Belize

Diving in Belize

50 sites83 species26–29 °C10–40 m vis

Photo: Frank Cordeiro / Pexels

Belize is a Caribbean diving powerhouse that punches far above its size. Home to the second-largest barrier reef in the world and three of only four true coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere, Belize offers a staggering variety of underwater terrain — from the iconic Great Blue Hole sinkhole made famous by Jacques Cousteau to the whale shark aggregations at Gladden Spit during full-moon snapper spawns. Turneffe Atoll, the largest atoll in the hemisphere, delivers adrenaline-pumping drift dives through walls of schooling fish, while Glover's Reef — a UNESCO site — harbors over 800 patch reefs in a single pristine lagoon. Add a hyperbaric chamber on Ambergris Caye, direct flights from major US hubs, and the fact that English is the official language, and Belize emerges as one of the most accessible, safest, and most diverse dive destinations in the Caribbean.

The Great Blue Hole was a dry limestone cave during the last Ice Age 18,000 years ago; when sea levels rose, the roof collapsed creating the 125m-deep sinkhole.Belize has 3 of only 4 true coral atolls in the Western Hemisphere — the fourth is Chinchorro Bank in Mexico.The Belize Barrier Reef is the second-largest barrier reef in the world after Australia's Great Barrier Reef, stretching ~300km along the coast.Belize was the first country in the world to ban oil exploration in its waters, a landmark conservation victory in 2017.The Belize Barrier Reef was removed from UNESCO's 'In Danger' list in 2021 due to successful conservation efforts, including the oil ban and mangrove protections.30% of Belize's ocean is protected — one of the highest percentages globally across five major marine reserves.Gladden Spit's whale shark aggregation is triggered by the full moon when cubera snapper spawn — whale sharks feed on the floating eggs.Belize is the only English-speaking country in Central America, making dive briefings and certifications seamless for North American divers.A double-lock hyperbaric chamber operates in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye, so treatment for a decompression incident is available in-country rather than a flight away.Jacques Cousteau put Belize on the diving map in 1971 when he explored the Great Blue Hole on his ship Calypso and declared it one of the top ten dive sites in the world.

Explore the map

Select a pin to learn more. Use the zoom buttons or pinch to zoom.

Loading map…

Places on this map (31)

50 places have no verified map location yet. Browse the page lists for more places.

Conditions

Water temp

26–29 °C

Visibility

10–40 m

Depth

3–40 m

Current

Moderate

Best season

Dec-Apr (dry season, calm seas, best visibility 25-40m on outer atolls)

Month	Summary
Jan	Peak dry season with calm seas and 25-35m visibility. Reef sharks, eagle rays, and turtles are abundant on barrier reef and atoll walls. The Blue Hole delivers its iconic stalactite experience.
Feb	Excellent conditions continue with 25-35m visibility and calm seas. Peak month for reef shark encounters on Turneffe Elbow. Spotted eagle rays frequent ambergris cayes. All three atolls accessible.
Mar	Dry season continues with 20-35m visibility. Whale shark season begins at Gladden Spit (full moon peaks). Turtles nesting on outer cayes. Grouper spawning activity increases at Glover's Reef.
Apr	Peak whale shark month at Gladden Spit with snapper spawn in full swing. Excellent visibility 20-30m. Eagle rays and turtles abundant throughout. Last month of guaranteed calm-weather diving.
May	Transition month with 15-25m visibility. Whale sharks still present at Gladden Spit (early May full moons). Grouper mating season active. Warmer water 27-29°C. Fewer crowds, good value.
Jun	Start of wet season with 15-25m visibility. Last whale shark sightings of the season. Coral spawning events create spectacular night dives. Macro life abundant on patch reefs.
Jul	Wet season with 15-20m visibility. Warmer water 28-29°C. Excellent month for macro photography — seahorses, frogfish, nudibranchs on shallow patch reefs. Fewer divers, more solitude on the reef.
Aug	Wet season with possible wind and 15-20m visibility. Least crowded month. Grouper mating season begins (peaks Oct-Nov). Turtles and rays remain abundant. Best for budget-conscious divers.
Sep	Peak hurricane risk month with 10-20m visibility. Some operators reduce schedules. When weather permits, grouper aggregations and reef sharks are highlight encounters. Lowest prices of the year.
Oct	Hurricane risk continues but grouper spawning aggregations peak at Glover's Reef. 10-20m visibility. Improving conditions toward month-end. Excellent deals on liveaboards and packages.
Nov	Transition to dry season with 15-25m visibility. Hurricane season winding down. Seas calming. Grouper spawning still active early month. Excellent time for atoll wall dives as conditions improve.
Dec	Dry season begins with 20-30m visibility. Calm seas return. All atolls fully accessible. Reef sharks, eagle rays, and turtles patrol the barrier reef. Holiday season brings more divers — book Blue Hole trips early.

