So I’m finally taking a vacation, after way too many years. We’re going to Belize- specifically Ramon’s Village on Ambergris Caye. This’ll be late July/early August. We’ll be staying for a week.
While donating blood today, the Red Cross told me that the area is has a fairly high malaria risk- should I look into getting shots?
Any restaurants we should hit? Any diving spots (we’re both certified)? Anything else we should do while there?
Chloroquine tablets are still the prophylaxis of choice for Belize.
If you happen over to Caye Caulker, maybe you can see if my SDMB graffiti is still there. 
All dive spots around Ambergris Caye are fantastic, but if I had to pick two, they’d be Shark & Ray Alley and the Blue Hole.
I stayed at Turneffe Island Lodge some years ago, and I think the malaria risk is quite low on the outer atolls. So I don’t think you would need any malaria meds.
You will, however, be tormented by sand fleas (no see-ums). On a trip to Roatan, a gal told me that she’d read that vitamin B-12 works well as a sandflea repellent, and she was certainly doing better than I was. Unfortunately I don’t know much about dosage, etc… I think she said she’d started taking it before the trip to build up. Definitely worth a try.
The problem, especially as a diver, is that you’ll be continually washing off any insect repellant you apply (unless you use that Bullfrog stuff, but that would be kind of uncomfortable in the hot, humid weather of Belize in July).
I don’t know if the boats from Ambergris go that far south, but if you can, I’d recommend diving The Elbow. Steady currents, so lots of sea life.
As for the Blue Hole, it’s one of those “do it once” kind of dives. It’s a bit of a boatride out there. And being that you dive so deep to see the stalagmites, it is kind of a short dive. But yes, there were plenty of sharks when we were there.
While out that far, we had our lunch on Halfmoon Caye. And that place was really cool.
I completely agree with this. It’s worth doing once.
We found the beaches to be a little bit lacking, but the food over all very good.
My Wife and I rented bikes and enjoyed that.
Never been there, but I used to work with a woman who said it was her destination of choice for 90% of her (quite extensive) travel. She said the people, the accommodations, the weather, the food…EVERYTHING…was simply awesome. She went at least once a year. But of course, I have no idea where she stayed. Just rootin’ for ya…
Take some time and go and see some of the ruins in the country. You may really want to go to Altun Ha which is the site that has the temple that is featured on the bottles of Belikin beer.
I’ve been to Belize a couple of times in the last few years, but it was mostly birding on the mainland, not out on the islands. I really like the country. I did get out to Half Moon Caye, though, and it was really interesting.
Yep, I came in here to recommend Altun Ha, too, which I went to four years ago. You can see a few photos here.