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HOL CHAN MARINE PARK NIGHT DIVE
One of the few places along the Barrier Reef suitable for night dives. Guides supply lights - marine life supply their spectacular plumage and colors which are only viewable during night SCUBA or snorkel dive excursions!
ROCKY POINT
About a 25-30 minute boat ride Inside the sheltered waters of the reef to the north end of the Island. Two tank dive: morning and afternoon. Excellent visibility. Marine life abounds with plenty of Nassau groupers, lobsters, and spider crabs. There's also a tarpon hole And the big silvery fish are awesome. The brilliantly colored coral is pretty much untouched. 70- 80 feet. spur and groove, shallow canyons. Tarpon and grouper run.
For a large map of area dive and snorkeling sites, click here.
ROBLES POINT
About a 25-30 minute boat ride Inside the sheltered waters of the reef. Two tank dive: morning and afternoon. Excellent visibility. Marine life abounds with plenty of Nassau groupers, lobsters, and spider crabs. The brilliantly colored coral is pretty much untouched. Mostly canyon formations.
PUNTA AZUL / PALMERAS POINT
These two sites are not very far apart and take about 20 minutes by boat. Both offer dramatic c anyon formations on the reef and excellent visibility. Marine life Includes Nassau groupers, horse-eye jacks, barracuda, and snappers. Occasional spider crabs and lobsters. Two tank dive: morning and afternoon recommended. You will be diving through arches carved by a slight current that comes down from Mexico catching there in the pointed reef formation. Because of this current, bigger fish such as Barracuda, stick around to hunt. Also there is a good chance of meeting big eagle rays, which feed on the micro-organisms that float in the current.
MEXICO ROCKS
Typical Depth Range: 8-12 ft (2-4 meters)
Typical Current Conditions: None
Typical Visibility: 50 ft (15 meters)
Expertise Required: Novice
A 20-minute skiff ride north of San Pedro brings you to the well-known cluster of coral heads called Mexico Rocks. No mooring buoys mark this site, but all the locals know its location adjacent to the former coconut plantation named Mexico Cocal. Shallow and protected by the barrier reef from ocean swells, this site is great for snorkelers and divers. It's shallow enough so snorkelers can see without diving and divers can maximize their bottom time. "Rusty" divers will appreciate its benign conditions to refresh their skills before taking on the deeper sites of the barrier reef. With its shallow conditions and favorable light, photographers can concentrate on composition all day long.
Although the reef is not as magnificent as the barrier, the scattered coral heads and marine life make impressive wide angle and macro subjects. Truck size colonies of boulder coral 10-12 ft high nearly reach the surface and provide refuge to a variety of marine life. Flame scallops, anemones, tube worm shrimp and eels shelter in the coral nooks and crannies. Sea fans, azure vase sponges, butterflyfish and wrasses acid additional life and color. Bluestriped grunts especially like the soft coral stands or open sand areas and seek shelter among the tangy branches when approaching. Be sure not to pass up the sand flats for macro possibilities. You need to get right down on the sand to see tiny mysid shrimp, hermit crabs and clams. A little detective work will reward you with burrowed urchins, brittle starfish and other organisms that shelter or feed in the sediment.
Beautiful snorkeling area inside the reef and spectacular diving off the deep end on the other side of the reef. Excellent visibility with both dramatic canyon walls and caves through the coral formations. Plenty of marine life including horse-eye jacks, Nassau groupers, lobster, barracuda, spider crab and sand sharks. Two tank dives and snorkeling recommended. Giant Brain Coral formations which create miniature under sea habitats and islands for various corals and marine animals. Spinney Lobster, Yellow Tail, Sting Rays, all reachable in 10 - 15 feet of clear, warm water. Many patch reefs and abundance of juvenile marine life. A treacherous looking cave is also located there with hundreds of baby snappers looking out of its' mouth.
BASIL JONES CANYONS
Typical Depth Range: 15-70 ft (5-21 meters)
Typical Current Conditions: None
Typical Visibility: 50 ft (15 meters)
Expertise Required: Novice
Basil Jones is a spur-and-groove reef outside the last pass before the barrier meets the north end of Ambergris Caye. Located about 45 minutes north of San Pedro, this part of the barrier reef lies beyond the normal range of dive sites. It takes calm seas and special arrangements to reach Basil Jones Canyons because you can only get there by boat. Should you decide to do this dive, be prepared to start early, pay for the extra fuel and make a full day of it.
