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This article is about the best scuba diving resorts in Belize. You’ll read about all the best sites to dive at, all the things to do in the resorts and everything you need to know about them.

If you’re here, you’re probably ready to book a scuba diving trip to Belize. Well done on making your best scuba decision yet!

Scuba diving in Belize is unlike anywhere else on earth! And we’ve dived in quite a few places, so we should know! It’s a great mix of healthy and beautiful coral, plenty of fish, some of the most bucket list places to dive – the Great Blue Hole, the barrier reef and more. But choosing a great dive shop or resort isn’t always easy. That’s why we asked some of our favorite bloggers to help us compile a list of great scuba resorts and shops all over Belize, so you can rest assured that your dive trip to Belize will be an amazing one!

This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For more information, please see our disclaimer here. We take all the efforts necessary to ensure the information included in this post is accurate, correct and current, sometimes, things just change! Travel information like opening hours, business operations and prices may change. If you find anything in this post that is incorrect or outdated, please let me know in the comments so I can update it for other readers. Cheers!

6 scuba diving resorts in Belize to book on your next trip

We had the chance of diving with 3 different resorts and shops, but that’s not enough to get you all the juicy details about the awesome dive shops and resorts in Belize. That’s why we asked our favorite bloggers to give us their recommendations. Here are the best scuba resorts and shops to check out on your next trip to Belize.

2 dive resorts in Placencia

Let’s start with some dive shops that are in the coastal town of Placencia, one of the best places to visit in Belize. With crystal clear waters and a healthy reef system, Placencia is a great place to dive from in Belize. Here are 2 great scuba diving shops to choose from in Placencia. Each has something unique to offer.

1. Splash Dive Center – a great dive shop in Placencia

Contributed by yours truly, WeDidItOurWay.com

We dove with Splash Dive Center during our trip to Placencia. Located super close to town, about a 15-minute walk away, on the Lagoon side. Splash dive is probably one of the most renowned diving centers in Placencia. Every time we mentioned we were going to scuba dive, people would automatically ask if we were going with Splash. After all, this is the dive shop that the National Geographics team chose to dive with as well. So we know we were in good hands.

Since we were staying at Naia Resort and Spa, a little out of town, Splash picked us up for a full day of diving at Laughing Bird Caye. This is one of the premiere cayes to snorkel and dive at while in Placencia. In fact, it’s one of the cayes that still has some very healthy coral reefs on, as well as some restoration work being done by Fragments of Hope.

After the usual sign-up and check-in procedures, we packed into the boat and headed to Laughing Bird Caye. Our first dive was at the North West wall, where we saw some barracudas, a few spotted drum fish and plenty of angelfish. A good omen, considering we were diving on Valentine’s day. In case you didn’t know, angelfish mate for life, which is why we think they’re so special!

After a first successful dive, we docked at Laughing Bird Caye where we had a good hour enjoying the crystal clear waters. We had lunch on the boat, then threw all caution to the wind – we swam less than 30 minutes after eating! How could we not? The water was calling our names. It was impossible to resist. We were also able to walk around the tiny caye and enjoy our little stop here.

After that, we headed to our second dive at Drum Garden. As the name suggests, this spot is full of spotted drum fish. We also spotted a ton of shrimp, lobster and more angelfish. Overall, it was a great experience.

The cost to dive at Laughing Bird Caye (2-tank dive) is $170 per person, including transport and lunch. Dives to other sites around Placencia or further out (Glover’s reef, Turneffe and the Blue Hole) are starting at $190 for a 2-tank dive. Equipment rental (full gear, including wetsuits) is $40 USD for the day. The reef is about 30-45 minutes by boat from Placencia.

Extra details about diving with Splash Dive

• Location: In Placencia town, on the lagoon side
• Official website
• Dive details are available here

2. Diving at A Muy’Ono Resort in Placencia

Contributed by Brodi from OurOffBeatLife.com

The Placencia, A Muy’Ono Resort is one of the best scuba resorts in Belize. Located on the beautiful Maya Beach in the town of Placencia, this resort offers a perfect combination of jungle and ocean adventures. With its spacious pool, swim-up bar, restaurants, and private beach, The Placencia is an ideal destination for groups and families.

