Belize

GEOS

Selected articles originally printed in Dive Training Magazine.

Belize: Diving the Great Maya Reef

BELIZE: Inland Wonders and Offshore Atolls

The Barrier Reef and Beyond: Adventures in Belize


DIVE SERVICE PROVIDERS

Featured
Sunbreeze Hotel, BelizeSunBreeze Hotel & SunBreeze Suites
www.sunbreeze.net

 

Turneffe Flats Blue Hole BelizeTurneffe Flats
tflats.com

 

Ambergris Caye

Ramon’s Village Resort
www.ramons.com
SunBreeze Hotel
www.sunbreeze.net

SunBreeze Suites
www.sunbreezesuites.com

Tuff E Nuff
tuffenuffbz.com

Caye Caulker

Barrier Reef Dive Shop
011-501-022-2401

Big Fish Dive Center
011-501-226-0450

Hummingbird Tours & Dive Connection
011-501-226-0498

Glovers Atoll
glovers.com.bz

Isla Marisol Resort
www.islamarisolresort.com

Hopkins Village

Hamanasi Adventure & Dive Resort
hamanasi.com

Second Nature Divers
011-501-523-0708

Long Caye

Off the Wall Dive Center & Resort
offthewallbelize.com

Placencia

Advanced Diving Dive Shop
011-501-523-4037

Fauxy Reef Divers
011-501-014-4687

New Wave Dive Shop
011-501-523-3345

Placencia Dive School
011-501-628-0911

Robert’s Grove Beach Resort
www.robertsgrove.com

Sea Horse Dive Shop
belizescuba.com

Splash Dive Center
splashbelize.com

Natural Mystic Dive Shop
011-501-523-3278

San Pedro Town

Ambergris Divers
ambergrisdivers.com

Aqua Scuba Center
www.aquascubabelize.com

Bottom Time Dive Center & Adventure Tours
www.bottomtimediveshop.com

Blue Hole Dive Center
bluedive.com

Coral Beach Hotel & Dive Shop
011-501-026-2013

Ecologic Divers
ecologicdivers.com

Island Divers Belize
islanddiversbelize.com

Larry Parker’s Reef Divers
011-501-226-3134

Leslie’s Blue Hole Diver
011-501-620-1332

Mayan Princess Resort
www.mayanprincesshotel.com

Sundiver Beach Resort
011-501-226-4165

Unique Dive Adventures
uniquediveadventures.com

The Villas at Banyan Bay
www.banyanbay.com

White Sands Dive Shop
whitesandsdiveshop.com

South Water Caye

Blue Marlin Beach Resort
www.bluemarlinlodge.com

Spanish Lookout
Hugh Parkey’s Belize Dive Connections
hpbelizeadventures.com

Tobacco Caye

Reef’s End Lodge
www.reefsendlodge.com

Turneffe Atoll

Blackbird Resort
blackbirdresort.com

Turneffe Flats
tflats.com

Liveaboards

Belize Aggressor III
www.aggressor.com

Sun Dancer II
www.dancerfleet.com


FACTS AND FIGURES

Location: Belize is on the east coast of Central America in the western Caribbean, just south of the Yucatan peninsula. It is bordered by Mexico to the north and west and by Guatemala on the west and south.

Population: 321,000 ethnically diverse residents. The literacy rate is more than 90 percent.

Time Zone: Central Standard Time; Daylight-saving time not observed.

Language: English, with Creole and Spanish widely spoken.

Climate: Coastal and offshore Belize is subtropical with constant trade winds. The average temperature is 81 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius) on the coast and 69 F (20 C) in the hill country. Hurricanes are rare but late summer tropical storms do occur. The dry season is February through May, with a gradual transition to more rain through the summer months. The southern part of the country experiences up to 160 inches (406 cm) annually; average rainfall in the north is only 60 inches (152 cm).

Water Temperature: High 70s Fahrenheit (25-26 degrees Celsius) to low 80s F (27-29 C).

Airlines: Major air carriers offer flights, including American, United, Delta, US Airways and TACA.

Entry Requirements: U.S. citizens need a valid passport.

Government: A parliamentary democracy, Belize is an independent member of the British Commonwealth of Nations.

Accommodations: The principle destination in Belize for divers is Ambergris Caye, with a wide range of choices from resorts dedicated to scuba to luxury spa hotels. The atolls and smaller cayes feature quiet seclusion. Mainland resorts are similarly diverse. Several live-aboards offer weeklong excursions to the most popular dive sites in the cayes and atolls, as well as more remote areas.

Electricity: 110 volts, 60 cycles, with North American-style outlets.

Communication: Telephones and cellphone services are readily available. Many hotels have Internet service and there are several Internet cafes on the island.

Currency: The Belize dollar BZ is the national currency, but U.S. dollars are accepted almost everywhere. The current exchange rate is $2 BZ = $1 USD. Credit cards are widely accepted.

Medical Facilities: A chamber is available on Ambergris Caye. Emergency Phone: 501-226-2851.

Dress: Casual dress is the norm for Belize. Cover-ups are required when leaving the beach areas.

For More Information: www.travelbelize.org