AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Need some locals ideas and recomendations!

Hey all, I am thinking of coming to AB at the end of January! Been thinking about it for a while now and I am getting excited about sitting on the beach enjoying some warmer weather, the rain season up here in Vancouver has started . Now I plan on coming alone, so where is a girl to stay, what is she to do, to keep her self out of trouble (and keep trouble away from her) for a couple weeks? I want to go diving, any recomendations on schools? If I wanted to sit on the beach every day for a week is that frowned upon or is life nice and relaxed? please feel free to give me some ideas thanks!
Danni

May I ask your age? Plenty come to the island on their own from their 20s on up. Plenty to do and a very friendly and easy place to meet people.

and do you have a budget as far as accommodations? Looking forward to seeing you down in Jan!

I am 27 no budget as of yet.. but I was thinking nothing fancy, you only really need a place to sleep and shower right.. but not the hostel.. I saw a posting for Ruby's Hotel and one other one that looked ok?? What do the locals do besides dive?

Do you like Rice & Beans and Belikin?

Danni,
Noone will think any less of you if choose to do nothing but sit on a beach and catch tan for your whooooole stay. It takes a while to adjust from (allegedly) normal life in the cities. But I'm sure you'll be itching to do something active after a couple of days of chilling.

I'm actually not *in* Belize right now (though I'll be arriving in San Pedro tomorrow - wahey!), but I've been doing research the last couple of weeks, and if you just want somewhere cheap/cheerful, then Ruby's might be good for you. I'm heading to Pedro's myself - partly cos they seem to have a lively crowd there, but also cos there's wi-fi, which I need for work.

A couple of other places you might consider are Martha's or the Conchshell.
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//ambergriscaye.com/conchshell/index.html

Are you a learner diver, or experienced? I can't vouch for any of the San Pedro dive shops, but if they're anything like those on Caye Caulker you should have no problem. Belize is one of the best places to (learn to) dive - the instructors are relaxed and there are so many beautiful fish and corals to see - and you'll be absolutely spoilt for choice of dive sites once you're qualified. Your only limits will be money, time and energy! The sites close to SP are very popular, then there are the ones further out (such as The Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef, Turneffe, Glover, etc)

For a chill-down day, a trip to Caye Caulker is a must - where signs in the street will implore you to "go slow". Swimming or snorkelling at the 'Split' is de rigeur. You can take side trips to the mainland, do some other water sport (sailing, kitesurfing, etc) or just kick back and relax with a chilly Belikin and watch the sunset!

You made the right choice - I'm sure you'll have an amazing trip!
If you have any more questions, keep 'em coming...!
Alan

For dive instructors we used Randy @ Patojo's at the Tides hotel. He was great with my daughter. The Tides is also nice and family run. Right on the water with hammocks to lay in the beach and a bar small pool but great diving once you get the bug you won't even want to be at the pool.

2nd vote for The Tides if it's in your budget range (around US$125 a night) as it's a step up from Martha's, Conch Shell etc. Out of town for day time relaxation but only a lazy ten minute walk to bars shops and restaurants of town Centre. They have a bar, pool, dock, dive shop and above all good people. I live in the same block, great area.

And Butch the bartendar is way cool! We'll be coming down in March for a couple of weeks, staying at Rubys this year. Last year we were at Seven Seas, only a few more steps north of the Tides. We opted for cheaper cuz we were never in the room, never turned on the TV, and never cooked!

We walked a lot, we partied at every bar on the beach, and we ate the best foods with the locals!! I do think if I were you, I would entice a best friend to come along with you... just cuz the place is so amazing and so comfortable, sharing it with someone would be the ulitmate!

aquafish expressed an interest in sitting on the beach so IMO, the Tides would not be the place for her unless she is willing to sit on the pier instead. In addition, the pool is in the bar and sometimes the bar is full of drunken louts (although Butch would surely disagree, I've been one of the louts on several occasions ) which might, for a single woman, make the prospect of going for a dip a little daunting.

If you've got $125, look at the Belizean Reef. No pool but a much better beach area out front or 2 doors south at Ramons. It's also in close proximity to Ali Baba's, for great chicken and falafel, and BC's Beach Bar, one of my favourites.

For diving, do a little research and find a place that suits you and your needs. Any of the better dive shops will come and pick you up at the pier. I think Belizean Reef uses the Palms pier...someone correct me if that's not right.