Practical guides from White Sands Dive Shop, a 5 Star PADI Dive Facility on the beach in San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. Use them to choose a PADI course, plan your dives and snorkel trips, and know what to expect before you arrive.
Looking for something lighter? Elbert Greer’s long-running Birds of Ambergris Caye column, told by Bubba the Labrador, has more than forty stories. For current course prices, see our PADI courses and prices on the Water Sports page, and meet your instructor in our profile of PADI IDC Staff Instructor Elbert Greer.
Learn to dive: PADI courses on Ambergris Caye
Learn to Dive on Ambergris Caye: Every PADI Course Explained
Learn to dive Ambergris Caye with a 5 Star PADI shop in San Pedro. Compare every course, how many days each takes and what to do before you fly.
PADI eLearning and Open Water Referral Dives in Belize
Open water referral dives, Belize: finish your PADI course on Ambergris Caye. What paperwork to bring, eLearning vs referral, and how many days to plan.
PADI Open Water Course on Ambergris Caye: Days, Dives and Routes
PADI Open Water course, Ambergris Caye: five classes, four open water dives, 3-4 days. Compare the full course, eLearning, referral and upgrade routes.
Discover Scuba Diving on Ambergris Caye: Try Scuba Without a Card
Discover Scuba Diving, Ambergris Caye: a pool session, then one ocean dive to 40 ft with a divemaster. No certification needed. See how the day works.
Scuba Refresher Course on Ambergris Caye for Returning Divers
Scuba refresher course, Ambergris Caye: a pool skills session, a Hol Chan dive with the instructor and a Shark Ray Alley snorkel. Is it right for you?
Advanced Open Water Course on Ambergris Caye: Dives and Electives
Advanced Open Water course, Ambergris Caye: night, deep and navigation dives plus two electives you choose, with a PADI IDC Staff Instructor.
Private Scuba Lessons on Ambergris Caye, Including Hotel Pools
Private scuba lessons, Ambergris Caye: how one-to-one PADI training works, pool lessons at your hotel, which courses fit and how to prepare for them.
PADI Divemaster Course in Belize: Prerequisites and Training
PADI Divemaster course, Belize: the age, certifications and 40 to 60 logged dives you need, how the training works, the cost parts and where it leads.
PADI IDC in Belize: Prerequisites, Course Structure and Planning
PADI IDC Belize guide: PADI’s prerequisites, how the Assistant Instructor and Instructor courses fit together, and how to plan your instructor training.
PADI Rescue Diver Course in Belize: Skills, Prerequisites and Days
PADI Rescue Diver course, Belize: 12 rescue scenarios over 3 days on Ambergris Caye, plus First Responder for CPR and first aid. See what you need to start.
Nitrox Course on Ambergris Caye: PADI Enriched Air Diver Guide
Nitrox course, Ambergris Caye: do the PADI Enriched Air theory online in about 3 hours, then two reef dives on Nitrox 32. See who can enroll and how to book.
PADI Specialty Courses in Belize: Nitrox, Night, Deep and More
PADI specialty courses, Belize: Nitrox, Night, Deep, Navigation, Drift and more on Ambergris Caye, and how five of them lead to Master Diver. Plan yours.
How to Equalize Your Ears Scuba Diving: Techniques and Warning Signs
How to equalize ears scuba diving: the seven methods DAN describes, when to use them, what to do if an ear won’t clear, and when to see a doctor.
First Open Water Dive Tips for Nervous New Divers
First open water dive tips for nervous beginners: how to prepare, what helps underwater, which course suits you, and what our students said.
Diving and snorkeling around Ambergris Caye
Diving Ambergris Caye: Reef Dives, Hol Chan and Atoll Days
Diving Ambergris Caye with a 5 Star PADI shop: compare reef dives, Hol Chan, night dives and atoll days, with 9:00 hotel dock pickup and gear rental.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve Dive and Shark Ray Alley Snorkel
Plan a Hol Chan Marine Reserve dive: what the reserve is, how our dive and Shark Ray Alley snorkel morning runs, who can join and how park tickets work.
Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley Snorkeling from Ambergris Caye
Plan Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley snorkeling or a Mexico Rocks trip: what you see, who each suits, 9:00 hotel dock pickup and reef-safe tips.
Night Diving on Ambergris Caye: What to Expect After Dark
Night dive Ambergris Caye guide: what feeds on the reef after dark, who the dive suits, what light to bring and how to book with White Sands Dive Shop.
Private Dive Charters and Private Guides on Ambergris Caye
Private dive charter Ambergris Caye guide: how private boats and guides compare with scheduled trips, who they suit and how to plan one with White Sands.
