Dive Sites : South and Central America : Belize

Belize Scuba Diving

117 Dive Sites in 9 Destinations

Ambergris Caye (36)
Belize (1)
Caye Caulker (0)
Glover Reef (20)
Lighthouse reef (32)

South Water Caye (5)
Southern Belize (0)
Stann Creek (0)
Turneffe (23)

Situated along the east coast of Central America 'under' Mexico, this anonymous little gem has remained miraculously out of Tourist Radar reach for the past few decades. Due to this blessing Belize's 186 mile long Barrier Reef - second longest of its kind - is in the condition nature intended, as are its lush rainforests and Mayan Ruins. Belize's best known archeological site is Lubaantun, where a mysterious crystal skull was discovered that has been reported to possess strange magical powers.

The population totals less than quarter of a million, consisting of direct descendants of the ancient Mayans as well as Black Carib or Garifuna African and Caribbean peoples. Belize City's busy mecca is at most 45 minutes from anything in its jurisdiction. The Islands' composition starts north at the Yucatan Peninsula with Ambergris Caye and several other well known little spots in its surrounds.

Belize is a warm 70°F - 80°F and its western Caribbean shores offer great visibility from 50 - 150 feet.

Diving in Belize - A Paradise

The Southern Cayes comprise over 200 islets. This part of the Great Maya Barrier Reef reaches from SE Mexico down to Nicaragua and is famous for wall sites, Black Beauty and Silversides. Tobacco Caye's site is known as Shark Hole.

Placencia lies farthest south and is quiet and very secluded due to its distance form Belize. Its atolls offer all levels of diving from snorkeling to a 200 foot deep cavern, with the recently sunken Amigos Wreck adding to variety. Hol Chan Marine Park, south of Ambergris Caye has more than six dive sites, among which is Shark Ray Alley, known for its nurse sharks and sting rays. Deep M, M Caverns and Punta Azul Canyons offer more advanced diving options.

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The most magnificent structures of their kind in the Caribbean

Belize's most popular dive spots are the three exotic atolls (cayes/keys) offshore, the Turneffe Islands, Lighthouse Reef and Glover's Reef.

The Turneffe Islands atoll is closest to Belize City. Mangroves carpet the 30 mile length of these Islands and a total of 70 excellent dive sites can be found in the area. A prime example is The Elbow in the south. Marine life includes sponges and Black corals, schools of fish in exaggerated amounts and larger pelagics such as dolphins and Nurse Sharks as well as turtles.

Lighthouse Reef's surrounds display a magical geographic half-moon shaped cay in the SW region. The 20 mile long island boasts the best scuba diving in Belize with famous Blue Hole protected area at its core.

The powerfully eerie Blue Hole is 400 foot deep and 1,000 feet in diameter. It dates all the way back to the last Ice Age and offers the experience of seeing majestic 30 foot long stalactites dangling from the ceilings at 110 feet.

Lighthouse reef's Long Caye has plenty of shallow drop offs with channels and swim throughs decorated with coral bearing each color of the spectrum and large pelagics, turtles and Eagle Rays all over the place. Silver Caves spot lies west sporting monstrous orange sponges and bushes of Black Coral.

Remote Glover's Reef is surrounded by well-defined coral walls. The lagoon reportedly contains more than 700 patch reefs. Sites such as Pinnacles, Gorgonia's Gallery and Hole in the Wall show off coral formations beyond your wildest dreams.

The locals

Marine life encompasses everything imaginable that lives in the Carribean, from wire corals, 'smoking' sponges and seafans to larger pelagics and reef fish and cleansing stations. Trunkfish, groupers, Nurse Sharks and dolphins, Eagle Rays, Green Morays, sea turtles, Manta Rays, Whale Sharks are popular in the area. Unique Star coral or Montastrea sp, A. palmata (elkhorn coral) and A. cervicornis (staghorn coral) species grace walls, slopes and swim throughs.

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