A Profusion of Color & Life ...

Belize’s coastline is rich in marine life and variety of habitats, the majority of which are under protected status.  Scuba divers had been coming to Belize way before it was put on the tourism map.  Even today, with the growing popularity of diving in the country, you won’t find dive sites cluttered with dive boats and divers.  Many times, you will have the sight to yourself.  The coast offers a range of diving with pinnacled mid-reefs, shipwrecks, shallow coral gardens and steep walls.  About 70 types of hard corals, 400 species of fish and other diverse marine life add color and life.  There is something for the leisure snorkeler to the experienced diver.  You can also find scuba courses in most dive shops for those who want to learn or refine their diving skills.  With the predominant north easterly winds, visibility along the barrier reef ranges from 50-150 feet with the western side of the atolls almost guaranteeing good visibility.  The water temperature is fairly constant all year between the high 70’s to low 80’s (Celcius).  As for what the diving is like, Rick Frehsee, a respected dive journalist wrote: “Beneath the turquoise sea is a tapestry and range that exceeds every other Caribbean destination in diversity, size and scope.” 
 
Belize’s barrier reef is the world’s second largest and was declared a United Nations World Heritage Site in 1996.  It stretches 185 miles from the tip of Mexico’s Isla Mujeres to the Sapodilla Cayes in the Bay of Honduras.  Australia’s barrier reef is the largest but is mostly dead coral, making Belize’s barrier reef the largest living barrier reef in the world.  The fore reef is rich with elkhorn and star corals which form massive spur and groove canyons that continue to slope down to the vertical reef wall.  These spur and groove fore reefs provide some of the best diving in Belize.  The northern barrier reef has the country’s most popular dive and snorkel site, Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley.  There are also many other excellent dive sites to explore.  As you move south along the barrier reef the inner reef changes from grass beds and patch reefs to an interesting series of sinkholes, pinnacles and faros (shelf atolls).  The southern barrier reef is relatively unexplored with 2 of the best marine parks in the country, Southwater Caye Marine Reserve and Laughing Bird Caye National Park.  The south also harbors migrating whale sharks in March, April and May.  Within the barrier reef lay over 200 islands.  The majority are mangrove islets which act as important fish nurseries.  Some are coral islands with reefs just off the beach good for snorkeling.

East of the barrier reef lay 3 of the 4 Caribbean atolls; their total surface area of reef is equal to that of the entire barrier reef itself!  Atolls are basically groups of islands and coral reef that encircle a central lagoon.  The circular reef is characterized by steep walls with a few scattered shipwrecks.  They are known for excellent visibility and some of the best walls in the country.  The relative isolation of the atolls along with the reefs and nutrient rich lagoons produce a diversity of marine life.  Turneffe Islands Atoll has numerous mangrove islands and vast sea grass beds; the Elbow on the southern tip is arguably Belize’s best dive.  Lighthouse Reef Atoll supports a diverse living reef with well developed spur and groove canyons and unique arc shaped reef segments.  The Blue Hole and Halfmoon Caye also lay here.  Glover’s Reef Atoll is surrounded by broad, well-defined reefs of living coral and is a UN World Heritage Site.  The many unique dive sites on these atolls make them popular with divers.  A few dive resorts are perched right on them while many dive shops from other destinations offer day trips to explore them. 

	Interview with PADI Course Director, John Searle
	John Searle is a PADI certified Course Director, which is the highest certification offered by PADI for dive professionals. If anyone can describe the diving in Belize it's John. In this interview he summarizes the diving opportunities in Belize. Watch Video >>>

Where To Go

There are several islands and coastal destinations that offer easy access to the barrier reef, which parallels the country’s entire coastline.  All of these places also offer day trips to one or several of the atolls.  Or you may choose to stay on one of the island resorts on the atolls themselves.  Below is a brief description of the diving in these different destinations that should help you in choosing where to go.      

Ambergris Caye: This is the original diving destination of Belize, with some of the first dive shops in the country.  The barrier reef is visible from the shore of the island and offers many local dive sites ranging from spur and groove canyons, patch reefs and walls.  Just southeast of the island is Belize’s most visited dive site, Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which includes Shark Ray Alley.  You’ll find both great snorkeling and scuba diving here.  Turneffe Islands Atoll and Lighthouse Reef Atoll, home of the Blue Hole, can be dived on day trips as well.

Caye Caulker: Just south of Ambergris Caye, the diving is essentially the same with the barrier reef visible from the shore and local dive sites including Hol Chan Marine Reserve.  There’s also great snorkeling and scuba diving here and day trips to Lighthouse Reef Atoll and Turneffe Islands Atoll.  Essentially the only difference is diving/snorkeling the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve and the accessibility to some of the local dive sites along the barrier reef.  The rates for diving tend to be cheaper here than in Ambergris Caye as well.

Belize City: Yes, you can even dive out of Belize City!  The barrier reef is only a 30 minute boat ride away.  Local dive sites include spur and groove canyons and very good walls.  Day trips to Turneffe Islands Atoll can take you to popular dive sites like the Elbow.  The Blue Hole on Lighthouse Reef Atoll is also available.  The Aggressor III Live Aboard departs on week long diving trips from here as well. The patch reefs around Goff’s Caye are quite popular for snorkeling as well.  There are day trips available that will take you snorkeling all the way to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley.      

Placencia: As you move south along the barrier reef, the inner reef changes into a series of faros, sinkholes and pinnacles.  The barrier reef lays 20 miles off shore and includes Laughing Bird Caye Marine Reserve, among the best marine parks in Belize.  Several islands on the inner reef and along the barrier reef offer excellent snorkeling as well.  Whale Sharks can be seen in the Gladden Split area during their migration in March, April and May.  Day trips to scuba dive or snorkel Glover’s Reef Atoll are also available. 

Dangriga: Dangriga is just north of Placencia so the diving is essentially the same, with the interesting inner reef, excellent snorkeling off of several islands and whale sharks during March, April and May.  A few of the differences are that the barrier reef is closer than Placencia, at 10 miles.  South Water Caye Marine Reserve, among the best marine parks in Belize, is just offshore and not usually offered out of Placencia.  And finally, all 3 atolls can be dived from here; Glover’s, Turneffe Islands and Lighthouse Reef.

Atolls: Belize’s atolls are known for their great visibility, often 100-150 feet, and excellent walls.  The marine life tends to be quite plentiful and diverse as well.  These are destinations best appreciated by scuba divers, although there are some sites which offer excellent snorkeling as well.  The Blue Hole is on Lighthouse Reef Atoll.  Glover’s Reef Atoll is a UN World Heritage Site and whale sharks can be seen in March, April and May.  The Elbow is on Turneffe Islands Atoll. 

Aggressor III Live Aboard: One popular option for scuba divers is live-aboards, yachts that will take you out to see for several days to do nothing but diving.  The Aggressor III is part of Aggressor’s fleet of dive boats in various parts of the world.  The yacht is built for divers so it is very accommodating.  They offer 7 day excursions visiting many dive sites along the barrier reef and on Turneffe Islands Atoll and Lighthouse Reef Atoll.  This is a great ways to pack a lot of diving, on some of Belize’s most popular dive sites, in just a week.