Bring along lunch and extra tanks. A completely private sandy beach perfect for a picnic awaits you, and the lagoon behind the reef let's you spend your surface interval time snorkeling. The back reef is shallow and packed with attractions not seen elsewhere because the barrier at Basil Jones forms close to the island.
Lens-shaped coral stacks and wide sand flats characterize the reef at Basil Jones, but it is the potential of seeing large pelagics that make it worth the effort to get there. Basil Jones lies beyond the normal reach of fishing boats creating a natural refuge for marine life. Many coral formations around the sand flats feature overhangs with ceilings that are 3-8 ft high. Lobsters are particularly fond of these recesses and they attract hungry Nassau and black groupers. Nurse sharks rest in the canyons, stingrays root through broad sand flats and turtle, jewfish, eagle and manta rays patrol the water above the reef.
SANDBAR
Typical Depth Range: 50-90 ft (15 to 23 meters)
Typical Current Conditions: None
Typical Visibility: 100 ft (30 meters)
Expertise Required: Novice
Sandbar lies off the southern tip of Ambergris Caye and is one of the shallower barrier reef dives along the island. A mooring buoy line, anchored on top of a living coral ridge, guides divers down to the reef top at 54 ft. The adjacent sand channel floor to the south descends 17 ft below the top of the reef. There, next to the mooring pin, you will find a coral formation in the center of the channel. From the base of the channel, it looks like a tall chimney but it is actually the beginning of another coral ridge that divides the channel into two narrow canyons. Following the narrow canyons seaward will quickly take you to the reef edge. Along the way, relief between the canyon floor and the top of coral ridges doubles from that found at the mooring pin. The floor of the channel here is about 90 ft.
Coral growth is lush and varied on the ridges. Platy growths of boulder, brain and mustard hill coral are everywhere. Staghorn coral, a rare occurrence elsewhere on the barrier, forms in thickets. A colorful variety of other stony coral forms a loose framework that supports a multitude of protective holes for fish and invertebrates. All the tropicals--wrasses, parrotfish, angelfish, grunts, sergeant majors and many others can be found here, but their numbers seem few against the impressive coral ridges. Many more crinoids, crab, shrimp, brittle starfish, basket starfish and other small invertebrates hide among the coral.
Photographers will find plenty of opportunity to shoot macro or wide angle. A cluster of big barrel sponges in 60-90 ft of water offer good wide-angle opportunities. Keep an eye out for jewfish and other large pelagics that visit these reefs to rest in the many deep caves found toward the base of the channels along the reef front. This deep part of the reef needs much sun, so it is best to visit it during midday when the sun is highest.
PARADISE CANYONS
60- 70 ft. Beautiful finger canyon formations. Beautiful coral formations and lots of marine life.
MEXICO TUNNELS
75 to 90 ft. Deep canyons and tunnel diving. Lots of marine life. Frequented by friendly Grouper and the occasional turtle. Long convoluted grown-over canyons suitable for the experienced, comfortable diver, only. Dive light supplied by your licensed dive guide.
PALMEROS
You will be diving through arches carved out of the lime stone structures by the steady current that comes from the north and catches here in a point like reef formation. Because of this current the chances to see larger fish like barracuda and cobia are high at this site. This place is also a playground for the eagle ray.
PUNTA ARENA CANYONS (Small Cut)
Typical Depth Range: 60-100 ft (18-30 meters)
Typical Current Conditions: None to mild southerly
Typical Visibility: 100 ft (30 meters)
Expertise Required: Advanced with specialized training in deep diving
Punta Arena Canyons (also called Small Cut by some guides) is located directly offshore from the Belizean Hotel. A short boat ride north to a variety of canyon formations and cave diving. Getting there involves negotiating a narrow passage through the barrier. During rough weather, it is difficult to make it to the dive site.
