Ambergris Caye
Caye Caulker
Turneffe Atoll
Glover’s Reef Atoll
Placencia
Dive the Great Blue Hole
Snorkel Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Spot manatees at Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary
Explore the Maya ruins at Lamanai by boat
Fish the bonefish flats of Turneffe Atoll
San Pedro, Ambergris Caye
Lamanai
Xunantunich
Altun Ha
Placencia Village
The dry season from late November through May brings the calmest seas and clearest water for diving and snorkelling. June through November is Belize’s rainier, more hurricane-prone stretch, though early and late in that window often still offers good sailing between storms. February through April tends to combine reliably settled weather with the clearest visibility at the Great Blue Hole and outer atolls.
Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport (BZE), just northwest of Belize City, is the country’s main gateway, with direct flights from several US cities and connections across Central America. From there, most charter guests take a short domestic flight or water taxi out to Ambergris Caye or Caye Caulker, where many itineraries begin. Belize City itself sits close enough to the barrier reef that transfer times to the boat are usually under an hour.
Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker both offer easy access to the northern barrier reef and Hol Chan Marine Reserve, with plenty of shoreside restaurants for evenings ashore. Turneffe Atoll and Glover’s Reef, further offshore, trade convenience for noticeably clearer water and quieter anchorages, better suited to diving than casual exploring. Most itineraries combine a few nights inshore near San Pedro with two or three offshore at the atolls.
A week is enough to combine the northern cayes with a day trip out to Lighthouse Reef and the Great Blue Hole, while ten days to two weeks allow time to properly explore all three offshore atolls and add an inland excursion to the Maya ruins at Lamanai. Shorter three or four day charters generally stay close to Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker rather than venturing out to the atolls.
No permit is required for visitors, though a small conservation fee is charged, most commonly collected by the licensed tour guide required to lead any snorkelling or diving trip inside the reserve. Hol Chan, meaning little channel in Creole, protects a narrow cut through the reef along with the nearby Shark Ray Alley, where nurse sharks and southern stingrays gather in shallow water. The same licensing system applies at Belize’s other marine reserves, including the manatee sanctuary at Swallow Caye.
Tell us what you would like to know, and our team will respond with clear details on availability, specification, pricing and next steps.