The resort’s dive packages include multiple days of diving, accommodations, and all meals. Guests can explore some of Belize’s most stunning dive sites, such as Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Shark Ray Alley, and Mexico Rocks. You’ll see rays, nurse sharks, and various fish like tarpon and jacks…as well as other cool marine life.

The packages also include equipment rental, boat trips to the dive sites, and experienced guides to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience.

The cost of the package depends on the number of days spent at The Placencia but typically starts from $1,500 per person for a 4-day stay. This package is best suited for couples or small groups looking for a unique diving experience in Belize.

Overall, The Placencia is an excellent choice for those looking to explore the underwater world of Belize with all the comforts of home. With its luxurious amenities and convenient location close to some of the best dive sites in Belize, it’s no wonder why this resort is so popular among divers!

Extra details about diving with The Placencia, A Muy’Ono Resort

• Location: Maya Beach, Placencia
• Official website
• Rates are not available, but can be inquired upon here. You can find out about their packages here.

4 dive resorts on the atolls of Belize

3. Turneffe Island Resort – one of the premier scuba diving resorts in Belize

Contributed by Taylor from BrownEyedFlowerChild.com

One of the best diving resorts in Belize is Turneffe Island Resort. Located on the Turneffe Atoll, this private island eco-resort is situated along the Caribbean Sea and around the coral island of Little Caye Bokel. It’s located off the coast of mainland Belize, around a 90-minute boat ride from the capital, Belize City, and 30 miles from the famous Great Blue Hole!

Since Belize holds the second largest barrier reef in the world, it’s a must to stay at Turneffe Island Resort and experience a diving or snorkeling experience with their incredible team of dive masters. The resort is an all-inclusive fishing, diving, and snorkeling property that provides those who love the water an experience of a lifetime!

Turneffe Island Resort also has an eco-conscious mindset. They integrate environmental initiatives to conserve and protect the Turneffe Atoll and its reefs. The resort also has a restaurant, bar, beach, swimming pool, numerous lounge areas, spa, and watersport activities from kayaking to paddle boarding. There is also a Hobie Cat that you can take out into the sea.

The dive sites you visit during a trip to Turneffe Island Resort are the Great Blue Hole, the world’s largest underwater sinkhole, along with Half Moon Caye and Long Caye Wall. The sea life you’ll spot at these diving sites are Tarpons, Barracudas, Nurse Sharks, Yellow Stingrays, Southern Stingray, Black Grouper, Queen Trigger Fish, and many more.

This fun Caribbean resort also offers a plethora of different packages to choose from. All scuba diving packages at Turneffe Island Resort are based on double occupancy and include a 3-night package for $4,290, a 4-night package for $5,490, and a 7-night package for $7,690 USD.

Even though the resort is not an adults-only property, most guests are 18 or older. A stay at Turneffe Island Resort is great for anyone who loves diving, snorkeling, or fishing and allows for a great romantic getaway! Most of the people vacationing at the resort are couples or friend groups. 

Extra details about diving with Chuck & Robbie’s

• Location: Turneffe atoll
• Official website
• For dive rates & details, check out their page here.

4. Coco Plum Island Resort – An all-inclusive dive resort on its own caye near Dangriga

Contributed by Paige from PaigeMindsTheGap.com

Coco Plum Island Resort is an all-inclusive, adults-only private island located 30 minutes off the coast of Dangriga. This resort is the perfect luxury getaway in Belize for couples. There are only 18 cabanas on the island, all of which are ocean-front, and a team of incredibly friendly staff, so you get an exclusive experience.

This scuba diving resort is only a few minutes away from Belize’s Southern Barrier Reef. Coco Plum offers diving tours, certification courses, and refresher courses that can be added to their standard all-inclusive package.

The Southern Barrier Reef Dive Tour takes you just two miles from the resort to encounter spotted eagle rays, nurse sharks, sea turtles, barracuda, and more. The tour costs $175 per person and includes diving gear, boat transportation, and a certified guide.

The Glover’s Reef Dive Tour explores this atoll known for its unique cut-offs, coral formations, and diverse marine life. The tour costs $270 per person and includes diving gear, boat transportation, a certified guide, a packed lunch, and a snack.

The Great Blue Hole Dive Tour takes you to the perfectly circular underwater sinkhole in the Lighthouse Reef Atoll. This $375 per person tour includes diving gear, boat transportation, a certified guide, a packed lunch, and a snack.

