LIVEABOARD DIVING IN Belize
Immerse in the unmatched beauty of Belize's underwater world - pristine reefs, mysterious Blue Hole, and diverse marine life await your discovery
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Coral Wonders
Shark Encounters
Historic Sinkhole
Belize, a premier diving destination, offers an extraordinary underwater experience for divers. It's home to the world-renowned Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest barrier reef system globally, boasting an unparalleled diversity of marine life and coral formations. Diving in Belize is characterized by its unique landscape features, including majestic coral walls, intriguing canyons, and an abundance of vibrant reef fishes and pelagics.
The country's crown jewel, the Great Blue Hole, is a giant submarine sinkhole off the coast and a must-visit for advanced divers. This site, part of the larger Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, offers a once-in-a-lifetime dive experience with its ancient stalactites and deep blue waters. Additionally, the Turneffe Atoll and Lighthouse Reef offer spectacular wall dives with opportunities to see large fish species and lush coral gardens.
Belize's waters are also home to a variety of shark species, including nurse sharks and occasional whale sharks, particularly around Gladden Spit. The reef system supports a wide array of marine biodiversity, from tiny, colorful reef fish to larger species such as groupers, snappers, and barracudas. Macro life is also abundant, making Belize a fantastic destination for underwater photographers
When To Go Diving in Belize
For optimal diving conditions in Belize, the period from April to June is ideal. During these months, divers enjoy calm waters, high visibility, and comfortable water temperatures ranging from 26°C to 29°C (79°F to 84°F). While diving is a year-round activity in Belize, visibility can diminish during the rainy season from June to October. However, this time also offers a unique opportunity for whale shark sightings.
Belize's dive sites cater to all levels, with options ranging from beginner-friendly shallow dives to challenging deep excursions for more experienced divers. Belize liveaboard diving adventures, available in both luxury and affordable options, provide divers with flexible itineraries to explore these underwater wonders. Whether it's family-friendly diving vacations, eco-friendly diving liveaboards, or customizable dive experiences, Belize's liveaboard diving packages ensure an unforgettable underwater adventure for every diver
Water temperature
°CF
26 C
Jan
26 C
Feb
26 C
Mar
27 C
Apr
28 C
May
29 C
Jun
29 C
Jul
29 C
Aug
29 C
Sep
29 C
Oct
28 C
Nov
26 C
Dec
Must see dive sites in Belize
Belize is a diving paradise, renowned for its spectacular dive sites, each offering unique underwater experiences. Among these, the Great Blue Hole stands out as a legendary site, drawing divers from around the world. This enormous submarine sinkhole, known for its deep blue waters and massive stalactites, offers a glimpse into the ancient geological past. Advanced divers here enjoy a thrilling exploration of its deep walls and the chance to spot various species of reef sharks.
Along the coastline, near Placencia, Long Caye Wall presents an entirely different underwater landscape. Known for its dramatic drop-offs and rich coral structures, this site is a haven for an array of marine life, from graceful eagle rays to colorful schools of tropical fish. The water clarity and abundant sunlight penetration make it a dream destination for underwater photographers.
Half Moon Caye, part of the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, offers divers another unique experience. The site features a steep wall drop-off, leading into the depths teeming with marine life like barracudas, groupers, and the occasional sighting of hammerhead sharks. Its coral formations, awash in vibrant colors, are a highlight for many divers.
Moving offshore, Glover’s Atoll and Turneffe Atoll are two more jewels in Belize's diving crown. Glover’s Atoll, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is a partially submerged atoll boasting a rich biodiversity. Its crystal-clear waters are ideal for spotting everything from tiny reef fish to larger pelagic species. Turneffe Atoll, the largest atoll in Belize, is known for its diverse dive sites, offering everything from shallow coral gardens to exciting wall dives.
These must-visit sites in Belize, including the iconic Great Blue Hole and the mesmerizing Long Caye Wall, are easily accessible on various Belize liveaboard diving adventures. These liveaboards offer a range of experiences, from luxury diving excursions to affordable Belize liveaboard diving trips, catering to divers of all levels. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced diver, Belize's underwater world, with its rich marine biodiversity and stunning landscapes, promises an ultimate diving adventure
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need advanced diving certification to dive in Belize?
In Belize, the requirement for an Advanced Open Water Diver (AOWD) certification depends on the specific dive sites you plan to visit. For many of the popular sites, especially those with shallow reefs and moderate conditions, a basic Open Water Diver certification is sufficient. These sites are perfect for less experienced divers or those looking for more relaxed dives.
However, for certain challenging sites, particularly the Great Blue Hole, an advanced certification is recommended or sometimes required. The Great Blue Hole, known for its depth and the need for good buoyancy control and navigation skills, is more suited for experienced divers. Advanced certification or equivalent experience is beneficial here due to the deeper dives and more complex dive profiles.
