Belize has some amazing dive locations and we are including four of these locations in one dive trip. We will start our diving adventure in Ambergris Caye where will will have access to the amazing dive locations of the Belize Barrier Reef and Hol Chan (Shark Alley). After completing the best dive sites in this location we will then transfer to Caye Caulker which is the next island. At Caye Caulker we will then have access to the amazing diving at Turneffe Reef, Lighthouse Reef (including the Blue Hole) and Caye Caulker itself. The diving at these location is amazing and the Blue Hole is often on many divers bucket lists. The final dive location will require us to transfer to an area in South Belize called Hopkins. This location has been selected as it gives us perfect access to the dive locations of Glovers Reef and South Water Caye. The diving at both these locations is fantastic and Glovers reef has an amazing reputation. As usual we will also ensure we have time for the must see sightseeing spots while we are in Belize. This includes the Mayan Temples and structures which have been included as part of our route as we transfer to the various dive locations. The dive conditions in May are perfect and this is the reason why we have selected this month. This is also a fantastic time to go to Belize to see amazing marine life and enjoy the fantastic weather. Diving in the selected locations will be amazing and has fantastic variety. The marine life which we may be able to see include the West Indian Manatee, Nurse Shark, Dolphins, Spotted Eagle Rays, Whale Sharks and amazing corals at the various reefs. Our selected destinations allow us to experience the quieter locations where the diving conditions will be even better than the world recommended highlights. This is basically the best of Belize trip both diving and sightseeing and certainly not a trip to be missed. We have planned this trip a year in advance to ensure that divers can save up and also so we get a good sized group to make the travels all the more fun as on previous trips. We will also be spending a few days in Miami as well on the way back prior to returning to London. As per usual the dates are flexible and divers are more than welcome to join the trip at certain parts if holiday allocation at work is an issue. Just let me know how many days leave you have and we can pick the best part of the trip for you to join us on. Come join us on this simply amazing trip.
Overview
We will depart London on Thursday 2 May 2022. We will fly from a London Airport to Miami (United States). We will then stay overnight in Miami so enable us to catch the early morning flight to Belize the following morning. In the morning we will then fly from Miami, USA to Belize City. Once we arrive in Belize City will will transfer to Ambergris Caye which will be our base for the first dive location. We will then spend 3 days diving the Belize Barrier Reef and Hol Chan(Shark Alley). The Belize Barrier Reef is the 2nd largest reef in the world. At Hol Chan you will be able to dive and snorkel with Nurse Sharks, Southern Sting Rays & Barracuda. Once diving in this location is completed we will then transfer to the small Island of Caye Caulker. Caye Caulker is a fantastic small fishing village off the mainland. The picturesque location also has some fantastic diving. At this location we will have 3 dive days with access to Tuneffe Reef and also Lighthouse Reef. Turneffe Reef has some fantastic diving and is a designated marine reserve. Turneffe Atoll is the largest and the most visually spectacular of Belize’s 3 atolls, unique in the Caribbean. Many of the sites act as spawning sites for reef fish. He you are likely see larger reef fish, turtles and spotted eagle rays. Large schools of snappers and jacks can also be seen. Lighthouse Reef is the location for the bucket list dive site the Blue Hole. If this dive site is on your bucket list then this is the dive for you and is one of the world’s renowned dive sites. Once we have completed the diving in this area we then move back to Belize City which is a short boat transfer. We will stay over night in Belize and then undertake some amazing sightseeing on our way to the South of Belize for the last dive location. En route we will see the famous Mayan Temple Sites which will include an overnight stay at San Ignacio. After two days of sightseeing we will then end up in South Belize at a place called Hopkins. In this location we have access to the untouched sights of Glovers Reef and South Water Caye. We will have the option of 3 days diving in these locations to complete the best dive sites in the area. Once we have completed the diving here we will then road transfer back to Belize City which will take around 2 hours 30 minutes. Back in Belize we have the option of either taking a rest or undertaking some local sightseeing. There is also the option to stay at Glovers Reef for a few more days to complete more diving if desired. On the last Friday we will then depart Belize City and fly to Miami, USA. We will stay in Miami, USA for 2 nights before we return to London, UK.
This will truly be an amazing diving adventure including the best Belize has to offer.