Turneffe Atoll Dive Trip from San Pedro: The Elbow and Turneffe North
Plan a Turneffe Atoll dive trip from San Pedro: three dives at The Elbow or Turneffe North, meals included, and how it compares with the Blue Hole day.
Blue Hole Dive Requirements: Experience, Depth and How to Prepare
Blue Hole dive requirements explained: the certification, logged dives and deep diving skills operators ask for, what DAN says about depth, and how to prepare.
Best Time to Dive Ambergris Caye: Seasons and Planning Tips
Best time to dive Ambergris Caye: daily 9:00 dive trips all year, hurricane season dates from NOAA, and how to plan a dive week around the weather.
Scuba Gear Rental on Ambergris Caye: What to Rent and What to Pack
Scuba gear rental, Ambergris Caye: rent a mask, BCD, regulator, shortie or dive light, with tanks and weights in every dive. See what to rent or pack.
Mexico Rocks Snorkeling: Who It Suits and How to Plan It
Mexico Rocks snorkeling explained: the protected coral site, who it suits, 9:00 hotel dock pickup, gear rental and the turtle rule every snorkeler should know.
Flying After Diving in Belize: Planning Your Last Dive Day
Flying after diving Belize: DAN’s minimum surface intervals, how the Blue Hole day and the island flight fit in, and how to plan your last dive.
Belize Dive Trip Packing List: What to Pack and What to Rent
Belize dive trip packing list: what to pack, what to rent from White Sands Dive Shop, CDC health items, and a short list for snorkelers.
How to Get to Ambergris Caye: Flights, Water Taxis and Dive Days
How to get to Ambergris Caye: the airport to fly into, the 15-minute island flight vs the water taxi, and how to time travel days around your dives.
Ambergris Caye Marine Life: Sharks, Turtles, Rays and Eels
Ambergris Caye marine life: where divers and snorkelers look for sharks, turtles, rays, eels and groupers, which trips suit each, and how to watch them.
Reef Safe Sunscreen in Belize: What to Pack for Snorkel Trips
Reef safe sunscreen, Belize snorkel trips: the ingredients NOAA links to coral harm, how to read a label, and habits that protect the reef and your skin.
Dive Insurance for Belize: DAN Cover, Chambers and Travel Plans
Dive insurance, Belize trips: how DAN membership, dive accident insurance and travel plans differ on chamber treatment, evacuation and depth limits.
How to Choose a Dive Shop in Belize: A Buyer’s Checklist
How to choose a dive shop: Belize checklist covering PADI 5 Star levels, BTB licensing, safety questions to ask and how to judge the instructor before you book.
Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System: The Seven UNESCO Sites Explained
The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System explained: UNESCO’s seven protected areas, why it was listed in 1996, its danger list years and which sites you can dive.
All Diving & Snorkeling guides
Fishing trips from San Pedro
Bonefish, Permit and Tarpon on Ambergris Caye: Fly Fishing the Flats
Bonefish, permit, tarpon, Ambergris Caye: how a guided catch-and-release fly fishing day works, what the guide fee covers, and the license you need.
Deep Sea Fishing on Ambergris Caye: Marlin, Sailfish and Wahoo
Deep sea fishing, Ambergris Caye: marlin, sailfish, wahoo and tuna in blue water, on 30-37 foot boats for up to 5. Species, trip length and license steps.
Belize Sport Fishing License: Who Needs One and How to Buy It
Belize sport fishing license explained: who needs one, 1 day, 1 week and 1 year options, how the online portal works and the catch and release rules.
Reef Fishing Charter on Ambergris Caye: Half Day or Full Day
Reef fishing charter, Ambergris Caye: snapper, barracuda, jacks and groupers inside the reef, for 1-4 people. Half or full day, gear and bait provided.
Maya ruins and jungle tours
Lamanai River Trip: A Jungle Day to the Maya Ruins from San Pedro
Lamanai river trip guide: the boat and river route from San Pedro, birds and howler monkeys on the way, the temples, what to bring and how to book.
Cave Tubing and Zip Line from Ambergris Caye: A Full Day Guide
Cave tubing and zip line from Ambergris Caye: what the full day rainforest tour is like, who it suits, what to bring and how to book with White Sands Dive Shop.
All Maya & Jungle Tours guides
Birdwatching on Ambergris Caye
Birdwatching on Ambergris Caye: Habitats, Seasons and Species
Birdwatching Ambergris Caye guide: the island’s best habitats, migration timing, species to find and Bubba’s relaxed birding tips from Elbert Greer’s column.