Next week I am taking my first trip ever to Belize, Caye Caulker. The scuba diving and snorkling look like a great adventure. I have snorkled before but never scuba diving. Is it possible to learn as I go while there? Or is there a quick class I can take and then go diving?

Contact Belize Diving Services and discuss it with them.

I recommend the E-learning to everyone wanting to get certified on vacation . folks just don't want to read and study while on vacation so they get that part out of the way on line before they come.
Then you just do the fun part while your here.

I agree with Elbert.

My son and I went to CC for our PADI Open Water certification in February '08. If I had it to do over, I would do the classroom stuff at home and then the diving at CC. You'll lose two days (arrival day + classroom day) if you take the entire course on CC.

We used Belize Diving Service and they were FANTASTIC. Pablo was our instructor and he was wonderful. I highly reccomend them.

Either way, best of luck!

Actually, you can take a half day Discover Scuba course that will have you in the water and diving from day one. If you are not going to be SCUBA diving full time, you don't need full certification. Discover SCUBA is a fun and legit way to try diving.

I also recommend doing the classroom work before you arrive, but I'm not keen on PADI's eLearning. There is another way of doing it. But you're now probably too late for either.

But if you have any doubts about diving then take Wendy's advice. If you love it you can progress to a certification course - just tell the dive op before you start that you may want to do this (it affects the way they run the DSD).