My wife and i are honeymooning for a few weeks in central america and we will be in Belize, 12/20-12/28.

Having read the accounts of the recent dive mishap off of Belize, I was hoping to get some suggestions for good, safe, reputable dive operators. We are experienced divers, but we will need BCs, tanks, weights etc.

Not looking to do the blue hole, but more dives on the reef off of the caye, including at least one night dive. Belize Ocean Divers has been recommended. Any thoughts?

Also, we are looking to do a overnight trip from San pedro to Tikal. Take an early flight out, stay the night and take a late flight back. Any recommendations on where to stay, how to get around, etc.? Is there a hotel or other accomodations near the ruins? How close is the airstrip/airport to the ruings? Are the guide services that can get you from the plane to the ruins, to a hotel, and then to the airport?

Thanks for any help/advice you can provide

My favorite for myself and clients
www.amigosdive.com
Best to plan Tikal at the beginning or end of your trip. Round trip air to Flores from Beize Intl is US$207.00pp. Tikal is about 50 mins drive. There are better than basic jungle lodges in Tikal park, moderately priced hotels on the island vllage of flores and a lovely lodge on the lagoon in the resrvie with howler monkeys www.lalancha.com . Air, hotels, transfers and guided tours can and should bepre booked for this time period, it books up quickly for Xmas.

My wife and I just got certified two weeks ago by Elbert Greer at Ramone's Dive Shop. We were very happy with their dive operation, so were the more experienced divers who went out with them on multiple days.

We spent two nights at the Tikal Inn. I highly recommend staying a night in the park at Tikal. The crowds are far fewer early morning or late afternoon and the jungle is most active then. We only saw the spider monkeys in the trees then. We were lucky enough to spot a small wild cat at 6:30 in the morning. Also only ever heard the howler monkeys after 5 at night or around 4 - 6 in the morning.

The park is open 6 - 6, take advantage of that. Also Tikal Inn runs a tour into the park at 4:30 AM. I would suggest it. We didn't go because we were too tired because a guard took us into the park the night before from 8 -10, too see the full moon from Temple IV. What a sight!

Have you used this discount agency for flights as well? I am looking into the roundtrip to San Pedro.

My son in law is a dive master in San Pedro - go to AquaDives and ask for Tom Sharp, and if you want your photos taken while you're diving, my daughter, Tom's wife Jennifer, is an underwater photographer. I realize as family, I am expected to be biased, but I have seen their work and they are both great at what they do.