The Great Blue Hole Belize

Ok it's dive time now. I have come halfway around the world for this trip and I am finally going to dive the blue hole!

For those of you not familiar with this dive site, it is a collapsed limestone cave about two and a half hours from Ambergris Caye off the coast of Belize

The Great Blue Hole is a large underwater sinkhole off of the coast of Belize. It lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 100 kilometres (62 mi) from the mainland and Belize City. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 metres (984 ft) across and 120 metres (394 ft) deep. It was formed as a limestone cave system during the last ice age when sea levels were much lower. As the ocean began to rise again, the caves flooded, and the roof collapsed.Click here for the full wikipedia entry

I had dived the previous day with a dive shop in San Pedro - Amigos Del Mar and found them to be pretty reasonable with good kit. They also had the best boat on the island and with the trip being three hours each way I wanted a comfortable ride.

Pickup from a pier near my digs was an unreasonable 5:30 am however they were on time and we were soon at the boat ready for loading.

We had a good breakfast on board as the boat stayed wherever possible within the reef, heading first to Caye Caulker and the to Turneffe to avoid most of the open sea as there was a fair amount of lumps around.

I had taken the precaution of some dramamine pills before the trip and was very thankful as it was getting pretty bumpy on the trip across. In due course we arrived at the Blue Hole and I wondered what all the fuss was about!

The best views for the blue hole are, of course, from above. The perspective that you get from the water is initially one of just a flat darker area. It is only when the boat pulls back that you are able to see the rounded shape and the deep hue of the water compared to the shallows themselves.

I had buddied up with a less experienced diver from Ireland called Tom, he turned out to be pretty comfortable in the water, especially given that this was his first deep dive. I have to say that the practice of allowing pretty much anyone with a c card in the water to dive this deep dive is a little bizarre but I guess financial considerations outweigh all others for the local dive operations here.

No drama though, we entered the water and grouped down at around 20 metres, the guides got everyone together and ensured we all stayed around the maximum of about 43 metres. It was an eerie dive, as much a cave dive as anything else and to see huge stalactites at depth was awesome.

The clarity of the water improved the deeper we went until at around 30 metres it was exceptional, the bigger fish however were staying well away although I could see the shapes of sharks in the gloomier reaches. For such a distance and a deep dive it was all over in 25 minutes but it was well worth it.

During the first surface interval we motored further away towards Half Moon Caye for our second dive. This was a regular reef dive and afforded all the usual suspects; turtles, eagle rays, sharks and huge groupers one with its mouth full of fish! There were free swimming moray eels and lobster with plenty of other assorted marine life to keep us company.

Prior to the last dive we stopped off at Half Moon Caye for lunch and to explore the island which is a nature preserve and home to the red footed booby bird! Not being a twitcher all I can say it it craps a lot. The island was beautiful with pristine beaches and a nature trails weaving through the bushes to a lookout point.

After lunch we headed off for a wall dive, this was pretty good once again with a good assortment of marine life and a very long drop! Not a good time to drop a torch.

Back on board and showered up we were dreading the 3 hour boat ride back, this was somewhat alleviated by the production by the crew of coconut rum and pineapple juice. I took full advantage of these cocktails and later managed to doze most of the way home.

The Great Blue Hole may not be a show stopper but it is a very different dive and up there with the must do's for a lot of divers. If you are considering diving in Mexico or Belize it is worth the journey. I hope you have as much fun as I did thanks to Amigos Del Mar!

Peter J Smith January 2009

San Pedro Ambergris Caye Belize

When you see San Pedro from the air you can tell it's not going to be a quiet island. It sprawls up the coast in each direction. I arrived by Tropic Air from Corozal and landed at the airstrip that is almost, now, in the centre of town. The terminal is being rebuilt at San Pedro and is definately aiming for a more upmarket clientele that expects a greater number of services to be available.

Once you leave the airport and hit the main street, coconut drive, the hustle and bustle are self evident. Petrol driven golf carts and other minibuses trundle up and down and it is a far cry from the sandy streets that once were prevelent in San Pedro

Don't get me wrong though, the ambience is surely tropical and a relaxed air, aside from the traffic, pervades the town.

I stayed a little south in a backpacker hostel called, appropriately, Pedros. The location is, as I said, a little from the main action but with an onsite pool and bar and rooms as cheap as $14 it is the bargain of San Pedro.

I have a review of Pedro's Backpacker on Trip Advisor, you can read it here.

There are scores of bars and restaurants on the island and they spread both north and south from the centre, depending upon the night some bars are more favourable than others and a weekly circuit seems to ensue. Pedro's itself has a great little bar with a propensity for clients and Peter, the owner, to ring the bar bell denoting a round of chilled Jaegermeister all round. A sure way to a hangover but can be saved by the great pizzas on offer at the bar.

Overall I found both the locals and tourists alike very amiable and chatty. It was easy to strke up conversations and make new drinking buddies. One night ending up driving into a bar for drinks in the golf cart itself after a beach bar party! Other good places I found were Estells on the beach for breakfast and Fido's bar for music and cheap drinks.

Got to say hello to Hilde, thanks for the bite marks, Joe - incredible appedtite, Peter - for the endless shots, Walter for the drive through and the longest dreads I have ever seen and Fredrick for the critical thinking, oh yes and the drinking!

All in all San Pedro on Ambergris Caye is a must see, there are rooms for all budgets and plenty to do both in the day and night alike.

Peter J Smith January 2009

Mexico to Belize

Getting from Isla Mujeres to the main bus station in Cancun is easy. The ferry, Ultramar runs every 30 minutes and deposits you at Puerto Juarez where you can pick up a taxi to the main bus station. The building itself is pretty large and all the bookings are computerised, meaning you can reserve from anywhere and print out your ticket http://www.ado.com.mx. If you need supplies for the journey stores and restaurants surround the depot.

