Every year, thousands of professional divers from around the world come to Belize to plum the biodiverse waters of the Caribbean. Belize is blessed to have more than 200 miles of offshore reef, part of the second-largest barrier reef system in the world and a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Although coral reefs form just 1% of the ocean, they are home to a staggering 25% of all marine life, and Belize is home to a wide variety of fish, shark, ray, sea turtle, and dolphin species who use the reef as a nursery and feeding ground.
Some of the top dive spots in Belize include:
The Great Blue Hole
Sometimes known as the Belize Blue Hole, this natural phenomenon is a perfectly circular stretch of deep azure water measuring over 300 meters (984 feet) across and 108 meters (350 feet) deep.
Nestled on the inner side of Lighthouse Reef, the Great Blue Hole was known only to local fisherman until famed French marine biologist and documentarian Jacques Cousteau visited the area in 1971 and declared that the Great Blue Hole was one of his top 10 dive sits in the entire world.
Turneffe Atoll
Located approximately 32 kilometers (20 miles) offshore of Belize City, Turneffe Atoll is just one of three coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere. Using the coral and thick vegetation for cover, thousands of aquatic species spawn here, making it a natural feeding ground for predators. The shallow waters, bright white seafloor, and thick density of marine life make this one of the best places to enjoy a “color” dive in Belize.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Located just offshore from the tourist island of Ambergris Caye, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve contains a natural cut in the reef that many different species use to transit between the outer and inner portion of the reef. As a result of all this “traffic,” the area is a diver’s paradise where it is easy to find large schools of nurse sharks and rays on the hunt for prey.
Gladden Spit
One of the furthest points of the reef from the mainland of Belize, Gladden Spit is part of a larger marine reserve that also contains the three Silk Islands. The islands plus the spit itself contain a gentle underwater slope that gives divers a chance to explore every layer of the active biosphere that contains more than 25 different species of fish.
Chabil Mar has a complete set of scuba diving vacations that include expeditions to all of the locations listed above.
For more information about diving in Belize, feel free to chat with our Concierge at: concierge@chabilmarvillas.com or contact our Reservations Manager at: reservations@chabilmarvillas.com. Or perhaps you would like to call toll free from the US or Canada: 1-866-417-2377.
