1 dive site within 1.5 kmArea photo
guesthouse
Sandbar Beachfront Hotel & Hostel
Beachfront hostel with dorms, private rooms, a communal kitchen and a rooftop pool on Boca del Rio Drive in San Pedro.
Atolls, cayes and the Great Blue Hole
Belize Diving: Where to Stay for the Atolls and the Blue Hole
Dive sites, places to stay and trips to book, in one place
12 dive sites mapped · 8 hand-picked stays
Where to stay in Belize for diving
All 12 dive sites we map in Belize are boat dives, so the distance to the reef matters less than being near your dive operator's dock. For the shortest trip, Sandbar Beachfront Hotel & Hostel is closest to a dive site: Cypress Canyon, 1.4 km away.
Map of Belize
Every dive site we map and every stay we picked. Pick a dive site to see the stays closest to it.
Pick a dive site
- Beginner
- Intermediate
- Advanced
- Stay
Pick your dates in the map to see live prices in Belize from the big booking sites.
Hand-picked stays for divers in Belize
Picked for divers, sorted by how close they are to the dive sites
Photos show the area. View Deal opens the property's own photos.
Nearest dive site 1.8 kmArea photo
dive resort
SunBreeze Hotel
Beachfront hotel at 7 Coconut Drive, walking distance to San Pedro town, with an on-site PADI 5 Star dive center.
Nearest dive site 2.0 kmArea photo
dive resort
Ramon's Village Resort
Beachfront resort on Coconut Drive in San Pedro with its own dive center, Ramon's Village Divers, operating from the resort dock.
Nearest dive site 2.3 kmArea photo
apartment
CayeReef
Beachfront apartments of about 1,000 sq ft on Caye Caulker, within walking distance of the island dive shops.
Nearest dive site 2.4 kmArea photo
guesthouse
Bella's Backpackers
Family-run hostel on Crocodile Street, Caye Caulker, four blocks from the water taxi, with dorms, private rooms and cabins.
Nearest dive site 2.9 kmArea photo
condo
Grand Caribe Resort
Studio to five-bedroom condos with full kitchens about 2 miles north of San Pedro, with a dock and six pools.
Nearest dive site 3.9 kmArea photo
hotel
Victoria House Resort & Spa
Beachfront resort south of town, closest of these stays to Hol Chan. Dive and snorkel trips are arranged through the activity center with pickup from the hotel pier.
Nearest dive site 4.8 kmArea photo
condo
Belizean Shores Resort
Suites with full kitchens about 3.5 miles north of San Pedro. Dive trips are booked through partner operators.
No hand-picked stays match those filters. The map above shows everything available.
The closest Belize stay to a dive site, Sandbar Beachfront Hotel & Hostel at 1.4 km, ranks #21 of 58 across all our destinations. See every stay ranked by distance to the reef
Dive sites in Belize
Sort
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Coral Garden (Caye Caulker)
BeginnerShallow barrier reef site off Caye Caulker with blue tangs, eagle rays, stingrays, nurse sharks and moray eels.
Closest stay: CayeReef 2.3 km
17.7499, -88.0022 -
Hol Chan Cut
BeginnerChannel through the barrier reef in Hol Chan Marine Reserve. Elkhorn coral, large grouper, nurse sharks, turtles and eagle rays. Guided dives only, currents possible.
Closest stay: Victoria House Resort & Spa 4.0 km
17.8632, -87.9785 -
Shark Ray Alley
BeginnerShallow sand flat in Zone D of Hol Chan Marine Reserve with nurse sharks and southern stingrays. Mostly snorkeled.
Closest stay: Victoria House Resort & Spa 6.5 km
17.8418, -87.9862 -
Mexico Rocks
BeginnerShallow coral heads inside the reef about 10 miles north of San Pedro. Suited to snorkeling, first dives and training.
Closest stay: Belizean Shores Resort 4.8 km
17.9952, -87.9052 -
Sayonara Wreck (Turneffe)
BeginnerFormer lodge transport boat sunk in 1985 on the southwest side of Turneffe Atoll, surrounded by hard coral, moray eels and lobsters.
