DIVING IN BELIZE
Belize has the second largest barrier reef in the world, second only to Australia. Which means, Belize can provide incredible diving and snorkeling experiences on your next vacation in Belize. There are over 50 dive sites available from most any dock in San Pedro, on Ambergris Caye (island) in Belize. There is also three of the five Atolls located in the Western Hemisphere, right off the mainland coast of Belize, and don't forget about the world renown diving site, "The Blue Hole", made famous by Jacques Cousteau in 1972.
NORTHERN BELIZE CAYES - DIVE SITES - Accessible from Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker are the most popular tourist destinations in the Northern Belize Caye Diving Sites. Our dive operator has access to over 50 diving sites right from their dock and they make several excursions to the Blue Hole (Lighthouse Atoll) and Turneffe Atoll each week. The Lighthouse Atoll is about (2) two hours by boat from our dive operators dock (more or less depending on sea conditions) and the Turneffe Islands are about (1) one hour by boat, from our dive operators dock (more or less depending on sea conditions). These boat rides can be arduous if the weather turns rough.
NORTHERN CAYE - TOP DIVE SITES: Mexico Rocks, Statue, Tres Cocos, Tackle Box Canyons, Mermaids Lair, Esmeralda, Boca Ciega, Cypress Tunnels, Pillar Coral, Hol Chan Cut, Shark-Ray Alley, Amigo's Wreck, Coral Canyons, Stingray Village, Caye Chapel Reef.
NORTHERN CAYE - TOP DIVE SITES: Mexico Rocks, Statue, Tres Cocos, Tackle Box Canyons, Mermaids Lair, Esmeralda, Boca Ciega, Cypress Tunnels, Pillar Coral, Hol Chan Cut, Shark-Ray Alley, Amigo's Wreck, Coral Canyons, Stingray Village, Caye Chapel Reef.
MID-BELIZE CAYE - DIVE SITES - Accessible from Dangriga

Right in the heart of Belize, lies the small coastal town of Dangriga, about 40 miles south of Belize City. Most visitors arrive here by plane, but it is possible to drive or take a bus either from Belize City along the unpaved Manatee Highway or from Belmopan via the Hummingbird Highway, for a better road and quicker journey. If you are seeking a mixture of activities, the mainland resorts and hotels in Dangriga, Hopkins and the Sittee River can arrange day trips to sites such as the Tobacco and South Water Cayes and the offshore Atolls. From Dangriga, you can also arrange inland excursions to the Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary and several Mayan ruins. If diving is the primary focus of your trip, Dangriga is the departure point for Tobacco Caye, South Water Caye and Glover's Reef.
Just 10 miles southeast of Dangriga, is a tiny 5 acre island called Tobacco Caye, here pirates and buccaneers used to hideout. Puritans then settled on the island in the mid-1660's, naming it in honor of the first tobacco crop they planted. Thus today, this small island is known as Tobacco Caye.
MIDDLE CAYE - TOP DIVE SITES: Faegon's Point, Faegon's Bluff, Cuda Point (Cuba Scuda), Fishy Point, Turtle's Rest, Tobacco Cut, Tobacco Channel, Eagle Ray Bowl, Jack Fish City, Coral Monument Canyon.
Just 10 miles southeast of Dangriga, is a tiny 5 acre island called Tobacco Caye, here pirates and buccaneers used to hideout. Puritans then settled on the island in the mid-1660's, naming it in honor of the first tobacco crop they planted. Thus today, this small island is known as Tobacco Caye.
MIDDLE CAYE - TOP DIVE SITES: Faegon's Point, Faegon's Bluff, Cuda Point (Cuba Scuda), Fishy Point, Turtle's Rest, Tobacco Cut, Tobacco Channel, Eagle Ray Bowl, Jack Fish City, Coral Monument Canyon.
SOUTHERN BELIZE CAYE - DIVE SITES - Accessible from Placencia

Most Southern Caye dive sites are accessible from Placencia, which is about a 40 minutes flying time from Belize City. This small tropical coast side town, sits on the south end of a narrow 15-mile peninsula that parallels the coastline and is the country's southernmost diving hub. Development here is fairly low-key and the narrow "main street" is accommodates a small number of hotels, guesthouses, bars and resorts, which boast of the best beaches in Belize. Like Dangriga, Placencia is an ideal base for both divers and those seeking other diversions. Inland attractions include Cockscomb Basin Wildlife Sanctuary, the Monkey River and several Mayan ruins.