In summary, while you can enjoy many of Belize's beautiful dive sites with a basic certification, having an advanced certification opens up more opportunities for deeper and more challenging dives, enhancing your diving experience in Belize
How does diving in Belize compare to other Caribbean destinations?
Diving in Belize offers a unique experience that sets it apart from other Caribbean destinations in several ways:
Belize Barrier Reef: Belize is home to the second-largest barrier reef in the world, offering a more extensive and diverse range of marine environments compared to many other Caribbean locations. This extensive ecosystem hosts a wide variety of coral species and marine life.
Great Blue Hole: One of Belize's most iconic dive sites, the Great Blue Hole, is a massive submarine sinkhole that is renowned worldwide. It offers a unique geological structure that is not commonly found in other Caribbean diving destinations.
Diverse Marine Life: While many Caribbean destinations boast rich marine life, Belize's waters are particularly abundant in species diversity. Divers in Belize can encounter everything from tiny, colorful tropical fish to larger species like whale sharks, especially around Gladden Spit during their migration season.
Wall Diving: Belize offers some of the best wall diving experiences in the Caribbean. Sites like the Long Caye Wall and the Turneffe Atoll feature dramatic drop-offs teeming with marine life, offering a different kind of diving compared to the flatter coral gardens found in much of the Caribbean.
Less Crowded: Belize tends to be less crowded than more popular Caribbean destinations like the Cayman Islands or Cozumel. This means divers can often enjoy more serene dive sites and encounters with marine life without the pressure of many other divers around.
Overall, while many Caribbean destinations offer beautiful diving, Belize stands out for its unique geological features like the Blue Hole, extensive barrier reef, diverse marine life, excellent wall dives, and a blend of cultural influences, making it a must-visit location for divers seeking a unique underwater experience
What is the most famous dive site in Belize?
The most famous dive site in Belize is undoubtedly the Great Blue Hole. This giant marine sinkhole lies near the center of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll 70 km from the mainland and Belize City. The Great Blue Hole is a world-class destination for recreational scuba divers, attracted by the opportunity to dive in crystal-clear waters and see myriad species of marine life, including tropical fish and spectacular coral formations. It's especially famous for its unique circular shape, deep blue color, and ancient stalactites found in the underwater caves at the bottom. This site was popularized by Jacques Cousteau, who declared it one of the top scuba diving sites in the world in 1971 after he brought his research ship, the Calypso, to the hole to chart its depths
Best liveaboards in Belize
Belize Aggressor III
Price from USD 2,696Belize Aggressor IV
Price from USD 2,696Reviews about Liveaboards
Belize Aggressor III
EASY ACCESS. IT JUST TAKES 1 HOURS FROM NY
UPPER LEVEL BED IS VERY UMCOMFORTABLE AND IT UNFAIR COMPARED WITH LOWER BED. I DID'NT LIKE ENTRY AND EXIT FROM THE MOTHER SHIP.
ALSO SOMEHOW TWO GUESTS GOT COVID-19 WHEN THEY DISEMBARKED.
Belize Aggressor III
fantastic liveaboard experience
Did my first liveaboard with Belize Agressor III Dec 25-Jan1. It was FANTASTIC, what a blast. Very professional crew members, excellent food (I gained 4 pounds!), and unforgettable night div... Read more
es and deep dive to the Blue Hole. Captain Ken and Monique and Jay are excellent dive masters with a lot of patience and very professional help and service (I never had my fins taken off by anyone else!) and Anna is a Michellin standard chef. Strongly recommend it
Belize Aggressor IV
Fun trip!
Staff overall was great, though the communication by the captain could have been better and more precise. Especially around the reasoning behind choice of dive site. Dennis gave no mention o... Read more
f the blue hole while telling us we probably wouldn’t dive there, and that we would dive a new wreck instead. Then he gave no mention of the wreck and that we wouldn’t be diving that after the surprise turn that we were diving the blue hole. I prefer direct communication and I know many of the other guests were equally confused on the matter.
The trip is two days longer than necessary in my opinion. The dives at amberhead on the way out to lighthouse and on the way back to dock were actually kind of depressing with very little life on the reef. Dive time would be much better spent somewhere else or skipping amberhead and saving a day.
We decided to leave friday after arrival at port instead of spending another night aboard. Not sure why you include friday night on board, you should just end the trip friday upon arrival to port to give people more time to explore Belize.
Very glad Belize Aggressor 3 was around to tow us to port on the last day when our engine went out. Again, very little and confusing info from the crew about what was actually happening, no updates about the new eta to port, etc.
Food was incredible - very impressive.
Pre-trip info was very confusing and misleading. Would be helpful to have known for example that towels were provided on board so we knew not to bring out own since they were not included on the previous liveaboard we were on. Since we are traveling around Belize before and after it’s a bit of a bummer to be carrying around the extra weight/bulk.
GIS makes no mention of wetsuit, and it took a lot of confusing email conversation to get the information we needed so that your team could have the dive gear we needed.
These are just the points of constructive criticism. Overall we had a blast! Thank you!