This is a deep cavern dive with vertically walled canyons, tunnels, caves and deep intervening sand channels. The tops of coral ridges are mostly in the range of 6075 ft, but tunnel investigation takes you below 90 ft. Exploration of a narrow tunnel a short two canyons north of the entry point is the main attraction. Its entrance is a gaping triangular opening at the base of a coral ridge. It is large enough to accommodate two divers side by side, but the passageway is not. The tunnel winds through the reef for about 75 ft to an exit point at 100 ft. Sand floors the tunnel bottom along its entire length, so visibility loss from re-sedimentation is generally not a problem. However, parts of the tunnel fall unto total darkness because of its length and a right-hand bend some distance before the exit point.
Caution: Red algae seemingly thrives in the low light conditions of the tunnel. It encrusts the tunnel walls extensively. Be careful negotiating the narrow passageway. The algae has a rugged and abrasive skeleton capable of leaving nasty gashes on divers who carelessly scrape the cavern walls.
Not many organisms live inside the passageway. Glassy sweepers, a nocturnal fish, are an exception and a small school generally mills about just inside the tunnel's exit point. On occasion turtles, jewfish and nurse sharks come here to rest in the protective confines of the tunnel.
Excellent visibility with plenty of marine life Including horse-eye jacks. Nassau groupers, lobster, barracuda, spider crab and sand sharks. Two tank dives recommended. Similar to Mexico Rocks but without the snorkeling areas.
MATA CUT
Typical Depth Range: 8-16 ft (2-5 meters)
Typical Current Conditions: None to mild
Typical Visibility: 50 ft (15 meters)
Expertise Required: Novice
Another pass through the barrier reef, known as Mata Cut, occurs just a few miles north of Punta Arena Canyons. Remains of an old barge some call Changa's Wreck lies just inside the reef in less than 10 ft of water. A variety of soft corals and encrusting sponges decorate the barge's frame and the rusted out hull is a hang-out for a small school of snappers.
It's a great place to combine fish and wreck photography. Especially dramatic scenes exist when the midday sun sends shafts of light through holes in the hull.
Resting just behind the reef but within the cut, the wreck lies in water that can get rough. Even on calm days, the incoming ocean swells passing through the cut create mild currents and wave surge. Water conditions get significantly worse when the prevailing northeasterly winds are strong. During such periods, a wave surge scours the sandy bottom and suspends clouds of sediment in the water column.
Near the barge are sand, grass and coral flats. You can find stingrays searching for crustaceans and mollusks on the sand flats. Large orange and red starfish prowl the turtle grass areas for clams. Conches of all sizes reside on the grass meadows. Scattered soft and hard coral formations create a third biotic zone. Colorful tropical reef fish can be seen everywhere among the coral. Stoplight parrotfish, trumpetfish, bluestriped grunts, triggerfish, blue tang and rock beauties are an abbreviated list of what is here.
Canyon formations, tunnels, and brilliantly colored coral. Occasional eagle rays and plenty of snappers, groupers, jacks, and spider crabs. Only a short 8 minute ride to the dive site for a easy, fun dive. Excellent visibility. 60 to 80 ft. Grown over canyons. Tarpon run.
SHARK RAY ALLEY
8 - 10 feet. A petting area created by dive guides. Feel the skin of harmless nurse sharks and friendly sting rays. A great place for snorkeler's to get that once in a lifetime shallow water disposable sport camera shot! The name speaks for itself. Close up encounters is what you like? Well, here you've got it. Nurse sharks and sting rays are waiting for you here in vast numbers. They are not shy at all and seek direct contact with the visitors. A real adventure.
The world's largest diving magazine, Skin Diver, has given Belize's Shark-Ray Alley feature billing in two issues this year (1996). This recently discovered dive site has been selected as one of the seven best "animal dives" in the Caribbean.
For several years, local fishermen often cleaned their catch in this area, located just inside the reef, to the south of Ambergris Caye. When fishermen noticed that their activity had attracted Nurse Sharks and several Southern Sting Rays, they reported this information to the dive operations in San Pedro, who then dispatched some divers to investigate. What they found was a bonanza, and "Shark-Ray Alley" quickly became a very popular dive site.