In April-June, the resort can also arrange a Whale Shark Dive Tour for you through a third-party tour operator so you can view whale sharks in the Gladden Spit & Silk Cay Marine Reserves.

Extra details about diving with Coco Plum Island Resort

• Location: They are located on their own island, 30 minutes off the coast of Dangriga
• Official website
• Dive rates & details

5. Huracan diving lodge in Lighthouse Reef

Contributed by yours truly, WeDidItOurWay.com

We’ll start off by saying that diving at Huracan Diving lodge was one of the best scuba diving experiences in Belize and the world for us! Located on Lighthouse Reef, one of the most remote atolls in Belize, and also home to the Great Blue Hole, diving at these sites was nothing short of spectacular.

Huracan Dive resort is an eco-lodge that has the best dive sites within 15-20 minutes of its dock. Actually, those are if you’re going to Half Moon Caye or the Great Blue Hole. Truth is, most of its dive sites are about 2-3 minutes away by boat.

Here, we had the pleasure of being the only divers in the spots we dived. We were even the first boat to arrive to the Blue Hole, and the only divers when we visited Half Moon Caye, another great place to dive.

Each dive site will have a variety of things to see – some had more spectacular corals, like the Half Moon Caye Wall, while others had a plethora of fish, like the Aquarium. One thing that blew us away was the fact that we saw sharks on every single dive (8 in total) when we were with Huracan.

Huracan offers 3, 4 or 7-night stays and their packages are all-inclusive. They include accommodations, food (except alcoholic beverages) and transport to and from Long Caye on the Lighthouse Reef. The dives are also included in the package and vary from 5, 8 or 15 total, depending on your stay. The entrance fees to the marine parks, as well as gear rental, are not included.

If you have a few days to spare in your Belize itinerary and you’re an avid scuba diver like us, we highly recommend including Huracan on your trip.

Extra details about diving with Huracan Diving Lodge

• Location: Long Caye on Lighthouse Reef. Not to be confused with Long Caye on Glover’s Reef
• Official website
• You can find their dive rates & packages here. You can also read more details about our diving experience with Huracan here.

6. Off the Wall Dive center in Glover’s Reef

Contributed by yours truly, WeDidItOurWay.com

We’re going to be honest here… it should be no surprise, we’re always honest!

We dove with Off the Wall Dive Center while we were on our Belize Adventure trip with Island Expeditions. Being on the remote island of Glover’s Reef, there were not many choices of dive shops that could accommodate us on such short notice. We decided to go diving less than 15 hours before the dive! So we were grateful that they could accommodate us.

The dive shop itself is fine. The guide and captain we had were also good. They dropped us off in cool spots, showed us the great things to see underwater and made our dives fun and safe. However, we found the dive shop owners to be a little cooky and odd. The way they spoke to us, the lack of coherence between them, their general attitude – they just rubbed us the wrong way.

Regardless, the dives we did were great. We dove at The Abyss and Long Caye Wall. We saw plenty of fish, turtles, sharks and were even lucky enough to spot our first lone dolphin while diving! It was an amazing dive trip overall!

The cost of diving at Off the Wall Dive Center is $150 per dive, and they charge extra for gear rental. What we found odd was that they charged $8 USD per dive for a wetsuit rental. We’ve never seen a per-dive cost, which threw us off again.

Overall, if you’re on a trip with Island Expeditions, and you want to go scuba diving, this is a fine dive resort in Belize. However, if you’re booking a trip to only come dive with this school, we may not recommend it.

Extra details about diving with Off the Wall

• Location: Long Caye on Glover’s Reef atoll
• Official website
• Dive rates & details

7 things to know about scuba diving in Belize

If you’re looking to dive in Belize, here are a few things you should know to make the best of your time in the country. This will help you plan the best scuba diving trip possible for your time here.

Is Belize good for scuba diving?

Short answer – Yes! Long answer – Hell yes!

Belize is home to the world’s second-largest barrier reef. There are plenty of little islands, atolls and cayes which have their fair share of corals. There are plenty of efforts to restore the coral reefs after the hurricanes in recent years, so yes! The scuba diving in Belize is good. Actually, it’s world-class!

