Coming to AC in May and will be spending the week diving. The shop I got certified with several years ago has closed so I'm hoping folks can point me to a good shop to use this trip. I am very experienced; husband and friend much less so.

Also, is there a better way to dive the blue hole than enduring the 3 hour boat ride each way?

Thanks in advance!

You can stay out at Turneffe and that way be much closer.

If it makes you feel any better, I don't think Amigos boat takes 3 hours. :^) We've pretty much got our heads under water by the time 3 hours had passed. Still, one has to be up brutally early to make the trip.

You might want to contact Hurican Diving at Long Caye in Lighthoust Atoll. There are now several places to stay out there and the Blue Hole is 8 miles away. When staying there you will be the first ones in the hole. Hurican has a regular schedule from Belize City. I've stayed many times at Calypso Beach Resort. Jennifer - who will tell you over and over - "I am not the cook" will take very good care of you.
Also 0 the cove right in front of Calypso is where the Spotted Eagle Rays sleep at night. Just go snorkel with a light.

Chica, Which dive shop often depends on where on the island your staying. We have a lot of good ones spread out over 15 miles or so and transportation is an issue on Ambergris as you already know.
You should try and do the New/Old North Turneffe Trip. Amigos del Mar has started doing it again after years of not visiting it because of the severe Hurricane Keith hit. It's come back strong, the fish and corals are amazing again.
North Turneffe Atoll 165.usd no park fee.
This extraordinary dive trip visits three sites on the North point of the
Turneffe Atoll. It offers spectacular diving and pleasant sea conditions, making it suitable for divers of all levels. Divers experience calm seas and a steady boat, as the atoll protects sites from weather.
The atoll stretches 30 miles long and 10 miles wide, is undeveloped, and protected by Belizean law. Visibility is excellent, ranging from 100 to 150 ft., making it easy to enjoy large pelagics, rays, turtles, eels and schools of snapper, horse-eye jack, and permit. Because of its isolation from development, coral life flourisheds.
Its also a good bad weather choice. In other words when it too rough to dive here on Ambergris Amigos has a route inside the protection of the reef and in the lea of the atoll that can get you there and when your inside The Turneffe Atoll its always like a lake.
Amigos has a large boat especially nice for the trip since you'll be spending all day on a boat that's important.It leaves at 5:30 am, they pick up at your hotel dock and brings you back 5:pm ish.

Wait, I want to do that trip. Will you please talk K. into it Elbert?????

I want to go also. Its been a decade since I've been there. Yesterday I heard back from some divers I sent and they raved.

Elbert you are so right. I did the trip with Martin Leslie of Hustlers in January 2000. I saw fish I have never seen here on the reef. We had lunch at Lindsey Miller's place. What a character he was.

Boy some of these post seem old, folks talking about trips in 2001, 2002, well its 2013. My fav is still Turneffe, its great. Blue Hole is not much better but its got the name. And most these posters havnt dived for 20 yrs. Sadley my last time out was 4 yrs ago. As far as who to use well I can advise you on dive trips from Caye Caulker, much cheaper..not San Pedro.

Well,I was just diving in BZ in November, which made it 3 or 4 different trips in 12 months up to the end of that trip. I haven't been out to Turneffe for um, 2 years I think it is. Haven't been enjoying it as much as I enjoy the Blue Hole dive day, BUT if you guys are talking about the Turneffe of old and a different site/side than they've been diving the last few years, I'm GOING!! Had some of my most enjoyable dives anywhere out there 9-10 years ago.