Hol Chan Marine Reserve
When diving from San Pedro or Caye Caulker, the most popular reef is undoubtedly Hol Chan Marine Reserve, just 6 km from San Pedro and easily accessible. It covers a total of around 8 km2 and is divided into four well-defined zones: The Reef, The Seagrass Bed, The Mangrove and Shark-Ray Alley. The reef is a veritable open-water aquarium in which most of the Caribbean's colorful fish species frolic in the heart of a reef rich in varied corals. Balistes, parrotfish, barracuda and multicolored surgeonfish share the brain corals, the expanses of acroporas and the numerous sponges, putting on a show of sheer beauty. This is the most dived spot in Belize, but it's still very well preserved. The seagrass beds are a favorite spot for divers in search of Lamentines and dolphins, which are regularly seen here. The mangroves will delight macro photographers, who will be able to exercise their talent on the juveniles of the many species that come here to reproduce under the watchful eye of the large barracudas that make the perpetual rounds around the root groups. Last but not least, Shark-Ray Alley is a snorkeling area where you can get up close and personal with hundreds of sharks (particularly nurse and blacktip), as well as numerous eagle rays and stingrays. As soon as you stop the boat, they'll all come running to you, looking for a little reward - you'd almost think they were domesticated.
Bacalar Chico National Park and Marine Reserve
While the southern part of Ambergris Caye is one of Belize's main tourist attractions, the northern part of the island forms the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve and is largely an undeveloped wilderness area, encompassing diverse habitats including: beaches, forests, grasslands and swamps. As it is a protected habitat, no roads lead to Bacalar Chico, so visitors can only access it by sea. Around 1,500 years ago, Ambergris Caye was not an island, but rather connected to the mainland. For reasons unknown, the ancient Maya dug a channel between what is now the island and the Yucatan Peninsula (now part of Mexico). Today, the Bacalar Chico Marine Reserve is a popular destination for visitors wishing to enjoy diving opportunities in one of the country's most preserved and diverse marine ecosystems. The reserve is also home to endangered species such as the puma and jaguar, as well as nesting sites for green and loggerhead turtles.
Lighthouse Reef and its Great Blue Hole
Lighthouse Reef is the smallest atoll in the region, covering just 200 square kilometers of sea. However, it is home to several hundred species of underwater, terrestrial and avian flora and fauna, including the remarkable red-legged booby, which breeds here. It is estimated that around 4,000 red-legged boobies live on the atoll.
The Great Blue Hole. Although small, Lighthouse Reef is home to many wonders that alone are worth diving in Belize, such as the famous Great Blue Hole near the center of Lighthouse Reef. Few fauna here, but breathtaking limestone concretions.
Half Moon Caye. In the south-eastern part of Lighthouse Reef lies the famous Half Moon Caye, a protected area that was the first nature reserve created in Belize and the first marine protected area in Central America! Half Moon Caye is usually where divers come to do their surface interval while admiring the booby breeding grounds, after diving the Great Blue Hole. This island, whose superb beach is in the shape of a half-moon, hence its name, is a study and observation site renowned the world over for the density of red-legged boobies that can be seen there. But it's when you immerse yourself in one of the sites on this reef that you'll be blown away. Sharks, rays, turtles and countless other underwater species frolic peacefully here. This is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful dives in Belize.
South Water Caye Marine Reserve
Fishermen used to stop off at South Water Caye to replenish their freshwater supplies from the springs that emerge at the center of this islet. Covering an area of around 6 hectares, South Water Caye lies directly above the Belize Barrier Reef and is home to some of the country's best snorkeling and scuba diving. This reef is particularly well known for its large eagle rays, as well as its very large stingrays. There are so many different sites in this reserve that you'll have to come several times to see them all. At both Trick Ridge and Rosella's Garden, two of the best-known sites in the reserve, you're guaranteed to come across fine specimens of hawksbill and loggerhead turtles.
Glover's Reef
Glover's Reef atoll, named after the eponymous British pirate who hid there while waiting for Spanish ships to come and plunder, is a must for those sailing from Placencia. This is Belize's southernmost atoll, offering top-quality diving and snorkeling. Glover's Reef is also Belize's best-formed coral atoll structure, offering an abundance of coral and marine life. Being the furthest away from Ambergris Caye, undoubtedly the country's largest diver departure base, Glover's Reef is less crowded, and diving here always holds some nice surprises. Encounters with beautiful groups of reef sharks or even Mantas along Long Caye Wall are frequent, and in themselves justify the somewhat long boat ride to get there.
Laughing Bird Caye National Park
Most of Belize's inland reef dive sites are in or around Laughing Bird Caye National Park, which is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. To get to Laughing Bird Caye, take a 30-minute boat trip from Placencia. The currents here are generally weak, making it an ideal place for beginner divers to hone their buoyancy skills in a natural aquarium. South of Laughing Bird Caye, you can dive a large canyon running north-south, where countless lobsters take refuge under the watchful eye of small reef sharks and beautiful stingrays.
Turneffe Atoll
This atoll is one of Belize's best diving areas, with over 70 sites to visit. You can even stay in one of the (often luxurious) hotels on site, which are very popular with divers because of their proximity to the best sites. You'll be right in the middle of it all. The area is home to numerous schools of colorful fish, including cubera snapper, tiger grouper, lionfish and white-spotted toadfish. Not to mention numerous large pelagics such as manta rays, hammerheads, eagle rays, turtles, nurse sharks and numerous reef sharks. A must on any diving trip.
Whale shark watching
To discover Belize's whale sharks, you need to choose your travel dates carefully and plan to spend a few days in Placencia. Off the coast of Placencia lies the Gladden Spit reef, where you can dive with these majestic and rare species for around ten days in April, May and sometimes even June. The few days around full moons are the best times to observe whale sharks, which come to take a close interest in the tropical fish hatchlings for which Gladden Spit is a kind of spawning center.
