Advice on how to spend 15 days in Belize

unfortunately there are a lot of people on here telling you what they would do and not providing you general information. AC is the center of diving in Belize. AC is larger and has the town of san pedro on it. CC is much smaller and is a more laid back back packer sort of place. Services will be more available on AC and CC will be quieter. Placancia is a great area but is 19 miles from the reef. you can get to the airport easily from either CC or AC. Use gmaps and youtube to look things over. CC is a hair over a mile from the reef and AC is only about 2/3 of a mile from the reef.

Here is the link I mentioned in Post #1, sorry i messed up: http://ambergriscaye.com/pages/town/map.html
Reread the posts by Greggo and Hopefulist, essentially what they are saying is correct, especially the point about Tikal being geographically more a part of the San Ignacio area than of Guatemala, and much easier to access from Belize. That is why good guide books for Belize will include Tikal. A stay of 1-2 days will give you the same jungle that you will get in Belize (rain forest only in Toledo). The site is huge with lots of natural area between the excavated ruins.
Unless you stay on one of the smaller cayes right on the reef, such as Tobacco or South Water, you will still have to take a tour guided boat to snorkel the barrier reef. If you are not susceptible to sea sickness, the actual time spent in the boat getting to the dive site (whether 10 minutes from Caye Caulker or 45+ minutes from Placencia)is only a small part of the total time taken to organize the trip, get to the boat, sort out gear, wait for other guests to get ready etc.

some properties on AC offer kayaks so you can paddle out to the reef, tie up and snorkel. AC will be more expensive, offer higher end lodging (Victoria House and Mata Rocks), more restaurant options, sandy beaches and more shopping. These are the very features that contrast with the quiet laid back feel of CC

Here's a thread with synopsis of the beachy options in Belize, old but still holds imo:
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/thorntree/forums/americas-central-america/topics/one-week-in-belize-beach-suggestions-please

Thank you everyone for their advice!
We have narrowed our choices down to Tikal+Cayo OR Toledo (leaning towards Tikal+ Cayo)
and AC + Tabacco Caye! I'll post our final itinerary when its all set! Thank you everyone!

Hi there,
I've worked out a plan! Thank you everyone.
Posting to see if anyone has comments.

Day1: San Ignacio - Land around 1pm
Day 2: San Ignacio -Day trip to Tikal
Day 3: San Ignacio - ATM
Day 4: Travel to Hopkins
Day 5: Hopkins
Day 6: Hopkins - Chill in the morning and Travel to Tobacco Caye
Day 7: Tobacco Caye - Dive & chill
Day 8: Tobacco Caye - Dive & chill
Day 9: Tobacco Caye - Dive & chill
Day 10: Travel to Ambergis Caye
Day 11: Ambergis Caye - Dive & chill
Day 12: Ambergis Caye - Dive & chill
Day 13: Travel to Caulker Caye
Day 14: Caulker Caye
Day 15: Chill in Caulker Caye/ evening flight out of BC at 5pm

Questions:
1. I hardly do tours, but it seems that there is the best way to do Tikal + ATM. Any recommendations on good tour agencies? Good value for money but hopefully one that doesnt make me feel like part of a cattle. Anyone has experience with http://www.pacztours.net/?
2. A poster recommended going to Caulker Caye which makes it easier to fly out from BC. Should I just skip and stay in AC the entire time and leave from AC? Or is it worth it to make my way to CC? I could do a day's diving in CC as well.
3. Any recommendations for dive centers in TC, AC and CC? I was looking at Chuck & Robbies for AC and Tobacco Caye Diving for TC and http://www.belizedivingservices.com/ for CC.
4. Lastly, accomadations. Thank you very much hopefulist for all that accommodations!
My budget is less than $150 per room and there is so many options in San Ignacio!

Anymore recommendations would be very much welcomed!
Thank you so much everyone!

1. My only experience with Pacz was an ATM tour in 2009 and it was excellent. For whatever my opinion is worth to you, I really think Tikal is worth an overnight. It's pretty awesome to explore the ruins and jungle during the cooler evening and early morning hours when wildlife is active and you practically have the place to yourself. Your call, though.

2. Ambergris Caye is a little further but still within easy reach of BZE, especially with a late afternoon flight. I would choose between the 2 instead of doing 3 days on 1 caye and 2 on the other. Re: a day's diving in CC - that might be pushing your decompression limits a little; it depends on whose recommendations you read regarding flights following a series of dives. You'll get a better price on dives if you book a package; with 5 nights in 1 spot you could book a 10 dive package. Also for what it's worth, I prefer Caye Caulker to Ambergris. :-)

3. I had a great experience with http://www.belizedivingservices.com/ for CC.