See full version: Top 7 Dive Sites In Belize
Out of these three Atolls, Turneffe is the largest and the closest to the mainland, with less than an hour’s journey time. One of the best dive sites throughout Belize is found at the Turneffe atoll at the southern tip. Known as the Elbow, it is a large twist in the coral, which is an incredible site to see. [links]
Once leaving the barrier reef, you will find Turneffe, Lighthouse and Glover’s, which are three out of the four true coral atolls found in the western hemisphere. The Atolls are circular versions of the barrier reef with enough dry land surrounding them to fit a dive lodge or two. If you want a place where there are little people and where you can be surrounded by all things diving, then these are the perfect locations for you. The reefs surrounding these small island-like areas drop off to nearly 1000 meters into the deep. These atolls have everything from shallow coral gardens, towering coral pinnacles which are covered in canyons and swim-through gaps, as well as vertical walls. here
Glover’s Reef is the most remote out of the three atolls and is the least visited. This is usually a benefit for divers as the 50 miles of the fringing reef has hardly been touched and is home to incredible marine life and an explosion of color.
If you’re traveling with a non-diver, then this is a great location to leave your diving equipment behind and grab your snorkel. Shark Ray Alley is shallow, a plateau of sand and is where fisherman would clean their catches. After cleaning, they would discard their chum and consequently attract huge numbers of sharks and other marine life. If you go with a dive guide, they will usually bring fish scraps with them to lure the nurse sharks and stingrays to the area for amazing photo opportunities. [links]
As we mentioned before, Belize is home to the largest barrier reef in the western hemisphere. This huge barrier reef stretches the length of Belize’s coastline and provides ample opportunities for divers to explore. If you choose to dive with diving centers located in Belize City and the Cayes, they specialize in diving within the deep coral canyons, which have been created by the phenomenal Elkhorn, Staghorn, and Brain corals. When diving the Barrier Reef, most divers start in the shallows and descend around 30 meters. The kind of marine life that you’ll find within this area are white spotted toadfish, which is a species endemic to Belize, tiny tropical fish, reef sharks and turtles. more
To top it all off, Jardines de la Reina also holds a reputation as one of the best-preserved marine areas in the world, and as a result, the reefs are very healthy and teeming with life. Sharks and crocodiles aside, you can see massive groupers, loggerhead, hawksbill and green turtles, snappers, and various colorful tropical fish and loads of smaller critters.
You can also plan a visit to the pristine Cat Island to dive with massive oceanic whitetip sharks in April-June. more
One of the things that makes Dominica so amazing both above and below the surface of its waters is the topography. Rugged peaks and ridges on land, and then steep underwater volcanoes underwater, complete with pinnacles and craters galore. Furthermore, there is practically little to no current in the waters, which makes exploring those crevices very manageable! [links]
In Dominica, divers will also encounter marine life such as electric rays, seahorses, frogfish, gurnards, Caribbean reef squid, sea snakes, and batfish, as well as spotted and spinner dolphins. [links]
Besides admiring the reef, divers flock to Somosomo strait for the abundance of marine life. It's common to see manta rays, sharks, and even barracudas lurking around the waters. here
А big bull shark suddenly emerges from a flock of colorful tropical fish in Beqa Lagoon, Fiji.
Separating the two main islands of Vanua Levu and Viti Levu, Bligh Water is a must-see when diving Fiji. Although the currents can be too strong for beginners, experienced divers will enjoy the clear waters, narrow passageways, and schools of tropical fish.
With over 100 different dive sites to choose from, this picturesque lagoon sits south of Viti Levu and has something for every type of scuba diver. Discover colorful soft corals at Caesar's Rocks, or explore the sunken shipwreck at Carpet Cove. Adventurous divers should also check out the Shark Reef Marine Reserve, a protected sanctuary home to eight different shark species.
