Your Belize Scuba Diving Guide (2022 Update)
An internet search for Belize Diving would lead you to an intimidating number of search results for different vacation packages, dive shops, and dive locations. Let us help you clear some of that clutter with our guide to Belize Diving.
Belize Scuba Diving Qualifications
There are a variety of different diver certification levels globally. Usually to scuba in Belize for recreation, the beginners level is all you’ll need. To get certified as a beginner it takes about 4 to 5 days of learning safety procedures and building up hours under water. Higher certifications are available of course. If you are enthused then you could definitely go higher in the tree of certifications until you become a Master diver.
Cool Belize Dive shops
Amigos del Mar – Amigos del Mar dive shop is located in “downtown” San Pedro and offers a wide array of diving options. Their dive instructors are SSI and SDI certified and offer certification courses up to the Dive Master level if you wish to become a professional.
Splash Dive Center – Splash is in Placencia, the gateway to the southern atolls. They are a PADI certified dive shop and can take you from your beginner level course to Dive Master level and beyond all on the beautiful southern reefs of Belize.
Sea Star Belize – Sea Star Belize in San Pedro is another PADI certified dive shop and an added draw is the inclusion of the Dive Bar that serves up scrumptious food in between your scuba Excursions or for a seaside dinner.
White sands Dive shop – White Sands Dive shop is located at the Las Terrazas Resort. Owned and operated by a PADI Staff Instructor Mr. Greer, White sands will pick you up and drop you off from anywhere and will take you to the coolest dive spots in all of Belize.
Awesome Scuba Diving Gear
Anti-fog Spray
It can be a real bother when you’re more than a few feet under the surface and for some reason or the other, exhale through your nose. The fog in tour goggles will ruin your visibility and not only make the dive less fun but more dangerous. Spritz your mask with some anti-fog solution and say goodbye to that problem, it’s a must have.
Surface Signaling Kit
More experienced divers will know the feeling of surfacing only to find you’re quite a distance from your dive boat, and “just swimming” back to it is easier said than done. A signaling kit with and inflatable pylon and alert whistle will make it easier for your boat buddies to find you.
Underwater Writing Kit
If communication underwater is important but you don’t have access to the fancy vocal communication systems divers have in movies then a writing kit could be just what you need.
Full Face Scuba Diving Mask
Full face masks tend to be a lot pricier than their goggle type counterparts. The Benefits of full face masks are less chance of fogging, no lip fatigue from your regulator and a wider viewing angle to take in the underwater sights. It’s certainly worth a look if you’re an experienced diver looking to take your hobby even further.
What Belize Diving Looks Like:
Best Belize Diving Locations
The Great Blue Hole
The great blue hole is one of the most intriguing – and we admit, strangest formations near the surface of the seas. This sinkhole used to be above water and has, over the past thousands of years, been submerged to create a 140+ meter diving wonder. Get your scuba lights ready because there’s a lot to see down here.
Gladden Spit
Gladden spit is one of our favorite picks for Belize Diving and even snorkel because of the annual whale shark migration. This open patch of deep water sees the largest fish in the sea twice in May and June as they make their way for warmer waters to spawn their young. Whale sharks aren’t aggressive to humans and will swim by calmly as divers make their ways around them.
Barrier Reef
Our 180 mile stretch of pristine coral barrier reef is probably still the number 1 spot for divers and snorkelers to this day. Diving on the opposite side of the reef will allow you to swim down and observe various echelons of reef life varying in color, shape, size, and type. Worth a try if you’re a slightly more experienced diver.
Long Caye wall
The long Caye wall is a stretch of reef and sea shelf that drops for about 2000 feet (noncontinuous). Much like at the reef, diving at long caye will allow you to observe varying degrees of sea life as the water gets deeper and cooler.
Half Moon Caye Wall
Even larger than the Long caye wall, is Halfmoon caye at the southern point of the Lighthouse reef atoll. Half moon caye and the rest of the atolls in this chain house within it a large number of thriving coral patches and a diverse amount of aquatic species. This site is a two for one because scuba and snorkel in this area are superb, nigh unparalleled in Belize.
That all having been said; if you look at a Belize map for divers there’s going to be an abundance of denoted Belize diving spots. What we mentioned were just a few to get you started, so go out and get diving!
Have you been Scuba Diving in Belize yet? What was your favorite part? Or – what would you like to see first?
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