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Diving Belize
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Belize was a Western Hemisphere diving mecca decades before it became the romantic and trendy destination it is today. Hundreds of miles of reefs, atolls, caves, coral patches, and coastline harbor entire alien worlds to explore, as do shipwrecks with centuries of secrets. Swimming among the curious and brazen fish, this is raw excitement and, combined with the sensation of zero gravity, there’s really nothing like it.
Belizean dive stories of yore include communing with wild dolphins, swarms of horse-eye jacks and massive tarpon, or dozens of spotted eagle rays at a time. Some divers go strictly to photograph the Dr. Seussian coral life, or to get that elusive whale shark shot in March or April.
Dive shops exist everywhere there is access to the reef and cayes in Belize—this means San Pedro and Caye Caulker, Belize City, Sittee River, Placencia, and more shops and dive resorts scattered throughout the islands and atolls. Options are much more limited in Punta Gorda, which means you’ll have the ocean to yourself when diving the southern hook of the Barrier Reef. Below, you’ll find a list of the best diving Belize has to offer, along with suggestions on how to plan your diving trip.
Best Dive Sites
Phenomenal dives are abundant up and down the entire length of the Belize Barrier Reef, which begins off the northern tip of Ambergris Caye and extends southward to the Sapodilla Cayes in Belize’s southernmost reaches. Except for a few over-used or storm-damaged spots, the barrier reef’s coral is in excellent condition.
Beyond the reef are Belize’s three amazing atolls, or rings of coral and islands which rise up from deep water:
• Glover’s Reef: The southernmost of Belize’s atolls, Glover’s Reef is a ring of beautiful coral reef that spans nearly 80 square miles.
• Turneffe Islands: Not far from Belize City, the Turneffe Islands are a diver’s dream. Here you will find some of Belize’s not-to-be-missed dive sites, such as The Elbow and Gales Point.
• Lighthouse Reef: Accessible from Belize City, Ambergris Caye, and Caye Caulker, the Lighthouse Reef atoll is a favorite diving destination—not to mention that it is home to the infamous Blue Hole, as well as the Half Moon Caye Wall, where the diving is second to none.
While these dive sites might top the list, know that your options include literally hundreds of other opportunities that will keep you busy for a lifetime. Of particular note is the diving in southern Belize, where you’ll find some of Belize’s most exclusive and remote dive opportunities.
Three Ways to Diving Bliss
No matter which path to diving you choose, your first order of business is choosing a dive shop. You’ll have no trouble finding a shop; in fact, you may have a difficult time choosing between so many options. In most cases, prices are more or less the same between shops, but it pays to do a bit of comparing. Expect to pay US$60–75 for a two-tank fun dive, possibly extra for gear rental or for farther boat trips. Know that the bigger a shop’s boats, the more comfortable a long ride will be, but also the bigger your group will be, a serious consideration; small groups (6–10) assure more personalized attention from your dive masters. Also, to beat the crowds at more popular sights, choose a dive shop with early start times.
Certification Courses
The full menu of PADI– and NAUI–accredited courses are offered at most dive shops in Belize. Expect to pay about US$250–400 for Open Water or Advanced certification courses. Belize diving prices are roughly on par with Honduras’ Roatán in the Bay Islands, but more expensive than Utíla.
Introductory Dive Courses
You’re in Belize on vacation and want to dive—but you don’t want to spend four precious days (and US$400) getting certified. What can you do? How about a “resort course”—a one-day introduction to scuba (self-contained underwater breathing apparatus). Also called “discovery” courses, these usually include one tank of air and cost around US$75.
Live-Aboard Dive Boats
If you want to guarantee the most diving time possible, several live-aboard vessels based in Belize City are designed for serious divers, but can also accommodate an avid diver’s companion. Your own luxury hotel and chef travel with you to some of the most scenic and best diving spots in the tropical world. Most of the following rates are weekly and all-inclusive (plus a few hundred dollars of extra charges, of course). Here are a few options: Belize Aggressor III (120 foot, U.S. tel. 800/348-2628, www.aggressor.com, US$2,295); the Nekton Pilot (78 foot, U.S. tel. 800/899-6753, www.nektoncruises.com, from US$1,495); and Peter Hughes Diving’s Sun Dancer II (138 foot, U.S. tel. 800/932-6237, www.peterhughes.com, from US$2,195).
© Joshua Berman and Avalon Travel from Moon Belize, 7th Edition
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