Kadavu is home to the Great Astrolabe Reef, the fourth largest barrier reef in the world and one of the most popular dive sites in Fiji. Here, you'll find soft coral pinnacles and steep sloping coral walls right off the coast. It's also a great spot for a Fiji shark dive since the waters are teeming with reef sharks and hammerheads. [links]
The Charles Brown spans over 300 feet in length the Quill volcano offers a scenic hike; a flying gurnard spreads its wings and flees when threatened.
One of the best-loved spots in Puerto Rico is Crash Boat Beach in the northwest, an easy shore dive with lots of fish among the remains of a pier that serves as an artificial reef, great for any certification level and a mecca for macro photographers. For more-advanced divers, check out the historic B-29 bomber at around 115 feet, also offering great photo opportunities. A must-do is the Desecheo Island marine reserve, with options for experienced divers such as the action-packed Yellow Reef to the more mellow and colorful reefs at Candyland. Nurse sharks abound in Mayagüez and Cabo Rojo, offering some of the most underrated scuba diving in Puerto Rico. And don’t forget to explore the magnificent wall and reef dives in Guánica or Parguera, where you are likely to swim among sea turtles, big green moray eels and the occasional reef shark. Whatever your scuba preference or skill, Puerto Rico’s west side can accommodate.
—Jan Zegarra
My most memorable experience underwater happened in such a channel. The sea was quite rough that day, causing limited visibility and greenish water at the surface. Down at 65 feet, where the view opened up, a great hammerhead immediately came in to check me out, returning several times to the lagoon entrance until I finally realized why: a massive school of eagle rays, no fewer than 50 individuals, passing in and out. I hid myself behind big rocks and tried to become invisible to capture photographs of these majestic yet shy animals.
—Martin Strmiska here
Language: English, Spanish
Topside draw: Wander through Bonacca Town; this cay has around 6,000 residents but no cars or roads, just quaint waterways and alleys between houses up on stilts. Grab a beer or a loaf of coconut bread and meander through town; you’ll see why it’s known as the “Venice of the Caribbean.”
Getting There: Flights are available from Roatan through La Ceiba via Lanhsa Airlines Monday through Saturday.
Fun Fact: Christopher Columbus made landfall here on his fourth and final voyage on July 30, 1502, and named it Pine Island for its forested mountain slopes. Visiting its waterfalls, he declared he had “never tasted water of better quality.” Islanders are proud to take visitors to the falls.
Average Water Temp: 76°F in winter; up to 86°F in summer
Average Viz: 80 to 100 feet
When to Go: February through September to avoid rainy season [links]
I’d lived in the Bay Islands for almost 20 years when Villa on Dunbar Rock invited me out to Guanaja to stay and dive and photograph their reefs. I wish I had gone long before. The diving is, in a word, incredible. Don’t expect many big-animal sightings here, although eagle rays and dolphins are common. The real beauty is the health and diversity of the reef itself. The macro possibilities are endless, with little rarities such as nudibranchs and top snails I had seen only in books popping out everywhere. Other dive sites such as Black Rock Canyon are cathedrallike in scope — imagine a series of swim-throughs, and then stretch them up to 100 feet tall and fill them with bright gorgonians. The Pinnacle comes up from the depths to explode into a mass of black corals and rare telesto corals; Jim’s Silverlode is packed with silversides, and there’s also the wreck of the Jado Trader to explore. Since the island is bisected by a navigable channel linking its two sides, any day of the year you can dive on a sheltered leeward dive site, each one offering its own charms and surprises.
—Mickey Charteris [links]
Language: English
Topside Draw: Harbour Island has a pink-sand beach that is never hot to the touch, and plenty of top-rated restaurants.
Getting There: You can connect internationally through Nassau or fly directly to Eleuthera via Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Atlanta.
Fun Fact: The first European settlers of the Bahamas fled religious persecution in Bermuda and landed on Eleuthera in 1648, taking shelter in Preacher's Cave, a historic site that should be on your must-visit list.
Average Water Temp: 85°F in summer; 75°F in winter
Average Viz: 80 feet
When to Go: You can dive year-round; however, winter brings stronger winds and cooler waters. During September and October, many hotels, restaurants and dive shops are closed. more