Ambergris Caye is renowned in the diving community for its accessibility to the second largest barrier reef in the world. Barely a quarter mile from shore, a line of breaking water gives evidence of the reef crest, where Staghorn an Elkhorn coral can be seen poking out of the surface at low tide.

The dive sites off Ambergris Caye are typical of a barrier reef-type ecosystem. The gorgonian plains start at about 40 feet of water and a short swim yields the edges of the deeper reef, which starts around 50 feet and continues down well past 100 feet. Waving sea fans and sea rods dominate the underwater landscape, interspersed with pillar, boulder, and fleshy corals. Dives are done in depths of 60 to 80 feet, exploring the spur and grove finger canyons where spotted Eagle Rays and turtles frequently make an appearance coming over the lip of the next canyon. There are approximately 40 different dive sites on this portion of the barrier reef.

There are more adventurous dives at the caverns. These are swim through, not caves, where divers exit through chimneys or tunnels to find themselves at a different location than where they entered.

Night divers are also quite popular here. These are done at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which is located on the inner reef. A great deal of marine life is nocturnal, so the difference in visiting this area during the day and at night is amazing.

Diving the outer atolls of Belize is also quite accessible from Ambergris Caye . Several dive operators offers full day trip to Turneffe and Lighthouse Reef, where the famous Blue Hole is situated. These atolls are surrounded by miles of pristine reef, and provide a diverse and rich variety of marine life.

Enjoy the wonders of Ambergris Caye safely! Before you embark on any tour, please ensure that your guides are licensed to operate, and that adequate safety measures are taken. See the Island Directory for information on Tour Operators.