Belize's Underwater Paradise: A Scuba Diver's Dream

Belize is a scuba diver's paradise, with its stunning coral reefs, diverse marine life, and clear blue waters. It offers some of the best diving experiences in the world, with the chance to explore ancient Mayan ruins and experience a vibrant blend of cultures. The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, the second-largest reef system in the world, boasts pristine coral, an incredible diversity of dive sites, and access to hundreds of kilometres of coral. The best time to visit Belize for diving is in May, when you'll enjoy excellent diving conditions and low tourist numbers.

Belize is home to three stunning coral atolls, which are exceptionally rare in the Western Hemisphere. The Great Blue Hole, a giant submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belize, is perhaps the most famous dive site in the country. It offers crystal-clear waters and unique underwater formations, including ancient stalactites and limestone formations. The Blue Hole is part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

Other notable dive sites in Belize include the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Shark Ray Alley, Turneffe Atoll, Lighthouse Reef Atoll, Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, Glover's Reef Atoll, and South Water Caye Marine Reserve. These sites offer diverse marine life, vibrant coral reefs, dramatic drop-offs, and the opportunity to spot whale sharks, eagle rays, and nurse sharks.

The Great Blue Hole

The hole is circular in shape, over 300 metres across and 124 metres deep. It is the largest natural formation of its kind. The dark blue colour of the hole signifies its great depth, especially when compared to the shallow waters nearby.

Dive excursions to the Great Blue Hole are full-day trips, usually consisting of one dive in the Blue Hole and two additional dives in nearby reefs. The Blue Hole is for advanced divers, involving a quick descent, a brief stay at depth, and a cautious ascent.

Mesoamerican Barrier Reef

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, stretching for 625 miles (or 700 miles according to some sources) along the coasts of four countries: Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. The reef is home to a dazzling array of marine life, including over 500 species of fish, 60 species of coral, 350 species of mollusc, and various marine mammals, algae, and seagrasses. The reef also provides a habitat for several endangered species, including saltwater crocodiles, green, hawksbill, and loggerhead sea turtles, Nassau and goliath grouper, and the largest population of manatees in the western Caribbean.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is a popular destination for scuba diving due to its diverse marine life and easy access from the mainland. Divers can explore barrier, fringing, and patch reefs mixed with sand channels and near-vertical walls encrusted in hard and soft coral. The reef is also home to mangrove forests, seagrass beds, and sand flats, which provide a habitat for various marine creatures.

The Mesoamerican Barrier Reef is facing several threats, including overfishing, pollution from human settlements and agriculture, sedimentation, inappropriate tourism practices, and changing land use along the coast. Climate change is also a significant threat, with rising water temperatures, sea-level rise, stronger tropical storms, and changes in the pH of seawater pushing natural systems to their limits. Despite these challenges, the reef remains a vibrant and diverse ecosystem that supports a multi-billion-dollar tourism industry and provides a foundation for local economies.

Ambergris Caye

The island is about 25 miles long but never more than a few miles wide. It's home to San Pedro, the only town on the island, and the hub of all the action. Here, you'll find plenty of resorts, hotels, and homes, all enjoying cool sea breezes and gorgeous ocean and reef views. The town has a lively, energetic downtown area with shops, bars, and restaurants, as well as water taxi stops and docks.

One of the most famous dive sites in Belize is the Great Blue Hole, located about 1.5 hours by boat from Ambergris Caye. This collapsed limestone cavern is over 300 metres wide and 125 metres deep, with ancient stalactites and other fascinating underwater formations.

Another must-visit site for divers and snorkelers is the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, located near Ambergris Caye. The name 'Hol Chan' means 'little channel' in Mayan. This reserve is home to a rich variety of marine life, including colourful corals, sea turtles, nurse sharks, and schools of tropical fish. The clear, shallow waters make it perfect for beginners and experienced divers alike.

For a unique snorkelling experience, head to Shark Ray Alley, part of the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. This site is famous for its abundance of nurse sharks and stingrays, which were attracted by fishermen cleaning their catch here. Today, snorkelers and divers can enjoy close encounters with these creatures in their natural habitat.

With its stunning natural beauty, glowing aqua waters, and abundant marine life, it's no wonder that Ambergris Caye is a favourite among divers and a popular tourist destination.

Whale shark sightings

Belize is a great place to scuba dive with whale sharks, the largest fish in the world. Whale sharks are common visitors during the summer months in southern Belize, but the ideal time to swim or dive with them is in April or May, around the time of the full moon. In fact, any period between the first full moon in March and the full moon in June could work.

The best place to encounter migrating whale sharks in Belize is at the Gladden Spit and Silk Cayes Marine Reserve, located approximately 22 miles (36 km) off the coast of Placencia and other locations in the Stann Creek District. Whale sharks are often sighted in the Gladden Spit area about 26 miles off the coast of Placencia, where large concentrations of whale sharks gather during April and May when Mutton and Dog Snappers are spawning (the whales ingest the spawn as food). The whale shark tours to Gladden Spit are led by well-trained whale shark guides to ensure your safety and the safety of the sharks.

The whale shark season in Belize normally begins two days before the full moon and lasts until 10 days after, in the months of March, April, May, and June. Traditionally, April and May have been the better months for whale shark sightings. However, there is no guarantee that whale sharks will show up, as they are night feeders. If you have a longer visit, you may have a better chance of seeing them, as they can arrive a week later than expected.

To book a whale shark tour, it is advisable to book early. The Southern Environmental Association (SEA) manages tour boats in Placencia, specifically overseeing the whale shark experiences at Gladden Spit, and only permits six boats in the Gladden Spit Whale Shark Zone at any given time. It is important to note that the opportunity to snorkel and dive with these incredible animals does not guarantee a sighting, let alone an up-close encounter.

The whale shark tours normally last a full day, beginning in the morning and not returning until the late evening. Divers get two dives, and snorkelers get two snorkel sessions in the whale shark zone. Most of the time on the trip is spent having lunch and snorkelling the patched reefs inside the barrier reef as we wait for our next session to go into the park. Because the whale shark tours are conducted in the open ocean, where there is usually no visible bottom, this tour is recommended for more experienced divers and snorkelers.

Glover's Reef Atoll

The atoll lies in close proximity to the Bartlett Trough, a deep ocean trench that serves as a superhighway for marine wildlife. This means that divers never know what type of wildlife they might spot. Whale sharks, reef mantas, lemon sharks, reef sharks, nurse sharks, and even the occasional hammerhead shark have all been known to make surprise appearances. Other common sightings include resident sea turtles, spotted eagle rays, dolphins, moray eels, and a variety of colourful fish species.

For those interested in trying scuba diving, Glover's Reef Atoll offers a one-day "Discover Scuba Diving" course that provides a basic introduction to the necessary skills and allows participants to explore the underwater world. Certified divers can take advantage of the many excellent dive sites around the atoll, such as the spectacular wall just 200 meters from Long Caye, or the Aquarium, known for its crystal clear waters and huge colourful schools of fish.

Frequently asked questions