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Snorkeling in Belize

Bright Reefs and a Big Blue Hole

You will run out of daylight before you run out of reef. The coast of Belize offers some of the best snorkeling in the Caribbean, and also some of the most diverse. Colorful coral heads crop up close to shore and within the sheltered interiors of offshore atolls. Often, it is just a few fin strokes from these oases of life to more expansive reef systems, where ledges, undercuts and slopes are home to hundreds of species of tropical fish and corals. Schools of fish swarm steep outer reefs, juveniles hide among mangrove roots in shallow lagoons, and a dramatic circular hole in the ocean plunges to unseen depths.

Highlights

  • Best for: Everyone, from relaxing and beach travelers, to soft and rugged adventurers
  • Best season to visit: Year round, drier from January to June
  • Weather: Belize enjoys a sub-tropical climate moderated by Caribbean sea breezes. Winter temperatures occasionally dip below 70 during northerlies, while summers may reach into the 90s, with increased humidity and rain showers after June

Things to Do

Belize Information

Snorkeling in Belize Overview

The coast of Belize is flanked by the longest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. Between this reef and the mainland, dozens of small islands known as Cayes are starting points for local snorkel trips. Offshore of the mainland, a trio of coral atolls enclose thousands of acres of mangrove islands and coral gardens suitable for snorkelers. Trips on the steep outer walls of the atolls provide the chance for big fish sightings.

Snorkeling in Belize Tips

Snorkeling is most enjoyable when you can see what's there. Mask fogging is a very common problem, but one that can be easily remedied. Start by making sure the inner face plate of the mask is clean and free of residue, and just before entering the water, apply a light coating of anti-fog solution (most snorkel boats will provide this) and then give the mask a single light rinse in fresh water before putting it on.

Best Places to Snorkel in Belize

Turneffe Atoll provides a wide range of snorkeling environments, from mangrove lagoons to shallow reefs and steep walls, all teeming with fish life. A swim to the edge of the Blue Hole is a bucket list favorite. Reefs begin within sight of the beach at Ambergris Caye, and it is a short boat ride to Hol Chan Marine Reserve and famous Shark-Ray Alley, where snorkels are immersed in a feeding crowd of turtle, rays and nurse sharks.

What to Pack for Snorkeling in Belize

Use an inexpensive mesh tote bag to keep your snorkel gear and accessories organized during travel and while aboard tour boats. Include a secure waterproof case for storing wallets, keys and personal electronics. Wear a form-fitting water shirt to protect your back from sunburn.

Packages

Snorkeling

Belize

Alaia Belize

AMBERGRIS CAYE - ULTIMATE ALL INCLUSIVE DIVE PACKAGE 7 nights Resort View Vista Studio accommodations, 5 days of 2-tank boat dives with Belize Pro Dive Center, breakfast, lunch, dinner daily, unlimited beverages including frozen drinks (alcohol & nonalcoholic), 24 hour room service, non-motorized watersports (kayaks/stand-up paddle boards), daily activities, free WiFi, 10% off cabana rentals, 10% off spa services, use of fitness center, roundtrip ground transfers from San Pedro airstrip to Alai Belize Hotel, hotel tax, and service charges.

Caradonna Diving Adventures offers multiple dive package combinations-Call us for additional information 1-800-330-6611.
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Snorkeling

Belize

Turneffe Flats

TURNEFFE ATOLL - DIVE PACKAGE includes 7 night’s Beach Cabana accommodations with a Panoramic View including all taxes, breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily with basic beverages plus daily hors d’ oeuvres (excl. alcohol). Activities include sea kayaks, snorkeling, pool, and gym. Airport (ground/boat) transfers Saturday only.

Diving Inclusions: Six (6) full dive days (2 am dives and a 3rd pm in the afternoon) at more than 60 sites around Turneffe Atoll. 1-day trip to the Lighthouse Reef (weather permitting) to dive the famous Blue Hole, Half Moon Wall, and a 3rd site - $40 per park fee not included.

Atoll Adventure Package for non-divers including world-class snorkeling combined with eco-tours such as manatee/dolphin adventures, birding, night walks and many activities such as boat tours to see manatee and porpoise. Available in the shopping cart.

Call Caradonna Adventures 800.328.2288 with any additional questions.
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Snorkeling

Belize

Alaia Belize

AMBERGRIS CAYE - BELIZE DIVE PACKAGE Resort View Vista Studio accommodations, 5 days of 2-tank boat dives with Belize Pro Dive Center, non-motorized watersports (kayaks/stand-up paddle boards), daily activities, free WiFi, use of fitness center, roundtrip ground transfers from San Pedro airstrip to Alai Belize Hotel, hotel tax, and service charges. Other room categories available in the shopping cart on the next screen.