When are the best times to visit Belize for scuba diving?

The warmest months in Belize are from August to October. This is when average temperatures are around 82- 84°F (28-29°C). October and November is grouper mating season in the area. You can expect thousands of these fish to take over the cayes to mate and give birth to their babies. So scuba diving in Belize during this season is a great time.

From November to July, you can expect slightly cooler temperatures above and below the water. However, temperatures will only drop by a couple of degrees and most divers will still be comfortable in a shorty… except Carine. She’s always cold!
Finally, the months between April and June are considered the best time to see the whale sharks… if you’re lucky! The only time we got to see one so far has been while scuba diving in Thailand – while getting our open-water certification, nonetheless!

Where are the best scuba diving sites in Belize?

Because the coral reef is so large and spans a large area off the coast of Belize, there are so many dive sites that are worth visiting. We had the chance to dive at Belize’s Lighthouse reef while staying, including Long Caye, Half Moon Caye and the Blue Hole. We also got to dive around Glover’s Reef, which was also amazing. And a quick day trip to Laughing Bird Caye near Placencia.

How long is the Belize Barrier Reef?

The Belize Barrier Reef is 305 kilometers in length and is located in the Caribbean Sea. It’s part of the larger Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which spans 900 kilometers and touches the coasts of Belize, Mexico, Guatemala and Honduras. The reef is also the world’s largest double-barrier reef. This means that one barrier reef is formed outside an existing one. There are only 6 of these in the world! This makes the Belize Barrier Reef even more special!

Where can you go scuba diving in Belize?

The Belize Barrier Reef is home to 400 cayes, 3 atolls (Lighthouse, Glover’s & Turneffe), and 7 key marine reserve zones. So you won’t be lacking in beautiful corals and reefs to explore on your scuba trip to Belize.

In 1996, the Belize Barrier Reef was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. And with over 500 species of fish and 100 species of coral all throughout the reef system, Belize is one of the most diverse diving destinations in the world. It’s definitely one of the best places in the world to scuba dive.

But to answer the question more directly, you can go diving anywhere in Belize where you can find a coral reef or a wall. There are major dive shops located all over the country’s coast and on the cayes. So whether you want to dive from Caye Caulker or San Pedro, from Placencia or Hopkins, or on any of the atolls, you can find a shop that will take you out!

How much does it cost to scuba dive in Belize?

The cost of scuba diving in Belize will vary depending on the distance between the dive shop and the dive site. As the price of gas continues to increase, the cost of diving does as well.

You can expect to pay about $150 USD for a two-tank dive day for dives that are relatively close to the dive sites. But prices can go up quickly from there. For example, some shops in Caye Caulker will charge $350 or more to take you to the Blue Hole, which is a 3-tank full-day trip. From Placencia will charge $250 or more to take you to Glover’s Reef, about 2 hours away.

Most scuba dive shops and resorts in Belize will not include the price of the gear in their packages. They will cost you extra. You can expect to pay between $20 and $40 USD or more, depending on what you rent from them. Some charge per item, while others charge for the package.

Another cost to consider is the entrance fee for the national parks. For example, our dive resort on Lighthouse Reef didn’t include the entrance fee for the Blue Hole National Park ($30 USD) or Half Moon Caye ($10). Make sure you ask if the cost of your dive includes the entrance fee or if you have to pay extra for that.

How deep are the dives in Belize?

As most divers know, the deeper you go, the less sea life you will see, and the shorter your dive will be. The best dive sites aren’t very deep, averaging between 20-30 meters. The deepest we dove while in Belize was at the Blue Hole, about 41 meters below the surface.

Since the dive sites in Belize are part of the national park, you’ll always have a local guide with you who will be taking you through the dive sites. So you won’t need to plan much of your dive, just go with the pro.

The best dive resorts in Belize

Here are the 6 best diving resorts in Belize

1. Splash Dive in Placencia
2. A Muy’Ono Resort in Placencia
3. Turneffe Island Resort
4. Coco Plum Island Resort
5. Huracan Diving Lodge in Lighthouse Reef
6. Off the Wall Dive center in Glover’s Reef

Let us know in the comments if you plan to go scuba diving in Belize. Do you have any other questions for us or do you need any more info? Don’t be shy! We love talking about our scuba diving experiences.

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