I am planning a trip to Belize for late May/early Jun 2005 and the trip will be short - about 7 days. Because I don't have a lot of time, I pretty much will focus on one activity - snorkeling,although I am toying with adding a day trip to a Mayan ruin.

Here are my questions:

1. I am thinking about spending some time in San Pedro and then some time in Placencia. What is the easiest way to get from one to the other?

2. What dive/snorkel operators would you recommend for excellent service? I am an intermediate snorkeler( not a diver) looking for reefs with excellent coral development and lots of fish. I am tired of being on a snorkel trip trapped with beginner snorkelers who think if a dive master feeds a school of sergent majors that that represents great snorkeling! But I don't want to be a second class citizen if I am stuck with a boat load of divers. What companies. I would like recommendations of really good companies

3. I am very interested in Glover's reef and wondering about companies from Placencia that go there as well as the best companies that have whale shark trips.

4. Finally, if you had to choose only ONE mayan ruin to visit, would you go to Lamanai or Tikal?

Thanks and looking forward to your responses.

My husband and I are what I would consider beginner, maybe advanced beginner snorkelers. First trip to San Pedro we went with Hustler Tours, last trip with Amigos del Mar. The first trip there was one other snorkeler along, last trip three others. There are a lot of people on the Ambergris Caye board who are big fans of a man named Tulu, I have no personal experience.

As for getting from San Pedro to Placecia, we did the reverse last February. Flew from Placencia to Municipal in Belize City, then on to San Pedro. We were in San Pedro by noon. Our original plans were to take the bus, but it would have taken an entire day. I think the flight from Placencia to Belize City was about $70.00US, and about $26.00 from Municipal to San Pedro.

We didn't do any snorkeling while in Placencia, so can't help you there.

Also haven't seen either ruins. Prevailing wisdom seems to be that the ruins at Tikal are the best, but that they really require an overnight stay to really appreciate them. I've read good things about the all day tours to Lamanai from San Pedro. I keep thinking we should take that tour, but it seems like we get to San Pedro, get on island time, and are pretty content to just hang out.

Jean

While staying in Ambergris Caye my family used a snorkling guide arranged by the hotel (Caribbean Villas/Coral Bay Villas) named Li'l Alfonse. I didn't go on this trip but they said it was quite advanced and more like an underwater tour than a quick dunk here and there to see a school of fish. They said it was truly incredible but did not recommend it for me because there were no rest periods back on the boat and I am diabetic and need to periodically check my sugar during this type of physical activity. However, this may be just the kind of trip you're looking for. I would also highly recommend the day trip to Lamanai (Tikal is an overnight trip and supposed to be fabulous)and I would also use the tour guide recommended by the Caribbean Villas as well (Daniel). On the way out to Lamanai, we saw 2 other tour boats literally stuck in shallow water due to less skilled guides managing the boats. His English skills were also strong. The thing that occurred to me about Lamanai is that you're stuck with your tour guide for the entire 10 hours for every leg of the expedition. So my advice is to "pick well". Hope this is helpful.

Tikal is the most impressive ruin in the May empire and can visited in a day from San Pedro or overnight. Lamanai ruins also lovely, day trip from San Pedro. The othyer poster was referring to Daniel of Tanisha Tours, who I book my clients with, very good indeed. I'm partial to Amigos Del Mar for diving and snorkeling. No one offers day trip to Glovers from Placencia. You might to consider spending a few nights out there. Manta Resort reopens on Oct, offering 7 nt packages and Isla Marisol can offer shorter visits. The marine life out at this atoll is second to none in the country. Or easier yet, get a 3 or 4 nt snorkel package from Blackbird at Turneffe atoll. Then choose between San Pedro and Placencia as the other snorkel destination. You could visit the sites in the Maya villages of Toledo from Placencia, also very interesting and see howler monkeys in Monkey River.

Thank you all for your wonderful replies! Your suggestions have been really helpful.

One final question about Glover's reef - do you have to do packages there or is there independant transportation to the reef?