17.2019, -87.9317 -
Long Caye Aquarium
BeginnerReef at Long Caye on Lighthouse Reef with dense fish life and lobsters. Visibility often over 30 m.
17.2262, -87.6049 -
Cypress Canyon
IntermediateSpur and groove canyons on the outer reef off San Pedro, under 10 minutes by boat. Reef sharks are seen here.
Closest stay: Sandbar Beachfront Hotel & Hostel 1.4 km
17.9204, -87.9468 -
Long Caye Wall
IntermediateWall dive with swim-throughs on the west side of Lighthouse Reef.
17.2231, -87.6053 -
Half Moon Caye Wall
IntermediateWall and coral passages beside Half Moon Caye Natural Monument, usually the second dive of a Blue Hole day.
17.2035, -87.5425 -
West Point (Lighthouse Reef)
AdvancedDeep wall drop-off on the west side of Lighthouse Reef.
17.3751, -87.5806 -
The Elbow (Turneffe)
AdvancedDrift wall dive at the southern tip of Turneffe Atoll with large sponges, turtles and pelagics. Currents can be strong.
17.1553, -87.9086 -
Great Blue Hole
AdvancedSinkhole about 318 m across and 124 m deep in Lighthouse Reef. Recreational dives reach stalactites at around 33-40 m. Caribbean reef sharks. About 2 to 2.5 hours by boat from San Pedro.
17.3158, -87.5347
No dive sites match these filters.
The water here averages 26.8 °C (80 °F) in February and 29.8 °C (86 °F) in September. Belize water temperature by month, with the wetsuit for each month
Dives and trips to book in Belize
Top-rated on Viator. Each rating is that trip's own, with the month we checked it.
About diving in Belize
Most divers in Belize stay on Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker. Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley are a short boat ride away, and day trips run out to Turneffe Atoll and Lighthouse Reef for the Great Blue Hole. For a full week out on the atolls, look at the liveaboards.
How the Caribbean destinations compare, by stay-to-reef distance and water temperature: Best Caribbean diving
Planning questions answered from these maps: Field notes
- Water
- 27-30 °C
- Visibility
- Usually 24 m or better; 12-24 m at offshore sites in the rainy season
- Best months
- April to June for visibility and whale sharks in the south; December to May is the dry season. Rainy and hurricane season runs late June to November.
Diving Belize: common questions
Where should I stay in Belize for diving?
All 12 dive sites we map in Belize are boat dives, so the distance to the reef matters less than being near your dive operator's dock. For the shortest trip, Sandbar Beachfront Hotel & Hostel is closest to a dive site: Cypress Canyon, 1.4 km away.
What kind of diving does Belize have?
We map 12 dive sites in Belize, all reached by boat. 6 are rated beginner, 3 intermediate and 3 advanced.
What is the best time of year to dive Belize?
April to June for visibility and whale sharks in the south; December to May is the dry season. Rainy and hurricane season runs late June to November. Water temperature is 27-30 °C. Visibility: Usually 24 m or better; 12-24 m at offshore sites in the rainy season.
Are there dive sites for beginners in Belize?
Yes. Beginner-rated dive sites in Belize include Hol Chan Cut, Shark Ray Alley, Mexico Rocks, Coral Garden (Caye Caulker), Long Caye Aquarium and Sayonara Wreck (Turneffe).
What should divers know before diving Belize?
Marine park fees and Blue Hole rules
The Great Blue Hole Natural Monument is managed by the Belize Audubon Society and charges non-nationals a daily entrance fee, which dive operators usually add to the trip price. Boats must contact Half Moon Caye park rangers on VHF Channel 16 before mooring or anchoring in the Half Moon Caye and Blue Hole Natural Monuments. Hol Chan Marine Reserve also charges a separate park fee, and dives there are made with a licensed guide.
Source: Belize Audubon Society
Are there liveaboards from Belize?
Yes. 7-night trips from the Fort George Hotel dock, Belize City, to Lighthouse Reef (Blue Hole, Half Moon Caye) and Turneffe. Glovers Reef itinerary also listed; 7 and 10-night trips from the Fort George Hotel dock, Belize City, to Lighthouse Reef, Half Moon Caye and Turneffe. Glovers Reef itinerary also listed.