Belize Snorkeling Guide
We (Galen & Nicole) found Belize snorkeling to be fantastic. The blue waters were stunning and we had never experienced underwater sealife like this anywhere else. We share all of our experiences, pictures and tips here (pages and pages of info), so you can plan a great Belize snorkel trip.
In fact, that may be one of the only downsides to Belize snorkeling, you have to use a boat for everything (there is not any snorkeling worth mentioning available from shore). But it is not a big deal. There are tons of affordable companies that are happy to take you out.
We have also really enjoyed the Belize culture, particularly lazing around drinking Belikin Beer every day. Just about everyone we met was kind in this poor country, and the mix of cultures and languages was a real treat (thank goodness they all speak English also!).So, explore our Belize snorkeling stories below, and if you are planning a trip, don't miss our Belize travel tips and pictures here, for tips on the best snorkel seasons, where to stay (and not to stay), etc.
Where is Belize? It is on the west side of the Caribbean Sea, next to Mexico and Guatemala. See the map below.
And where can you find the best Belize snorkeling? Check out the map we drew up below. You can see the long barrier reef that extends from north to south. Between the reef and the mainland the waters are actually very shallow (too shallow for cruise ships to enter very far). In most areas the water inside the reef is only around 20 feet deep, although there are some deeper channels. Just outside the reef it drops into the deep blue ocean. 
You can also see that the reef is dotted with cayes (low, mangrove covered islands). The most popular Belize snorkeling starts from the little town of San Pedro on Ambergris Caye. The barrier reef is actually very close to Ambergris Caye, and many boat tours take off from here. With a short boat ride you can quickly get in the water north and south along the reef, at spots like Hol Chan Cut, Mexico Rocks, and Shark Ray Alley.Generally, the snorkeling is better on the northern half of the reef in Belize, and there are innumerable places to get in. As you get further south, the water tends to become a little cloudier because of runoff from the rain forest rivers. But there are stunning snorkeling opportunities the full length of Belize. Outside of the barrier reef, miles out across open ocean waters, there are three big Atolls. 
Furthest out, containing the famous Blue Hole, is Lighthouse Reef Atoll. This atoll is surrounded by reef, and is shallow in the center (only about 10 feet on average), with literally hundreds of coral heads dotting the interior.Check out the picture of the Blue Hole at the link below to see just how shallow the areas are within this Atoll, and to see how many little coral heads there are: Lighthouse Reef - Blue Hole Picture (By the way, the ambergriscaye.com web site is a great site for learning about more Belize snorkeling. 
Turneffe Islands Atoll is the closest of the three atolls, and is different from the other two because it is actually a collection of several hundred cayes within a reef.
And the most southern offshore atoll is Glovers Reef Atoll. And in our minds this is the best for Belize snorkeling of the three outer atolls. Surrounded by a reef, the interior is once again shallow, and there are nearly a thousand coral heads dotting the interior. You could spend weeks on weeks snorkeling here. Finally, south of Ambergris, there are innumerable places to snorkel along the reef, and around the hundreds of cayes all the way down to Placencia. As with other spots in the world, try to snorkel in the mornings. Avoid afternoon snorkel boat trips. The winds tend to pick up in the afternoons, and the best sea life and calmest waters are almost always had on morning trips. The water in Belize is a sublime 80 degrees on average. So, let's jump in the water and explore the snorkeling areas in more detail. The links below include our stories, pictures and videos for each location. Have fun exploring!
More Barrier Reef & Inner Caye Snorkel Spots ---------------------- Caye Caulker Snorkeling Turneffe Islands Atoll Placencia Snorkeling Belize City Snorkeling Belize Cruise Ship Snorkeling Options More Belize Snorkeling Spots Manatee Snorkeling Belize Whale Shark Snorkeling Belize While visiting Belize, what else do we recommend you see?
|