We are looking at the following Itinerary and diving:
Day Date Activity
Thu 2-May-24 Depart from London to Miami, USA (Stay Overnight)
Fri 3-May-24 Depart Miami, USA and arrive Belize City & Transfer to Ambergris Caye
Sat 4-May-24 Dive Day 1 – Belize Barrier Reef
Sun 5-May-24 Dive Day 2 – Hol Chan/Shark Alley
Mon 6-May-24 Dive Day 3 – Belize Barrier Reef transfer to Caye Caulker
Tue 7-May-24 Dive Day 4 – Tuneffe Reef
Wed 8-May-24 Dive Day 5 – Lighthouse Reef/Blue Hole or other diving
Thu 9-May-24 Dive Day 6 – Caye Caulker – Transfer to Belize City
Fri 10-May-24 Visit to Xunantunich Mayan Ruins and stay in San Ignacio
Sat 11-May-24 Visit Caracol Natural Monument Reserve & Transfer to Hopkins
Sun 12-May-24 Dive Day 7 – Glovers Reef
Mon 13-May-24 Dive Day 8 – South Water Caye
Tue 14-May-24 Dive Day 9 – Rest Day or Glovers Reef/South Water Caye Transfer to Belize City
Wed 15-May-24 Belize City Sightseeing Options
Thu 16-May-24 Belize City Rest Day/Sightseeing Options
Fri 17-May-24 Depart Belize City arrive Miami, USA
Sat 18-May-24 Sightseeing in Miami, USA
Sun 19-May-24 Depart Miami, USA arrive London, UK.
The above basic package would not include any equipment rental requirements or national park fees. The trip is totally flexible and divers will be in a position to select the number of days diving at each location and no of days on holiday if required or we are also flexible so divers with less work holiday allowance can join part of the trip for example.
Accommodation
We have arranged accommodation in all dive locations and through out the trip.
As a result the overall package cost is likely to be in the region of £1,950.00 without flights. This is excellent considering we are diving the best 3 locations in Belize and also including the the best sightseeing being the Mayan Temple Ruins and historical sites.
Flights
The flights from London to Miami are in the region of £394.00 with British Airways. The flights from Miami to Belize City are in the region of £200.00 return. We will also need transfers between the locations which will be provided by the dive centres.
Diving
Belize Barrier Reef/Hol Chan
The biggest of the offshore cays, Ambergris Caye is a great place to stay if you wish to base yourself in a resort within easy reach of the dive sites of Belize’s barrier reef – the second largest barrier reef in the world.
The reef runs for 25 miles (40 km) almost parallel to the shore at an average distance of about half a mile (1 km) out to sea. The whole of the east coast of Ambergris features ‘spur and groove’ reefs – long reef fingers that jut out on the ocean side of the main barrier reef, perpendicular to the coastline. These finger rolls create a profusion of gullies, canyons, ledges, tunnels and caverns that offer refuge for marine creatures and for scuba divers to explore.
To the south of the island there runs a line of small cayes and reefs inside of which you will find well-protected shallow water that offers some good diving. Shark Ray Alley is here and is rated one of the Caribbean’s best animal dives and is, unsurprisingly, a great site for encounters with sharks and rays, as well as many other species. The animals come here to profit from fishing boats’ scraps tossed overboard, so they are not shy, resulting in some excellent photo opportunities.
The many marine parks here mean that fishing restrictions are in place in several areas. Hol Chan Marine Reserve, aka ‘The Cut’, is one such small marine reserve popular among divers from Ambergris Caye. It promises an easy dive with pelagics such as barracuda in the depths and often large animals in the shallow seagrass beds like sharks and rays.
There are a number of different ecosytems to be found here so the species variety is wider than may be found elsewhere in Belize, although fish populations are not as large. You can expect mangrove cayes, coral reefs, seagrass beds and lagoons, all offering something different. Sponges and fans dominate the underwater landscape at many of the dive sites, swaying in the gentle surge. The reef itself is in good health, but there are few hard coral species since their delicate structure is unable to withstand the occasional hurricane that blows through here.
Turneffe Reef/Lighthouse Reef
Designated a marine reserve in 2012 and considered by most to have the best resort-based diving in Belize, Turneffe Island is on all of the diving routes and hosts a small number of picturesque dive resorts that allow scuba diving from your doorstep.
Turneffe Atoll is the largest and most visually spectacular of Belize’s 3 atolls, unique in the Caribbean. The 400+ islets are mostly covered in dense mangroves interspersed with shallow lagoons, feeding the surrounding waters with a nutrient rich soup. Many of the dive sites act as spawning sites for reef fish as the lagoons and mangrove shallows offer good protection for juvenile fish. For this reason, the marine biodiversity is unmatched in this region.
