Belize boasts arguably some of the bests snorkeling and diving spots in the world and is quickly becoming a haven for anglers as well. With the 2nd largest barrier reef in the World behind the great Barrier Reef of Australia, the marine life and coral under the water is amazing and crystal clear water allows for exciting underwater adventures. So let our experienced guides will ensure that your sea experience is one in a million.
Diving Levels - Belize offers all
ranges of diving - from shore diving in shallow water to the Great Blue
Hole at over 200 feet deep. The barrier reefs offer excellent diving
for beginners such as at Hol Chan Marine Park (recently expanded to
include Shark-Ray Alley) a few miles south of Ambergris Caye. Many dive
sites offer a range dives from beginning to experienced.
Visibility - Because of the
predominant north easterly winds, visibility along the Barrier Reef
tends to get poor during high winds (20-30 feet). However, diving on
the lee of the atolls usually guarantees good visability - in excess of
100 feet. Diving the three atolls offshore allows for the best
conditions, though rarely is the visibility such that you would scrap a
dive. Unfortunately, once you've experienced visibility in Belize inexcess of 100 feet, you become spoiled so that 50 feet seems dark.
The
Great Blue Hole of Belize (above) has been a source of wonder
to all who have witnessed it. It is located in the Lighthouse Reef,
one of four atolls in the Western Hemisphere, three of the four
are in Belizean waters. The diameter of the nearly circular blue
hole is a quarter of a mile and it is believed to be almost 450
feet deep. The depth is not for certain and in fact has been a matter
of debate over the years.
What can we say, Belize has crystal clear waters, abundance in marine life and corals because of the reefs, cayes and mangrove islands. You will see another world beneath the sea even when you are only snorkeling. Some many places to choose from its always best to get expert advice on the best place to snorkel for beginners or advanced snorkelers.
Snorkel with dolphins and manta rays or look at beautiful star fish, snorkeling in Belize is perfect.
A country that can boast 176 miles of unrivalled barrier reef, hundreds
of square miles of classic fishing flats, and intricate webs of emerald
green rivers attracts more than just your avid fisherman. Fish cannot
get enough of the Belizean waters either, which makes this destination
ideal for a sport called "catching"-a favorite among expert fly
fishermen and your average fish enthusiast of any age or skill level.
The species diversity matches the assortment of fishing grounds and
makes each trip truly remarkable. The fish want you to come.
The Belizean Barrier Reef sports a wide variety of prize catches.
Tarpon, grouper, cobia, barracuda, bonefish, rainbow runners, and
triggerfish frequent the waters of the barrier reef and its outer
atolls. The deeper waters beyond the reef sport sailfish, marlin,
wahoo, mackerel, bonito, pompano, blue fin, black fin, and albacore
tuna. Experienced guides offer bait fishing in the deeper waters or
trolling in the shallower reef protected seas.
Fly fishing is your game? Come play in these waters and bring your
camera. Permit, bonefish, and tarpon are the marquee species anglers
cross the globe to catch in the flats off the coasts of the cayes and
mainland. Throughout the waterways of the country, anglers will find
success. While the northern cayes and inlets have established
themselves as the dominant fishing posts, the southern regions
extending from Placencia to Punta Gorda are quickly gaining a
reputation in international fly fishing circles
Come see our very gentle endangered water mammal. You can swim, snorkel or watch these graceful creatures in their natural habitat. Read more about manatees below.
Manatees are large mammals that live their entire lives in the water. They
are very gentle creatures that have no natural predators.
Manatees live in warm shallow waters and they eat only plants making them herbivores.
A typical manatee is able to live for 50-60 years.
Manatees and dugongs are members of the order Sirenia. Sirenia includes 4
living species: the West Indian manatee, the West African manatee, the
Amazonian manatee, and the dugong. The West Indian manatee has two subspecies,
the Floridaand Antillean manatees. They are all listed as vulnerable to extinction on the
IUCN's (International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources)
red list. The order once included a fifth modern species, the Steller’s sea
cow. Unfortunately, the Steller's sea cow is now extinct due to over hunting.
It is thought that Sirenians evolved from four-footed land mammals about 45-50
million years ago. Modern relatives of Sirenians are elephants, aardvarks, and
hyraxes—small rodent-like mammals.
West Indian manatees live in the warm coastal waters of the southern United States, Mexico,
the CaribbeanIslands, Central America,
and the northeastern countries of South America.
They are found in rivers, lagoons, estuaries, and coastal areas of tropical and
subtropical regions of the northwest Atlantic Ocean from southeastern USA to Brazil. They can live in both salt
and fresh water.
