Belize Scuba Diving Guide
Belize is a Caribbean country on the northeastern coast of Central America. It’s bordered by Mexico, the Caribbean Sea, and Guatemala. While it’s a diverse country composed of different cultures and languages, it’s the only Central American country where English is the official language. This makes it a popular vacation spot for English-speaking tourists.
Belize offers attractions from ziplining through vast jungles to horseback riding on white, sandy beaches. There’s a little something for everyone there, but divers are particularly attracted to it, and for good reason—it’s home to some of the most popular and well-known dive sites in the world.
Many Belize beaches are a quick boat or plane ride away from Belize City. They’re easy to travel to, but the added effort makes some of these beaches well-kept secrets among dive enthusiasts.
There are over 200 offshore islands that have pristine beach areas reachable by boat. The mainland beach, Palencia, is one of the most well-known tourist attractions, though much of the coastline is still unexplored by tourists. Hopkins Village Beach tends to attract anglers and divers, while Belize as a whole is known for top-of-the-line fly fishing and scuba diving throughout the barrier reef and waters.
Belize Diving Overview
Diving in Belize is a unique experience for many, both due to location, the available dive spots, and the unique marine life that lives in the coral reefs. Belize’s water is home to the longest unbroken barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere and the second-longest in the world, with just the Great Barrier Reef in Australia beating it in length. There are dozens of dive sites that divers can plan their excursions around, and with over 400 small islands to explore surrounding the country, divers can come back year after year and try something new.
Scuba Diving Blue Hole
The Great Blue Hole is not only the most popular dive spot in Belize—it’s also one of the best-known dive sites in the world, making it a must-dive site for any diver.
- The blue hole is a giant marine sinkhole that descends to a depth of 440 ft and is a three-hour boat ride from the mainland. Local dive shops and other tour operators let visitors charter boats to get to the dive spot.
- Divers will see steep-walled cliffs and depressions, causing a contrast of deep blue waters with shallow turquoise waters.
- While the coral reef is beautiful, there is minimal water circulation that makes fish a rare sight during the dive.
Scuba Diving Lighthouse Reef
Lighthouse Reef encompasses many different dive spots, including the Blue Hole as described above. It’s a popular dive area for many reasons, but one of the biggest attractions is that there are many resorts in the area that make staying and diving easily accessible.
- Diving areas around the reef typically include:
- The Great Blue Hole
- Long Caye
- Half Moon Caye
- Reef diving in this area tends to be suitable for divers of all skill levels.
- Conditions throughout the year are pretty consistent, with a warm and sunny climate, easy currents, and shallow reef gardens that create optimal scuba diving conditions.
Scuba Diving San Pedro
San Pedro is a town in Belize that is a part of an island called Ambergris Caye. The town is located on the southern part of the island, and divers enjoy exploring the area during the dry season of November–July. In San Pedro, you’ll find a variety of marine life that makes this little town a tropical paradise for divers.
Ambergris Caye is close to the Great Blue Hole and the Belize Barrier Reef System. Rife with tropical sea creatures, minimal current, and bright reefscapes, the Belize Barrier Reef is a great location for beginner divers.
Fish that divers may encounter include:
- Whitetip reef shark (year-round)
- Whale shark (March–July)
- Eagle ray (year-round)
- Seahorse (year-round)
- Manatee (year-round)
- Hawksbill turtle (year-round)
- Dolphin (year-round)
There are many dive sites throughout San Pedro, and local dive shops can help set you up with gear, guided tours, and all the information that you’ll need for a successful trip.
Scuba Diving Turneffe Atoll
Turneffe Atoll is the largest atoll—a ring-shaped coral reef that surrounds a lagoon—in Belize. It’s a nationally-protected area, making the Marine Reserve one of the largest reserves in the country. Belize’s atolls are a main reason why Belize is such a popular dive spot, and Turneffe Atoll has dive sites that are suitable for every level of diver. In fact, it’s considered to be the best resort-based diving in Belize.
Belize Scuba Diving Resorts
Booking a trip at a resort is a helpful way to make the most of your Belize diving experience. Because of the close proximity to the Belize Barrier Reef, most dive resorts offer lessons and guided excursions for beginners and advanced divers alike. Many of these dive resorts offer affordable stay-and-dive deals, where diving is included in your vacation package.
