Thinking about traveling halfway around the world to have an amazing ocean experience? Don’t do it! There is a place only a few hours away you can go and have a world class dive, snorkel, or beach experience at a very reasonable price! Belize is the place for you!
Having traveled the world and experienced many different parts of the ocean, I can honestly say that Belize is every bit as good as anywhere else I’ve been. It has something to offer for everyone; scuba divers, snorkelers, and beach seekers. Even the flight to Belize is better: it’s only a few hours away (4 hours direct from Denver on Southwest) and there is NO jet-lag!
Scuba:
Scuba in Belize is first rate. They have a large barrier reef that is vibrant and full of life. The colors here are stunning as the fish swim in and out of the large formations. Small caves, huge coral arms, and large fish are typical along the reef here, as well as several different types of sharks. 
There are so many scuba companies in Belize. The one we used is located in Ambergris Caye. Amegos Del Mar not only provides an expert service, but an amazing experience. The dive masters are friendly, fun, and knowledgeable. The local dive locations offer beautiful reefs full of life and fish. The coral formations are large and colorful. But the real treat offered by Amegos is their ability to call in sharks.
They are the only company in Ambergris Caye that will actively call in sharks for you to see. It’s an exciting experience to have nurse sharks, black tip reef sharks, and bull sharks swimming around you within arms distance. If you’ve not had that chance, here is a great opportunity for you! Perfectly safe, the sharks don’t really want to eat you, they just swim around you.
Snorkeling:
The water is warm, the sun is bright, and the coral is beautiful. Almost as exciting and amazing as the scuba adventure; snorkeling in Belize is something not to be missed. As we travel the world we try desperately to use smaller and more local companies for our exciting adventures. On Ambergris Caye there is such a company. Founded by a family that has lived on the island for 3 generations, New Day Adventures provides a great local service. The guides are all family and know the area in and out. They are able to take you to all of the local spots away from the rest of the tourists. Our guide was able to find sharks, rare fish, a manatee, sting and eagle rays, moray eels, and so much more.
Diving down between 10-20 feet will allow you to get a close-up view of all of the local life. At one point I was even chased by an eel (don’t get too close to these guys). Our guide was also an expert at finding manatee. Mannie, as he came to affectionately be known to us, was large and sitting on the bottom when we stopped. He decided that he wanted to investigate us and was very interactive, passing less than a foot from the lens of my camera at one point! What a great and amazing experience.
Beaches:
Although Ambergris Caye is a popular location, for a fun beach experience head south. Your adventure can take you just south of Ambergris to Caulker for a fun automobile free experience. Only delivery vehicles are allowed on the island, so you’ll see a lot of golf carts. The island is a little more laid back than other places. On the north side of the island is the ‘split’. An area where there is a nice bar, access to the water, and lots of people hanging out. If you want an even more quiet experience you can head to Tobacco Caye. It is far south of Belize City. They have no power there (only solar and the occasional generator), and only offer primitive accommodations, which for some is exactly what they want. Snorkeling, scuba, fine seafood, and other ocean sports are easy to find here. There are also opportunities for shore excursions to other places like the inland blue hole and atm cave. Beautiful beaches, kind hearted people, and amazing sea food characterizes this unique Island in the south of Belize.
Overall if you’re looking for a world class beach experience, Belize should be close to the top of your list. Offering amazing diving, snorkeling, and beautiful beaches for a lower price than some of the more developed tourist destinations. Belize is a short plane ride from most American cities and offers travelers a less resort oriented alternative to places like Cancun and Cozumel. There are still adventures to be had in Belize as we didn’t even touch on the ocean blue hole or any of the land locked adventures in this article. If you’re looking to learn how to get out of the resort and become more of a traveler and less of a tourist, Belize is a great place to start!
Where to stay: Ambergris Caye
We stayed in a small locally run hotel on the far north end of the town of San Pedro. Easily within walking distance of downtown and most of the amenities of this small fun town, Park Place, San Pedro is an inexpensive alternative to the resorts and large hotels, but still offers clean and nice rooms, attentive staff, and a good location. The front desk was able to help us with recommendations on restaurants, beaches, scuba and snorkeling companies. If you’re headed that way give them a try, for the price you can’t beat them in San Pedro.
Where to stay: Tobacco Caye
There are several places to stay on this small and beautiful island. Ranging from nice spacious and new rooms to small over the water cottages with a tin roof. Remember this island isn’t for people who are looking for amenities as they don’t offer air conditioning, cell phone service, or WiFi. Tobacco Caye is for people looking to disconnect. We can recommend Tobacco Caye Paradise for those looking for a rustic and fun experience; however for those looking for a little more we recommend Reefs End Lodge.
