caye caulker?

Does anyone have any suggestions for accomodations and dive shops? (I've
been there a few times, but just day trips from San Pedro or as a stop back
from the outer atolls.)

"J B" <joledy@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
news:z34le.155$jU5.491092@twister.nyc.rr.com...
> Does anyone have any suggestions for accomodations and dive shops? (I've
> been there a few times, but just day trips from San Pedro or as a stop
back
> from the outer atolls.)

I haven't spent much time there and so my info is only as good as that I
have garnered in my travels across the net.

First, as always, what kind of acco are you looking for? What's your price
range?

Here's some ideas to help you start your search:

Seaside Cabanas
Diana's Beach House
Tree Tops Guest House

I did once stay at the Rainbow and I found it quite adequate for the price.
Don't know if I'd want to stay there for long though.

As for dive ops, again, I haven't used any there and have heard many and
varied opinions on the dive ops. Why not check them out when you arrive and
pick that one that feels best to you?

Frenchies
Belize Dive Services
Paradise Down (I think it's called)

Best of luck with your search and holiday.

I dived in Caye Caulker (over a decade ago, I'm afraid) but I remember it as
an idyllic place. The boat out from Belize City is a wild ride, and the
island itself as close to a Carribean paradise as a bum like me could find.
It's tiny, there were about two roads and two cars, neither of which moved
in the ten days I was there. Beer so-so, lobster cheap and plentiful, and I
ate so much coconut I was put off it for life.

I dived with Frenchy, and had a great time. Incredibly experienced and
knowledgeable, friendly and wise. Hope he's still there. The water's
lovely - dived in a t-shirt - and they had a kind of fish sanctuary where
you could be mobbed by them if you took down a bit of food. Frenchy was from
South America somewhere but spoke English perfectly and had been a
trawlerman in the US. There was another US operation there, which I'm sure
was fine too.

Accomodation varied; but the heat and weather meant almost anything would
do. I stayed in Tom's cabins at the other end of the island from the landing
stage - cheap, primitive, but just the ticket for me - but there were better
things around. The point is, it's tiny, so you'll meet people from all the
other places and get the low-down very quickly. So maybe book into a place
for a night or two, then if you change your mind about where you're staying,
pack up and walk down the street.

An up-to-date traveller's guidebook - Let's Go, for example - will be very
handy. There's enough back-packer traffic for it to be pretty current and I
found them quite accurate. Keep your eyes open (especially if you pass
through Belize City) and have a good time!

Bernard Lyall






"chilly" <slarson@shaw.canada> wrote in message
news:VOdle.1484049$Xk.844382@pd7tw3no...
>
> "J B" <joledy@nyc.rr.com> wrote in message
> news:z34le.155$jU5.491092@twister.nyc.rr.com...
>> Does anyone have any suggestions for accomodations and dive shops? (I've
>> been there a few times, but just day trips from San Pedro or as a stop
> back
>> from the outer atolls.)
>
> I haven't spent much time there and so my info is only as good as that I
> have garnered in my travels across the net.
>
> First, as always, what kind of acco are you looking for? What's your price
> range?
>
> Here's some ideas to help you start your search:
>
> Seaside Cabanas
> Diana's Beach House
> Tree Tops Guest House
>
> I did once stay at the Rainbow and I found it quite adequate for the
> price.
> Don't know if I'd want to stay there for long though.
>
> As for dive ops, again, I haven't used any there and have heard many and
> varied opinions on the dive ops. Why not check them out when you arrive
> and
> pick that one that feels best to you?
>
> Frenchies
> Belize Dive Services
> Paradise Down (I think it's called)
>
> Best of luck with your search and holiday.
>
>

Thanks for input, Bernard & Chilly. I was hoping for tips from anyone
who's stayed there recently. It seems that Frenchies is still the diveshop
to use. Agreed?

As far as accomodations, price is not really a consideration, and I'd like
somewhere between the village center and the cut -- nothing too remote. Not
looking for super deluxe, and not for backpackers' hammocks, either. Would
a house rental be better than a hotel?