Turneffe has dive sites suitable for every level of diver. Along the western side, the shallow reefs are perfect for the novices and casual divers, while the varied topography on the east and south sides are more suited for the seasoned diver. Wrecks, drop-offs and channels make for a good variety of sites and larger reef fish, turtles and spotted eagle rays are frequently sighted. The endemic whitespotted toadfish is a delight to find for any diver.
The Elbow is the “must do” dive on Turneffe, and stunning drop-offs and dramatic reef formations set a spectacular background to this site. Large schools of snappers and jacks feed in mid-water above the reef, large jewfish (goliath grouper) and other groupers hide in the canyons. Groups of eagle rays are commonly seen as well as occasional sightings of sharks. If you’re here for any length of time you’ll probably want to dive this site more than once.
The Wreck of the Sayonara is a former passenger/cargo boat that is now bedecked in impressive sponges and corals. It provides a multi-colored backdrop against which can be seen schools of French grunts, parrotfish and a variety of angelfish. Closer inspection reveals basket stars, coral shrimp and file clams. The nearby reef is home to schools of barracuda and there are several impressive coral patches on the sandy slope.
With over 70 known dive sites at Turneffe, there’s enough variety and big fish action to keep any diver happy for weeks. Caribbean reef sharks and the ever-present nurse sharks are occasionally joined by solitary hammerheads and blacktips. A small pod of bottlenose dolphins live in the south lagoon and spotted dolphins also regularly hunt in these waters. Manatees and American saltwater crocodiles can sometimes be seen in the water away from their lagoon home.
Lighthouse is the most distant of the Belize atolls from shore and is quite small with a length of approximately 50 miles (80 km). For many it offers the best diving Belize has to offer. Many experienced divers consider these dive sites to be consistently the best in the whole Caribbean.
The middle of the reef is where the world famous Great Blue Hole is located, made famous by Jacques Cousteau (who seems to have made a superlative quote about everywhere he ever dove!). There is much more to the atoll than just the Blue Hole however, and for many divers Lighthouse Reef is the focal point of their underwater Belize adventure.
The reefs are the marine jewels of Belize’s diving crown and can boast an extraordinary diversity of reef topography including sandy reef-flat areas, walls, grooves and channels, caves and caverns. The gardens are breathtaking in their riotously colorful plumage. Enormous purple sea fan fronds cover and sway over the reef tops, interspersed with yellow, orange and violet sponges in the shapes of long clustered tubes and vases, and massive hard coral boulder colonies.
The fish life is very good with most of the area being in protected marine zones. The reef gardens are teeming with fish including French, gray and queen angelfish, indigo hamlets, trumpetfish, butterflyfish, parrotfish, chromis, gobies and fairy basslets. Schools of Creole wrasse and blue tangs trail over the reef crest. Common big fish include tarpon, horse-eye jacks, barracuda, groupers and pompano. Critter life is good too with lobsters – spiny, spotted and slipper varieties, crabs – swimmer, hermit, neck, arrow, decorator and massive channel clinging, shells, reef squid and octopus all await the keen-eyed diver’s discovery.
Glovers Reef/South Water Caye
Glover’s Reef Atoll, 35 miles offshore, far away from crowds. The tranquil private island, is located at the center of a Marine Reserve, a protected area, that has been declared a World Heritage Site. This declaration acknowledges that this is one of the most special places in the Caribbean and even in the world…and divers agree.
Belize is every divers dream come true, because it features the second largest living barrier reef in the World. Glover’s Reef Atoll, one of the four Atolls in the Caribbean Ocean, is known for some of of the very best diving in Belize.
Glover’s Reef Atoll is home to some of the most incredible snorkeling and fishing found in Belize. This aquatic wonderland offers 700+ patch reefs that will amaze and inspire with its variety of colors and abundance of healthy aquatic life. The reef is plentiful with Brittle Stars, Encrusting Tube Sponges, and spotted Flamingo Tongues, resting on purple Sea Fans. Schools of curious Snappers will eye you from behind Brain Coral and brightly colored Angelfish swim by as Nurse Sharks rest under ledges. Resident Sea Turtles, and Spotted Eagle Rays are daily sightings, and occasionally a Whale Shark will cruise along the Wall. Belize offers a variety of fishing opportunities for anglers looking to catch Bone Fish, tarpon, and permit.
A popular time to visit is all year round but May is considered one of the best times to dive due to the excellent dive conditions and marine diversity. Visibility ranges from 10-35 metres and the water temperature from 26-29C.
You can also see the trip on our meetup page where you can also RSVP.