As soon as your boat arrives in the area, the Dive Master points out all of the dark shadows in the shallow (eight foot deep) waters. These are the sharks and rays that hear the boat approach and come in search of a few scraps of fish. There are also many other varieties of marine life, such as groupers, yellow-tails, and morays.
These creatures have a great tolerance for divers and seem to enjoy the human interaction. The rays, which have a 'wing-span' of two to four feet, swim directly towards the divers, inviting them to reach out and stroke their wings (although it's best not to touch them). Some would also swim in circles around us, like a cat rubbing against our legs. The gentle Nurse Sharks average four to six feet in length, and the dive masters often feed them small fish.
This is a truly unforgettable adventure. Snorkellers can also enjoy this encounter with nature. Be sure to visit Shark-Ray Alley during your stay at Ambergris Caye.
Even amateur photographers can take great underwater photos here with disposable marine camera. They work in depths of up to nine feet, which is perfect for the shallow waters inside the reef at Shark-Ray Alley.
SHARK/RAY ALLEY WRECK
60 - 80 foot wreck dive. Morays, groupers, harmless nurse sharks, yellow-tails, damsels, cleaner stations, turtles, corals.
M&M CAVERNS
M&M Caverns Caverns 70'-90' Boat Tiger, Grouper, Jacks. This is probably one of the best dives found off the barrier reef on Ambergris Caye, located only a half mile from our Dive Center. A very unique dive spot. Due to huge coral mountains that grow right out of the sandy ocean floor, the diver can explore many tunnels and caverns. As you descend down to a depth of 90' you see the entrance to the first tunnel which has a length of 30' to the exit which comes out at a depth of 60'.
Because of the deep water surrounding these tunnels, there are always schools of horse eyejacks and a good opportunity to see deep water pelagics cruising the reef. A dive not to be missed!
RENEGADES
Overhang, 80', Lobster. Fish-watching at its best!! This dive site is one of the sites where the yearly grouper spawning take place on the full moons of December and January. This means there is always a congregation of groupers and lots of other species for you to see. Another interesting point of this dive is the unusually large coral formation shaped like a huge mushroom which the fish seem to use like an umbrella for shade!
This is a spot for divers who like the detail. You will have a chance to get a look at the rare spotted drum and other exotic looking juvenile fish. This site is also known for frequent encounters with dolphins.
Devil's Canyons
Steep Canyon, Wall 60'-150'. It's called Devil's Canyons because the canyon walls at this site drop off very steep to about 150 feet. It is impressive to dive along the side of these walls. There lots of marine life and you could literally meet any kind of fish.
Angel's Flats
60'80', Blk Angel, Butterfly At this site the canyons of the reef are filled all the way up with sand, creating a great sandy flat, frequently interrupted by the coral tops of the canyons that will stick out. The reason why we call it Angel Flat's is the amazing range of artfully colored Angel and Butterfly Fish, that like to meet around here. Also, you will find some Sting Rays and Nurse Sharks sleeping in the sand.
Mahogany
Tiger, Groupers, Nassau. This place is quite easy to find due to a huge mahogany tree that once got caught on the barrier reef and marks the spot. At this site the coral formation is about 20 feet higher than all along the rest of the reef, creating a little underwater hill, that attracts numerous reef fish, like Tiger and Nassau Groupers, different species of Trigger Fish. There is also a big school of Blue Tang Fish that made this spot their home.
Mexico Rocks Pinnacle
Coral 70'-90' Caribbean Reef Fish, Grouper, Nurse Shark. Starting by diving through a cavern you will end up in front of a coral pinacle that usually attracts groupers and nurse sharks. This size is also unique for a wall like drop off with lots of tube sponges and beautiful soft coral.
The Wall
A trip here requires exeptionally calm seas, and presents itself with wasteful colors and a great variety of fish. This is not a deep dive, but certainly one filled with many great views.
Sandy Slope 60'-90', All Coral & marine Life. The Wall is the most northern dive site in the country of Belize, right at the border of Mexico. It is also the only wall on the 183 miles of Belize's Main Barrier Reef. We get surprised all the time by the size of the fish we find here. Talking about unspoiled dive sites... this is definitely the one!
