AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Who not to tour with?

I have read many posts where people have praised their tour operators. Any many poeple have recomended their favorite. I have also seen a very few where people have had bad experiences.
When we arrive at the end of April, we plan on booking some tours through the resort.
Since it sounds like most of the tour operators are excellent, I was wondering if there are some that we should avoid.
Are there any tour operators for snorkeling, fishing and/or mainland tours that consistantly get bad reviews?
Or is it safe to assume that if the Resort finds us a trip that meets our needs, we can go with it with confidence?

Mark H

It's safe to assume, generally, that disreputable companies do not stay in business ( at least very long, the competition is pretty stiff. It's a'so safe to assume that the resort will not give you someone disreputable.

You can always reseach tour operators, and arrange it yourself. Most of them will pick you up at the dock where you are staying.

Every guide we have been with has made sure everyone was safe and they shared information about the wildlife we saw. The only concern I've had was that the guide was respectful of the environment and the law.

We were on a snorkel/beach BBQ tour during August 2001. We were unaware that the conch season was closed. The guide was cleaning some conch he and his assistant had caught. When the guide saw a government boat approaching, he quickly swept the meat off the cutting board into the water. The goverment employees merely checked who the guide was - no inspection of the boat. However, we correctly assumed that the guide was poaching. Upon returning to San Pedro we reported the incident to the tour company and we hope they took action with the guide.

My recommendation is to understand when lobster and conch can be collected and make sure the guide is obeying the laws.

The only thing I can offer as advice is that, if you hook up with someone on the beach or in bar who offers to take you out. Ask to see their tour guides license, captains license and a current registration sticker for the boat. Don't skimp when it comes to your safety or guides abilities.

Also ask to see their BTB operator's licence. That's the only evidence that they have any insurance.

Avoid the following tour operators..they are terrible:

Take 'em Deeper Dive Shop and Tequila Bar

One Armed Stumpy's Crocodile Feeding Tours

Get Lost Jungle Expeditions (Motto: We Will Miss You!)

Ernest's "Wanna go fishing tomorrow, then pay me half now" charter service. We guarantee our great safety record. We never show up.

....you won't find anything good about these operators on the message boards.

The last one actually existed for years on the island!

We used to have a sign on the reef that said'The Trip To The Beach Is $25usd'
We would take anyone snorkling for free in those days.
Markhnh--I am from NH also
Jim

Chris,
That reminds me of the tour that I took on a cruise stop in Aruba one time.
They dropped us off at the beach at the south end of the island so we could snorkel and promised to pick us up when they came by with the afternoon tour.
We ended up taking a bus back to the cruise ship dock.

Jim,
Will you be on AC when we are there 4/26 - 5/3? Maybe we will see you .

MarkHNH

I noticed not one recommended any people by name. We went through Tuff E Nuff tours which we booked thru the Monkey Business Shop at Banana Beach. They were awesome and the cool thing is that if you are traveling as a couple, they won't make you have a minimum of travelers. The guides were awesome and the trips we took were very personal