Coral reefs, it has been said, are visual poems, filling a diver’s sense of sight with form, color and patterns. If so, Belize is a master poet. At 185 miles in length, paralleling the entire coastline and dotted by over 200 islands, it is the second largest barrier reef in the world. The variety of reef types and prolific marine life within its borders is unequaled in the northern hemisphere. Inscribed as a World Heritage Site at the 1996 UNESCO World Heritage Convention, the reef system contains living and growing organisms, areas of exceptional beauty and natural phenomena, and natural habitats for marine life including many endangered species. The entire coastal zone of Belize is a treasure of sea life, pristine and as yet mostly unexploited. Jewels of evolution are continually being found.
The barrier reef and outer atolls provide countless opportunities for fun-filled adventures both above and below the waterline. Belize’s underwater world, laden with endless dive sites, has something for everyone: from the most experienced scuba diver to the leisure snorkeler. Discover the tapestry of colorful tropical fish, giant sponges and majestic geological formations like the famed Blue Hole. Swim alongside whale sharks, the largest fish in the world or come face-to-face with graceful eagle rays. Above the water you will find some of the best and most diverse fisheries in the world. The Grand Slam of fly fishing, catching a tarpon, permit and bonefish in a single day, is frequent in Belize’s prolific saltwater flats. Cruise the reef for yellowtail snapper, grouper, jack crevalle, barracuda and other denizens of the barrier reef. Or test your angling skills outside the reef in the deep sea where kingfish, wahoo, tuna, sailfish and blue marlin offer tackle-busting action.
The vast mass of coral life now paralleling the Belizean coast actually grows on a prehistoric reef, which thrived over a million years ago. This prehistoric reef, deep under the surface, contains many of the same coral species divers still see today. Belize’s 3 atolls, unlike Pacific atolls built on volcanoes, actually sit atop 2 parallel submarine ridges close enough to the surface to allow the formation of massive coral growth. These coral atolls cover as much surface area as the entire barrier reef itself! Knowing how coral reefs are formed is part of their beauty. The structural framework of a coral reef is basically limestone; upon this, billions of individual coral polyps form massive colonies. A coral reef, then, is actually a thin layer of life on top of ever-growing pieces of limestone. These natural wonders are so spectacular not only because of their visual beauty and the diverse marine life they harbor, but because it took millions of years to form, on average a coral grows 5 inches every century!