Pillar Coral
Typical Depth Range: 40-70 ft (12-21 meters)
Typical Current Conditions: None
Typical Visibility: 100 ft (30 meters)
Expertise Required: Novice
Pillar Coral is a spur-and-groove reef similar to Sandbar. Around the anchor site a coral rubble apron is forested with soft coral. Channel sand, bearing symmetrical ripple marks, attests to the persistent wave surge felt even on relatively calm days. Although coral development on the ridges is similar to that at Sandbar, the shapes of corals are more dramatic at Pillars. About 7 00 ft southeast of the mooring line in 55 ft of water, there is a cluster of the namesake pillar coral, which spikes upward above the spurs.
Recently, Pillar Coral came under the protection of Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Inclusion of this site in the marine park brought about several changes, such as the BZ$5 fee to dive here. A local divemaster must dive with you and, like Hol Chan, the number of fish has increased dramatically. Large schools of yellow chub, bar jacks and yellowtail snapper patrol the water above the reef. On some days, schools of more than a dozen spotted eagle rays pass through.
The pillar coral pinnacles near the mooring pin attract small numbers of schoolmasters and squirrelfish. At the pillars closest to the mooring line, gobies have established a fish cleaning station. Large groupers getting cleaned against a backdrop of pillar coral make especially interesting subjects for wide-angle photography. Divers wishing to include the sun in their photographs of the pillar coral stands should plan to dive here in the morning.
Grouper Interaction A dozen or so large black and Nassau grouper call the Pillars dive site home. They'll greet you shortly after entry and follow you down to the reef. Some will even settle to the bottom with you for a face-to-face interaction. They prefer not to be touched, but do not mind being photographed or looked over, a foot away from your mask. While occasional close encounters with large grouper took place here for years, fish feeding by local guides now make them a regular occurrence. You can expect to see grouper, snapper and jacks swim up to you because they've learned to identify all divers as a source of food. It is a good idea to keep hands close to your body when surrounded by hungry fish since waving fingers may be mistaken as a meal. The marine reserve does not advocate fish feeding by guides or visitors.
This dive site is a beautiful dive with lots of grouper that literally follow you throughout the dive. The name of the dive comes from the huge pillar corals found at this site and the abundant fish life that live around these coral formations.
This one is a rather shallow dive. The diver plunges around large pillar coral formations that stick out of the sand and resemble ancient castles. Many colorful species of reef fish hide in them from the barracudas that roam this area. Lots of Barracuda.
Amigo's Wreck
70', Nurse, Angel, Black Angel. This site is just outside our beautiful coral canyons, you will end this dive at a 30 foot wreck. The wreck was purposely sunk in this spot to attract bigger marine life. It worked! Today we have big Nassau and black groupers, big hog fish snappers, nurse sharks and a couple of moray eels living in and around the wreck. This is a gorgeous dive! You have to do it while you are here!
Eagle Ray Canyon
Canyons 70'-90', Eagle Ray, YellowTail. This site is just outside the Hol Chan Marine Park Channel and due to tidal current, we keep meeting schools of spotted eagle rays. The reef itself is accentuated by huge barrel sponges and a variety of big groupers. Snappers like to hang out in-between everything.
Pescador Cavern
Cavern 90'-`100'. Instead of hovering over the reef, you will explore under the reef at this site, swimming through a long tunnel. Big spiny lobsters and spider crabs like to hide in here. At the end of the tunnel, there is a steep drop off to a couple of hundred feet. You'll meet Cubero Snappers who come up out of the deep to hunt here during surface interval.
Buena Vista Point
Fingers, Groove 60'-80'. Pausing over impressive finger canyons on this dive, you will see some underwater cleaning stations. At these stations, big snappers and groupers sit patiently and let the cleaning goby fish clear their mouth and gills of parasites. It is possible to get really close to the fish for pictures.
Bacalar Chico
Bacalar Chico is the latest addition to Belize's natural reservations. Untouched reefs and mangrove rivers make up for a great day trip to the northernmost part of the island. On one side of the creek you can see Belize, on the other side is Mexico. Many birds and other rare species of land and sea critters can be observed here
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