The coastline south of Placencia sweeps west and diverges from the barrier reef, this results in a much broader reef table than than what you'll see in the north. Large expanses of coral reef are laced with channels that drop between 90 and 110 feet, then rise abruptly beside the many shoals and Cayes. From Placencia, the diving sites take a bit longer to reach. South of Gladden Spit the reef topography is a mixture of reef flats and spur-and-groove formations, both ending atop sheer walls. Here divers may encounter whale sharks, mantas, in this region, mainly in the Spring and early Summer.
SOUTHERN CAYE - TOP DIVE SITES: Mosquito Caye South, Laughing Bird Caye North, Laughing Bird Caye, Laughing Bird Caye South, North Wall, Silk Cayes (Queen Cayes), Silk Cayes Canyons, Pompion Caye Wall, Pompion Caye, Chub Canyon.
The coastline south of Placencia sweeps west and diverges from the barrier reef, this results in a much broader reef table than than what you'll see in the north. Large expanses of coral reef are laced with channels that drop between 90 and 110 feet, then rise abruptly beside the many shoals and Cayes. From Placencia, the diving sites take a bit longer to reach. South of Gladden Spit the reef topography is a mixture of reef flats and spur-and-groove formations, both ending atop sheer walls. Here divers may encounter whale sharks, mantas, in this region, mainly in the Spring and early Summer.
SOUTHERN CAYE - TOP DIVE SITES: Mosquito Caye South, Laughing Bird Caye North, Laughing Bird Caye, Laughing Bird Caye South, North Wall, Silk Cayes (Queen Cayes), Silk Cayes Canyons, Pompion Caye Wall, Pompion Caye, Chub Canyon.
SCUBA SAFETY REMINDERS
Most Belize operators are in touch with the Divers Alert Network, an association of medical doctors based at Duke University, P.O. Box 3823, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, NC 27710. The number for emergency medical referral is 919-684-8111.
Insurance tailored for divers is available from P.B. A., P.O.Box 907, Minneapolis, MN 5540 - Telephone: 800-446-2671 or 612-588-2731
But these facilities are no substitute for your own precautions. Diving reminders are:
1. Never dive alone.
2. Tell your guide unusual conditions.
3. Inquire about unusual conditions.
4. Never dive if you don't feel alert and well.
5. Never drink and dive.
6. Never dive where you can't easily get out.
7. Never dive while on medication, unless you first consult with a doctor.
8. Never feed fish while diving, you could attract sharks and barracudas.
9. Never dive beyond your physical capabilities.
10. Avoid diving if you have asthma, diabetes, or are subject to seizures.
11. Dive with a partner you can trust; your life depends on your buddy.
12. Do not touch coral or unfamiliar sea plants or fish. You could suffer painful injury.
13. If confused or unsure, get out of the water.
14. Inspect your diving equipment carefully.
15. If unsure of your dive master, ask for assistance.
Insurance tailored for divers is available from P.B. A., P.O.Box 907, Minneapolis, MN 5540 - Telephone: 800-446-2671 or 612-588-2731
But these facilities are no substitute for your own precautions. Diving reminders are:
1. Never dive alone.
2. Tell your guide unusual conditions.
3. Inquire about unusual conditions.
4. Never dive if you don't feel alert and well.
5. Never drink and dive.
6. Never dive where you can't easily get out.
7. Never dive while on medication, unless you first consult with a doctor.
8. Never feed fish while diving, you could attract sharks and barracudas.
9. Never dive beyond your physical capabilities.
10. Avoid diving if you have asthma, diabetes, or are subject to seizures.
11. Dive with a partner you can trust; your life depends on your buddy.
12. Do not touch coral or unfamiliar sea plants or fish. You could suffer painful injury.
13. If confused or unsure, get out of the water.
14. Inspect your diving equipment carefully.
15. If unsure of your dive master, ask for assistance.