Diving in Belize? Belize… Have you ever been there? If the answer is no, you are not alone. In fact, Belize is one of the most overlooked tourist destinations in the world. Not many travelers, no matter how far they traveled, can put a notch in their belt to visit Belize. Does Belize not have much to offer or is it one of those gems yet to be discovered? The latter is probably true, and the lack of interest in Belize has left its natural wonders untouched and untouched by man. Belize’s Mayan ruins, pristine rainforests and Great Barrier Reef remain the same today as they have been for many years.
Belize is located in the heart of Central America just below Mexico and its neighbors Guatemala. Its main attractions are diving attractions and include impressive offshore atolls and the longest barrier reef in the Caribbean (185 miles). The Belize Barrier Reef is not only the longest reef in the Caribbean, it is also the longest reef in the entire Western Hemisphere.
Diving in Belize is extremely diverse and includes several different types of reefs, including fringe reefs, patch reefs, faroas, barrier reefs, and atolls. At each of these different types of dive sites, you’ll likely be thrilled to experience numerous species of marine life up close, including lobsters, barracuda, snapper, octopus, croaker, sea turtles, moray eels, scorpion fish, crabs, hog fish, lizard fish, rays, eagle rays, corals, gorgonians and sponges. Here is a brief description of each of the different types of reefs you can visit while diving in Belize:
Fringing Reefs: Fringing reefs are found very close to continental shores. Belize is home to one such reef at Rocky Point, at the northern end of Ambergris Caye. Here the reef emerges from the water and you can walk on the coral skeletons that have been embedded in the rock. Diving and snorkeling are also very popular here:
Patch Reefs – While patch reefs are abundant in the coastal region of Belize, most of them can be found further south in the complex barrier shelf region south of Southwater Caye. Reef patches range from small coral clusters to huge sprawling reefs and are ideal places to view marine life while diving in Belize.
Faroe Islands: The Faroe Islands are ringed reefs enclosing a central lagoon. They are also called platform atolls. The best example of a Faroe Islands in Belize is Laughing Bird Caye.
Barrier Reefs – Barrier reefs are continuous walls of coral. The Belize Barrier Reef is one of the largest in the world.
Atolls – Atolls are further out to sea than the other types of reefs and can sometimes resemble small islands.
The variety found in Belizean waters ensures that you will never get bored of diving in this region.