My journey took me through the south of the Yucatan to Chetumal at the border of Belize. The trip itself takes about five hours at minimum and longer if you opt for a cheaper bus.

Arrival at Chetumal is pretty straightforward and a local taxi shouldn't cost more that 12-15 pesos within town. I stayed at the Chetumal Hostel run by a couple of great ladies. It is in a very convenient location and the rooms are clean and tidy if a little warm. It is a good place to hook up with other travellers going south. I had arranged my border transfer to the small airport in Corozal Belize a week before with George and Esther Moralez who run an ever expanding travel service at www.gettransfers.com.

I picked up a couple of extras from the hostel in Chetumal and headed across the border, the minivan was huge and air conditioned and the cost for this time saving service was only $40 for up to three passengers. As I had a flight conection to make it was good not to have to worry about the bus connections and was in good shape for the check in.

I had picked this particular route because I wanted to fly to the island of Ambergris Caye on a small Cessna as this was an exciting way to see the cayes close up from above as well as a thrill to be is a small plane. The price was an amazing $46 and again was bookable online with Tropic Air.

Check in was extremely fast, being only four passengers, and the turnaround for the plane was all of five minutes. Takeoff was great fun with only a short runway we banked across the airport and headed directly for the cayes. With an altitude of only a few hundred metres it was amazing to see the detail of the countryside below.

In a too few short minutes we were decending over the town of San Pedro and ready to start the adventure in Belize!

Peter J Smith

Isla Mujeres - paradise found

Isla Mujeres, the Island of women its literal translation, is a gem of island in the cheap end of the Caribbean.

I have been coming here for a few years now and, although each year sees its changes, it still retains an even balance between a laid back island and the necessity to cater for a growing tourist industry.

Set just off the coast of Cancun, Isla, as it is referred to locally, is a twenty minute ferry ride from Puerto Juarez. The ferries run every thirty minutes from 5am to midnight at a cost of 35 pesos.

The island itself is only a few kilometres long and at its narrowest point you could almost throw a stone from one side to the other.
There are several beaches; my favourite one is Playa Norte with perfect white sand beaches and warm shallow water. Further down the coast on the calm Caribbean side is Playa Lancheros with small beaches and a multitude of barbeque shacks serving excellent grilled fish.

Taxis are cheap and plentiful and the ubiquitous golf carts are available at reasonable rates. Downtown though you can walk everywhere and the main street is all pedestrian, so great for kids.

Hotels, hostels and private rooms are in good supply and unless you are coming in a peak season you should be ok to just turn up and find a place to your liking a few steps from the dock and Main Street. There are many other accommodations spread all over the island so if it’s tranquillity you are looking for it can be found just as easily.

For budget travellers there is only one real choice (for a party atmosphere and great prices) and that is the Poc Na youth hostel near playa norte. For 100 pesos you get a bed and some breakfast to start you off. The bar is cheap and open until 3:30am with live music most nights and a great place to meet fellow travellers. You can book the Poc Na online. Book Poc Na Hostel Online now

A more upmarket location is Nautibeach Condominium situated on Playa Norte with a great swimming pool and the Sunset Grill bar and restaurant situated directly on the beach with live music and swing chairs to boot. Prices for the condos at Nautibeach start from around $100 off season. These are very popular and can be booked via their website.

http://www.nautibeach.com/.


Other resources for Isla Mujeres are listed below.

My perfect day starts with a dip in the ocean to wake up followed by breakfast at Manyana where you can browse the bookshelves or read a newspaper with great breakfasts and homemade bread. Time for a stroll around town and then it’s time to hit the beach. Follow that up with lunch of freshly caught fish at the dock and a few beers then back to the beach to sleep it off. Add a siesta and shower and the time has come to cruise to the old tequila house for a double dose of frozen margaritas before dinner and one of the restaurants on Hidalgo. Finish off with some live music and the off to the Poc Na palapa bar to drink and dance into the night.

Repeat for seven days then go on holiday!

This is a paradise island and a way to do the Caribbean on the cheap without getting too tacky. So, take my advice and get yourselves here before it goes the way of Cancun and Playa del Carmen.

Viva Mexico! Peter J Smith

Other selected places to stay, all boookable in advance.

Casa Ixchel


Gladys´Apartments


Hotel Cabañas Maria del Mar


Hotel Playa La Media Luna


Hotel Roca Mar

Mexico New Year 2009 Part 1

Christmas day had turned from a dull slate grey sky and middling temperatures to an ice chest overnight.

The upcoming flight to the warmer climes of Mexico was becoming more and more anticipated. The days dragged a bit but soon New Years Eve arrived and I set off at 6.30 am for the start of a very long day.

Gatwick airport was pretty calm as most people had already taken off for their winter vacation, check in was smooth and in no time I was through security and tucking into Eggs Benedict.
Hurry up and wait seemed to be the order of the day though as departure time came and went.

It transpired that our plane to Cancun had developed a serious toilet malfunction and the airline had flown in a replacement. That seemed worth the wait. Unfortunately the replacement aircraft had a fault with the in flight entertainment so we went without for the eleven hour flight!

Having a personal video player was a just the gadget needed and luckily mine was fully charged so the flight passed a little easier for me than my fellow passengers.

Arrival at Cancun was uneventful and after a shuttle ride to Puerto Juarez it was no more than a twenty minute fast boat ride to the island. The weather was hot and humid and the crowds thronging the streets were carrying their own heat controllers in the form of huge margaritas....I had finally arrived in my kind of town.

Peter J Smith