Not only can you join the resort on their own guided tours, but you’ll also have access to the knowledgeable staff who work there. They are often divers themselves and can assist in planning activities and providing recommendations to guests—from dive sites to local restaurants.
Scuba Diving at St. George’s Caye Resort
St. George’s Caye Resort allows its guests a private island experience with roomy accommodations and custom packages. Just seven miles from Belize City, visitors are close to the mainland while feeling like they’re miles away. St. George’s Caye is a well-known diving destination, located near the reef and secluded from other dive resorts. The island’s proximity to the reef means that you can dive morning, noon, or night. Divers can take meal breaks back at the resort, or enjoy snacks and beverages provided on the boat.
All packages offered through the resort—diving or otherwise—offer meals, unlimited kayak use, daily housekeeping, concierge scheduling, and more. There are four packages designed specifically for divers, varying from learning to dive tours, guided tours, and multi-dive dive tours. Contact a reservation specialist at St. George’s Caye Resort who can put together the perfect diving package for you.
Other Ways to Experience Scuba Diving in Belize
Most resorts in Belize offer some sort of diving cruise excursion, but if you’re not planning on staying at one of them, you can still find plenty of diving cruise excursions that aren’t resort-specific. Look around at local dive shops that can rent gear, provide info about tours, and accessible areas if you aren’t going to group dive.
Scuba Diving Packages
Scuba diving packages are everywhere in Belize, and you won’t have any trouble finding a way to book your diving experience. The most commons ways to book a package include:
- Through your resort - Most Belize resorts offer diving packages. You can book these in advance as you schedule your stay or speak to the concierge for more information when you arrive.
- Through a certification program - You can get your PADI certification through many resorts and dive shops around the island. This certification allows you to dive anywhere in the world (to a maximum depth of 60 feet). The program itself will have you diving through the Belize waters, but talk to your program guides and they’ll be able to help you find the right dive packages for you.
- Through the Belize Tourism Board - The Belize Tourism Board offers dive packages and excursions for visitors. Contact Travel Belize for more information.
- Dive Travel Agents: Contact a dive travel specialist who has first-hand experience diving in Belize. They will offer professional advice, often book airfare, and handle other trip logistics at no cost to you.
- Join a Group Trip with your Local Dive Center: Ask your local dive shop if they run any group trips to Belize. The trip organizer will have done the research and organized all the logistics to ensure your priority is relaxing and having fun diving in Belize with friends.
Scuba Diving Trips for Groups
Group diving in a guided tour can offer additional education and knowledge of the area. Experienced divers can go diving on their own, but having a guide with you along the way can give you information only the locals know about—like the can’t-miss dive areas.
Guided tours as a group are a fun bonding experience for friends and family. It’s a way to introduce your loved ones to diving if they are new to the sport. Because Belize is such a diving hotspot, it’s one of the best ways to get family or friends into your favorite hobby.
Belize Scuba Diving Certification
The process of getting scuba trained and certified is offered throughout resorts and dive shops in Belize. Getting certified and taking lessons will help empower you to explore areas while practicing scuba diving best practices. There are a handful of recognized certifying bodies, including PADI, SSI, and NAUI. Getting certified in Belize lets trainees take specific lessons that are unique to the area.
Scuba certification will teach you the fundamentals of safe diving and how to react in unexpected situations, opening up a new world of adventure above and below the surface. Remember, there are diving areas that non-certified divers can’t dive in.
Dive shops in Belize that offer certification include:
Sign up for a certification class through any of these facilities. Once you’re certified, buy a dive package and rent or buy SCUBAPRO gear from any of these shops and speak to a guide to help plan your excursion.
Experience Some of the Best Diving in the World When You Travel to Belize
With the right guidance, Belize may end up being your favorite dive destination in the world. As an ideal spot for exploration with sparsely crowded dive spots, take advantage of the clear waters and the unique offerings that Belize has to offer. You can let your resort take care of all of the details for you if you aren’t a planner, or go ahead and talk to some local dive guides so that you can plan your own trip. No matter your experience level, this Caribbean country offers a little something for everyone.