Caradonna Diving Adventures offers multiple dive package combinations-Call us for additional information 1-800-330-6611.
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Snorkeling

Belize

Ramons Village Resort

AMBERGRIS CAYE - DIVE PACKAGE Includes 7 nights in your choice of room accommodations, 6 days of 2-tank boat dives, breakfast daily, roundtrip airport transfers, hotel tax and service charges.

Optional add-ons for Watersports Activities and Topside Activities available in the shopping cart after room category is selected including Island Tours, Mayan Ruin Tours, Snorkel Tours, Off-roading Tours, Paddle Adventures and Zip-lining Excursions.

Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 for additional information.
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Snorkeling

Belize

Turneffe Island Resort

TURNEFFE ISLAND - SNORKEL PACKAGE includes accommodations in your choice of Deluxe, Superior or Private Villa including breakfast, lunch, and dinner daily including basic beverages plus daily hors d’ oeuvres (excluding alcohol). Complimentary activities include kayaks, shore snorkeling, pool, hobie kat, paddle boards, horseshoes, and volleyball. Complimentary airport transfers on Saturdays. Includes Belize taxes.

Daily Guided snorkel trips by boat, water depths range from 5 to 15 foot, scheduled at 10:00 am or 3:00 pm except Saturdays, full-day trip on Tuesdays to the Blue Hole and Lighthouse Reef.
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Resorts

Snorkeling

Belize

Royal Caribbean Belize

Boutique beach resort on the island of Ambergris Caye. Forty- Two sound-proof private Cabana suites (500sq. ft.), finished in fine cedar from the Belizean jungle. Suites feature high wood ceilings, a living room, bedroom area, large ceiling fans, hot shower and private bathroom, high powered, split unit A/C, fully outfitted kitchenette (microwave, mini-fridge, toaster, kettle, dishes, glassware, and utensils), a flat-screen TV with international cable (including movie channels), and WiFi.

Near San Pedro Town, just over 1-mile, but far enough from the hustle and bustle to provide tranquil settings but also, guests can easily pop into town. In the mornings, the sun glistens over the sea right outside your door, and the resort's rich vegetation attracts a wide variety of unusual birds of all colors.
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Snorkeling

Belize

Alaia Belize

AMBERGRIS CAYE - Located in historic San Pedro on 1,000 feet of Mar de Tumbo beach, just 600 yards from the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve – the second largest reef system in the world stunning views of the Caribbean Sea throughout the property, on-site scuba dive, snorkel, and excursions shop with departures from the Dock. Modern Vista Studios and Suites to secluded and family-style Reef House Suites, to spacious three-bedroom Beachfront Villas featuring private plunge pools. Defined by its dedicated service to guests, which is genuinely unmatched thanks to its Personal Concierge teams.

Optional add-ons for Watersports Activities and Topside Activities available in the shopping cart after room category is selected.

Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 for additional information.
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Snorkeling

Belize

SunBreeze Hotel

AMBERGRIS CAYE Located on the southern edge of the friendly town of San Pedro in the heart of Ambergris Caye, convenient seaside resort catering to divers with pool, restaurant and massage studio. Custom boats with state-of-the-art equipment. Daily barrier reef dives, Blue Hole/Lighthouse Reef and Turneffe Atoll dives, and PADI courses available. SunBreeze’s Latin-Caribbean architectural design forms a wide crescent that embraces the waterfront as well as its own private white sand beach and palm and tropical garden complete with a fresh water pool.

Optional add-ons for Watersports Activities and Topside Activities available in the shopping cart after room category is selected.

Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 for additional information.
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Snorkeling

Belize

SunBreeze Suites

AMBERGRIS CAYE Comprised of twenty comfortable one bedroom vacation suites overlooking the beautiful blue sea. Each comes with a private balconies from where you can enjoy breathtaking sunrises, refreshing cool sea-breezes and romantic moonlight nights. It is within walking distance to grocery stores, entertainment centers, local and gourmet restaurants, banks, fruit shops, cafes, and Belizean art galleries.
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Snorkeling

Belize

Turneffe Flats

TURNEFFE ATOLL - Turneffe Flats air-conditioned beachfront cabanas offer stunning tropical seascapes, expansive bonefish flats, and the sound of surf breaking over the coral reef. Recognized as Belize's premier scuba diving, saltwater fly fishing and marine eco-tourism destination. Located on beautiful Turneffe Atoll in the Caribbean, our resort specializes in superior flats fishing, diving, and guided snorkeling, and other eco-tours for a limited number of guests.

