...Highlights: turtles, non diving activities...
...Diving environment: beginner divers...
The biggest of the offshore cays, Ambergris Caye is a great place for divers to stay if they wish to base themselves in a resort within easy reach of Belize's barrier reef - the second largest barrier reef in the world. The reef runs for 25 miles (40 km) almost parallel to the shore at an average distance of about half a mile (1 km) out to sea. The whole of the east coast of Ambergris features 'spur and groove' reefs - long reef fingers that jut out on the ocean side of the main barrier reef, perpendicular to the coastline. These finger rolls create a profusion of gullies, canyons, ledges, tunnels and caverns that offer refuge for marine creatures and for scuba divers to explore.
In the south of Ambergris there runs a line of small cayes and reefs inside of which you will find well-protected shallow water that offers some good diving. Shark Ray Alley is here and is rated one of the Caribbean's best animal dives and is, unsurprisingly, a great site for encounters with sharks and rays, as well as many other species. The animals come here to profit from fishing boats' scraps tossed overboard, so they are not shy, resulting in some excellent photo opportunities.
The many marine parks here mean that fishing restrictions are in place in several areas. Hol Chan Marine Reserve, aka 'The Cut', is one such small marine reserve popular among divers from Ambergris Caye. It promises an easy dive with pelagics such as barracuda in the depths and often large animals in the shallow seagrass beds like sharks and rays.
There are a number of different ecosytems to be found here so the species variety is wider than may be found elsewhere in Belize, although fish populations are not as large. You can expect mangrove cayes, coral reefs, seagrass beds and lagoons, all offering something different. Sponges and fans dominate the underwater landscape at many of the dive sites, swaying in the gentle surge. The reef itself is in good health, but there are few hard coral species since their delicate structure is unable to withstand the occasional hurricane that blows through here.
The diving at Ambergris Caye is simple and has enough interesting sites and marine life encounters to keep beginners enthralled. It will appeal to casual divers that want to make just a few dives while on vacation, enjoying the sights, sounds and tourist attractions of Belize and the fun of San Pedro. More experienced divers who want to sample the best diving that Belize has to offer should rather consider visiting Lighthouse Reef or Turneffe Atoll.
For information on your diving options, and all the other travel information you might need to visit, review our Ambergris Caye dive resort section.
Liveaboards do not visit this area and dive resorts on the atolls do not tend to travel inland to visit Ambergris Caye, so the best way of diving here is by staying in a nearby resort on Ambergris itself. You will visit both the barrier reef and other local sites around the island. It is also possible to dive further out to sea at the atolls of Lighthouse and Turneffe when staying on Ambergris Caye but it is a long day trip. Most who stay here tend to limit themselves to the local sites.
Note that it is also possible to book your own accommodation and join day trips to all of these locations.
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There is year round diving in Ambergris Caye, with the least chance of rain in February and March and the highest during August through October.
The dry season runs from December through May when the weather is mostly warm and sunny. Visibility is usually around 50 to 65ft (15-20m) and the sea's surface is likely calm with occasional chop.
June though November is the wet season which brings a stronger possibility of tropical storms and a remote possibility of a hurricane, especially in September/October. If a tropical storm does hit then diving will be cancelled for 2-3 days, but most often it's blue skies with light winds and occasional squalls and rain clouds. The rains do effect shallow water visibility but pretty soon the visibility will be back to 30 to 50 feet (10-15m). Storms do bring waves but mostly the sea will be calm or have a light chop.
Average water temperatures are fairly constant, ranging from a high of 84°F (29°C) in September to a low of 79°F (26°C) in February. There is very little current around Ambergris throughout the year.
Although each turtle season lasts for 3 months or so, May is the peak season for matings, August is the peak season for laying eggs, and October is the best time to see turtle hatchlings, after a 2 month incubation period, at Bacalar Chico in the north of the island.
October and November is the mating season for groupers. Divers can watch as the grouper move over the reef at the beginning of their short migration southwest to swarm in the thousands on the west coast of the caye.
Finally, May is the spawning time for thimble jellyfish. These jellies are irritating to scuba divers and snorkelers, and the best way to avoid getting stung is to wear a full length wetsuit (which you should rinse thoroughly after each use) and to use a waterproof and greasy cream on soft tissue parts of your exposed skin.
Review our map below of Belize, showing the location of the atoll. Here, you will find information on how to get to Ambergris Caye.
16 - 115ft (5 - 35m)
33 - 82ft (10 - 25m)
None to gentle
Mostly calm but can be choppy further from shore
77 - 84°F (25 - 29°C)
Beginner - intermediate
>30
25 miles (40 km) north northeast of Belize City
1 week
I want to thank you and everyone at Dive The World again for all your help with this situation. Despite a major fire, I had a lovely vacation in Belize and will definitely be going back. And your help with the refund has allowed me to keep the good memories and not worry about the bureaucracy. I will definitely be booking more travel with you in the future
Ambergris Caye dive resorts