Dive Sites (50)

Bacalar Chico

5–15m · Intermediate

Marine reserve · UNESCO site · Seagrass beds

Bev's Garden

5–20m · Beginner

Coral garden · Angelfish diversity · Butterflyfish pairs

Black Coral Wall

15–35m · Advanced

Black coral · Deep wall · Reef sharks

Calabash Caye Reef

5–20m · Beginner

Mixed reef habitat · Lagoon dive · Mild currents

Caye Caulker Seagrass Beds

3–8m · Beginner

Seagrass meadow · West Indian manatee encounters · Seahorse habitat

Chinaman's Wall

12–30m · Intermediate

Wall · Blacktip sharks · Nassau grouper

Coral Gardens (Turneffe)

5–20m · Beginner

Coral diversity · 200+ coral species · Brain corals

Dead Man's Cayes

8–20m · Intermediate

Scattered coral heads · Sandy plateau · Tiger grouper

+42more sites in the appGet the app →

Marine Life (83)

must-see

Great Hammerhead

must-see

Caribbean Reef Shark

must-see

Splendid Toadfish

must-see

Nurse Shark

must-see

Spotted Eagle Ray

must-see

Southern Stingray

must-see

Green Sea Turtle

must-see

Hawksbill Turtle

must-see

Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphin

must-see

Bull Shark

must-see

Loggerhead Turtle

must-see

Nassau Grouper

+71more species in the app

Dive Shops (31)

Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort, Belize

★ 4.9Moderate

Diving in Belize

Explore the map

Conditions

Dive Sites (50)

Bacalar Chico

Bev's Garden

Black Coral Wall

Calabash Caye Reef

Caye Caulker Seagrass Beds

Chinaman's Wall

Coral Gardens (Turneffe)

Dead Man's Cayes

Marine Life (83)

Dive Shops (31)

Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort, Belize

The Dive House

Chuck & Robbie's - Ambergris Caye Diving & PADI Scuba Instruction

Belize Island Divers

Belize Diving Adventures

Amigos Del Mar Tour Center

Frenchie's Diving Services

Scuba Sensation

Blue Wave Divers

Belize Pro Dive Center

Scuba School And Family Dive Center Belize

Seahorse Dive Shop

Splash Dive Centre

Scuba Daze Belize

Blue Heaven Dive & tours

White Sands Dive Shop

Sunrise Scuba, Snorkeling and Tours

Ambergris Divers Belize

Seemore Adventures - Dive & Adventure Shop

Happy Go Luckie Tours - Dive Center

Reef Adventures Dive & Tours

Scuba Steve Belize

Belize Diving Services

Huracan Diving Lodge

Jaguar Adventures Tour & Dive Shop

Belize Underwater SCUBA

Belize Dive Haven Resort & Marina

TnT Dive Pros

Ecologic Divers

Ramon's Village Dive Shop

Sea Dog Dive Centre

Guides

Diving Belize: Conditions, Seasons, and What to Expect

Top 10 Dive Sites in Belize: A Complete Guide

Diving Belize: Complete Guide to the Caribbean's Best Kept Secret

Safety

Bring Belize underwater