Call Caradonna Adventures 800.328.2288 with any additional questions and book your tailor-made package.
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Snorkeling

Belize

Hamanasi Adventure and Dive Resort

DANGRIGA - Hamanasi is a boutique hotel on the southern coast of the Belize mainland offering spacious treehouse, beachfront room and honeymoon suite accommodations with handcrafted hardwood furnishings, air conditioning and private porches. From scuba diving Belize’s Great Barrier Reef and Belize's three atolls to climbing Mayan pyramids, hiking through rainforests in search of hidden caves, to birdwatching, Hamanasi resort offers it all at one comfortable, convenient location.
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Snorkeling

Belize

Ramons Village Resort

AMBERGRIS CAYE - Authentic palm-thatched cabanas. Full service beachfront resort nestled in a tropical garden of Royal Palms, bougainvillea, lilies, hibiscus and dozens of other types of tropical flora. Dive the Belize Barrier Reef, Turneffe North, and the Blue. Hole/Lighthouse Atoll. PADI 5-Star IDC Resort.

Optional add-ons for Watersports Activities and Topside Activities available in the shopping cart after room category is selected.

Contact Caradonna Adventures at 800.328.2288 for additional information.
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Passport and/or Visa Requirements

A current passport, valid through your departure date, is required for entry into Belize. Your passport needs to have at least 1 blank page for the entry stamp. Proof of onward or return flights may be required at entry as well. No visa is required for stays less than 30 days. Upon departure from Belize, there is a departure tax of approximately $40.00 U.S. which should be included on your international ticket.

Check the entry/exit requirements here.

Immunizations

There are no required immunizations for entry into Belize, although you should check with your doctor and reference the Centers for Disease Control on recommended vaccinations.

Culture and Customs

Belize is a true melting pot of cultures, stretching back to the stone cities of the ancient Maya, and the Arawak roots of the Garfunkel dialect that are still heard through the country. British settlers arrived in the 1600s, and English remains the nation's official language. But Spanish influences are equally prevalent, and Mennonite, Creole, Lebanese, Chinese, and East Indian immigrants have all left their mark on the collective consciousness. Today, they are all just Belizeans, and everyone gets along in a society that places a high value on civility and inclusion. This is a country that doesn't need an excuse to dance and throw a party. Weekends are reason enough for celebration, and dozens of festivals, carnivals and concerts are staged throughout the year. Head up to the country into the rainforest and wooded mountains of the interior and you are in the land of Indiana Jones where thatch-roofed eco lodges serve as base camps for jungle hikes and inner tube drifts through river caves. Head offshore and island times takes over when you land on the offshore cayes. On Ambergris Caye a flipflop and tank top vibe permeates the beach town of San Pedro, where beach bikes are the preferred mode of transportation, and packed-sand streets are fronted by colorfully painted wooden shops and taverns.

Electricity, Phone and Internet Access

Belize electricity is 110 Volt/60 cycles and uses the same plug types as the U.S., so no converters are required.

Belize has a standardized seven-digit phone numbering system and a country code of 501.

Many hotels offer WiFi. Be sure to check with your mobile provider to see if International plans are available for phone and data usage while in Belize.

Water Quality

Bottled water is recommended in Belize and readily available for purchase and also supplied by some resorts.

Language & Currency

English is the official language, but Spanish is widely spoken. Other languages spoken are Maya, Garifuna, and Creole.

The BelizeDdollar (BZD) is pegged to the US dollar at 2:1 - always verify whether you are paying U.S. or Belize Dollars. It's easy to change U.S. dollars just about anywhere.

ATMs are available in many cities and accept major cards such as Visa, Mastercard, Cirrus, although cash will be dispensed in Belize Dollars.

Most businesses will accept U.S. cash without question. They usually give change in Belizean Dollars, though they may return U.S. change if you ask.

Time

Belize is on Central Standard Time, 6 hours behind Greenwich Mean Time (-6 GMT). Belize does not observe daylight saving time.

Location, Size and Population

Belize is located on the Eastern coast of Central America, along the Caribbean Coast. Its capital city is Belmopan.

Belize is bounded on the North by Mexico, South, and West by Guatemala, and the beautiful Caribbean Sea washes its 174-mile coastline to the East.

Belize has an area of 8,866 sq. miles including 266 sq. miles of islands.

The population of Belize is 367,177 (2016), while the island of Ambergris caye has an estimated 22,000, the area of Placencia approximately 1,500 and the area of Dangriga close to 10,000.

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