the third dive. A snack from Ruby's would suit me just fine.

Peter, you are not alone. I have the same problem.

[peterbj7]

WW regards me as her best chum when we go diving together

[WreckWench]

IMPORTANT TRIP UPDATE:

Ok gang...there are not enough rooms at Sun Breeze in the category we need so that option is out. I can get 14 rooms at Banana Beach and I have gotten daily American styled breakfast included.

I will get the final pricing posted tomorrow and I hope to get the trip opened this week. But once we get the pricing you can start locking in your airline tickets.

IT WILL BE IMPERATIVE THAT YOU LET ME KNOW IF YOU ARE ARRIVING EARLY OR STAYING LATE SO I CAN BOOK EXTRA NIGHTS FOR YOU.

[spelodiver]

Please add me to the interested list.

You've been added!

Great

Thanks

[WreckWench]

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

Hey gang...currently I am on hold with Belize Diving Connection and Banana Beach which is a very nice hotel for $1250 + int'l air + local flight from Belize City to Ambergris. However we may be able to do the same pricing $1250 + int'l air + local flight from Belize City to Ambergris at another venue...actually combination of venues. The primary upside is 2 blocks from town, right next door to dive operator and still only a few minutes walk from the Blue Hole operator AND the rooms have refrigerators and kitchens in them. They are NOT oceanview like many of the rooms at Banana Beach. The other PRIMARY downside is the boats...BDC (Belize Dive Connection has more US styled boats that hold 24 so we may not have a boat to ourselves but they do have a head on them which is very important to many of our divers. The new operator has more traditional Belize styled boats but has one of our favorite DM's in Belize... Michael!

The Blue Tang and Paradise Condos are a bit more basic. So do you want me to switch to this other combination???

Reef Adventures Dive Shop (one of our favorite DM's works there) and Blue Tang Inn and Paradise Villas Condos...

Lodging

** Seven (7) nights lodging at Blue Tang Inn and Paradise Villas Condos, both are small oceanfront properties next to the REEF ADVENTURES dive shop

Blue Tang Inn has 4 rooms available with two beds and one room usually used by the group leader

If we have 11 or 13 total divers, the extra will stay at very nice condos at Paradise Villas right next door.

** Continental breakfast provided for all divers (at Blue Tang Inn)

** Kitchens in all units, both properties

** Complimentary wireless internet connection

** Beautiful swimming pools, 260' dock with snorkel/swim area and sunning platform

** Only a four-minute walk down the beach into town

** Two grocery stores within 1 block


I need to decide soon and lean towards this new set up but do not want to make that decision without some input.

[georoc01]

IMPORTANT UPDATE:

Hey gang...currently I am on hold with Belize Diving Connection and Banana Beach which is a very nice hotel for $1250 + int'l air + local flight from Belize City to Ambergris. However we may be able to do the same pricing $1250 + int'l air + local flight from Belize City to Ambergris at another venue...actually combination of venues. The primary upside is 2 blocks from town, right next door to dive operator and still only a few minutes walk from the Blue Hole operator AND the rooms have refrigerators and kitchens in them. They are NOT oceanview like many of the rooms at Banana Beach. The other PRIMARY downside is the boats...BDC (Belize Dive Connection has more US styled boats that hold 24 so we may not have a boat to ourselves but they do have a head on them which is very important to many of our divers. The new operator has more traditional Belize styled boats but has one of our favorite DM's in Belize... Michael!

The Blue Tang and Paradise Condos are a bit more basic. So do you want me to switch to this other combination???

Reef Adventures Dive Shop (one of our favorite DM's works there) and Blue Tang Inn and Paradise Villas Condos...

Lodging

** Seven (7) nights lodging at Blue Tang Inn and Paradise Villas Condos, both are small oceanfront properties next to the REEF ADVENTURES dive shop

Blue Tang Inn has 4 rooms available with two beds and one room usually used by the group leader

If we have 11 or 13 total divers, the extra will stay at very nice condos at Paradise Villas right next door.

** Continental breakfast provided for all divers (at Blue Tang Inn)

** Kitchens in all units, both properties

** Complimentary wireless internet connection

** Beautiful swimming pools, 260' dock with snorkel/swim area and sunning platform

** Only a four-minute walk down the beach into town

** Two grocery stores within 1 block


I need to decide soon and lean towards this new set up but do not want to make that decision without some input.

http://www.bluetanginn.com/about.php

Looks nice enough. The one thing with the larger boats may be an advantage if the wind is blowing anything like it was a couple of years ago when I did this trip in May.

[tia126]

Blue Tang/Reef Adventures looks fine to me. Reef Adventures gets great reviews on Trip Advisor.

Edited to add that Blue Tang gets excellent reviews too. :-)

Edited by tia126, 22 July 2011 - 09:47 AM.

[WreckWench]

I hope the advantages of being close to town and having kitchens and refrigerators + the good reviews of Trip Advisor offsets the downside of not having a head on the boat, and the fancier hotel room options.

Also on the plus is the dive op is next door to the condos but we will technically be in 2 different properties.

I'll start to work on this to see if we can make the switch...

for the input everyone...and please continue if you already!

[WreckWench]

This trip is OFFICIALLY OPEN FOR BOOKING BY PREMIERS ONLY UNTIL

You will find the TRIP BOOKING DETAILS AND SIGN UP THREAD HERE!!!









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