tropichorizon.com

Diving and snorkeling in Belize is exciting, colorful and alive with marine life... Featuring the second largest barrier reef in the world, over 400 species of fish, three breathtaking atolls, 70 different types of coral, gigantic multicolored sponges, an awesome blue hole and endless dive sites, Belize boats an underwater paradise of beauty beyond compare. When you take into consideration the length of the barrier reef the size of the three atolls, and the available areas inside the reefs, Belize has more diving than Cozumel, all the Caymans Islands and Bonaire combined.

Belize atolls are unique, the origin of these Atolls: Lighthouse Reef, Glover's Reef and the Turneffe Islands are all distinct anomalies in the Caribbean. Nothing else in the Western Hemisphere resembles a true coral atoll, except perhaps Chinchorro Reef, off Mexico's southern Yucatan Peninsula (just above the Belize atolls). According to geologists they are even more unusual in that the origin of their formation does not seem to mirror the atolls of the Pacific Ocean, where rings of coral are better known. The ancient processes contributing to Belize atoll development may have begun as many as 70 million years ago and the atolls did not develop around subsiding volcanoes.

Noted dive publications are constantly writing about the spectacular diving and snorkeling in Belize. It is a prime destination for dive journalists, and underwater photographers. Besides National Geographic, even major TV Networks such as ABC has done documentaries on the reef and marine ecology in Belize.

Rick Frehsee, a respected authority who spent 17 years traveling the Caribbean for Skin Diver magazine, described Belize this way: “Beneath the turquoise sea is a tapestry and range that exceeds every other Caribbean dive destination in diversity, size and scope.” Statements like the above lend testimony to the quality and spectacle of the destination. Jacques Cousteau also came to Belize during the late 1980’s. He explored Belize’s offshore atolls and the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef.

Creatures of the deep blue… A rich and spectacular array of marine life awaits you in Belize underwater world you will see large schools of tropical jacks, snappers, sardines, barracudas and other exotic creatures such as the bridled burr fish, eagle rays and the spiny lobster. Large and plentiful groupers such as the Nassau grouper are popular inhabitants of the reef.

Dive and snorkeling sites teeming with marine life are plentiful from north to south off Belize’s Caribbean shores, they offer an opportunity to get an up-close look at amazing sea critters like the lined toadfish. These bottom-dwelling fish are indigenous to Belize. Other colorful dwellers of the deep and shallows  includes the flamingo tonque, ensconced in vibrant spotted shell, purple-tipped anemones, banded coral shrimps and painted tunicates among many more...