Lighthouse Reef är en otrolig atoll, en korallö som omger en lagun, i Karibiska havet, och blev känd av den legendariska havsforskaren Jacques Cousteau, som med rätta förklarade att den var en av de tio bästa dykplatserna i världen.
Följ i Cousteaus fotspår genom att dyka i Great Blue Hole, undervattenshålet i centrum av lagunen. Interagera med korallrevets fauna, inklusive fantastiska karibiska revhajar, Blacktip-hajar, barrakudor, stingrays, sköldpaddor och hundratals olika fiskar på ett guidat eller oberoende dyk.
Besök Long Caye, där du kan snorkla i de skyddade lagunerna och se det rikliga djurlivet, inklusive sällsynta fåglar, leguaner och andra tropiska arter. Upplevelsen kommer bara att matchas genom att besöka Half Moon Caye, den idylliska ön som inkluderar en nationalpark och ett fågelreservat.
Interact with the fauna of the coral reef, including Caribbean reef sharks, blacktip sharks, barracudas, stingrays, turtles, and hundreds of different fish on a guided or independent dive. Visit Long Caye, where you can snorkel in the protected lagoons and see the bountiful wildlife, including rare birds, iguanas, and other tropical species. There’s also Half Moon Caye, the idyllic island that includes a national park and a bird sanctuary. Or, for a bird’s-eye view of the area, book a scenic helicopter tour and see the sights from above.
You can reach Lighthouse Reef by dive boat or water taxi from Belize City, as well as Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye. Many snorkeling or diving tours that include transportation have daily excursions to Lighthouse Reef, highlighting the Great Blue Hole. From Belize’s Philip S. W. Goldson International Airport to Belize City, it takes about 15 to 25 minutes, depending on traffic.
Lighthouse Reef offers year-round diving since Belize’s climate is generally sunny and warm, and the rainy and dry seasons aren’t an issue since the reef is far offshore of the mainland. During the summer, visibility can be reduced because of plankton and algae blooms. The water temperature is usually around 85 degrees Fahrenheit (29 degrees Celsius); it might drop slightly in the winter months.
Belize is a popular scuba diving destination, boasting the longest unbroken barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere. The Great Blue Hole is probably the best-known dive site here, but other hot spots include Placencia to the south for whale shark encounters, Long Caye Wall to see coral and sponges, and the Turneffe Atoll for barracuda, cubera snapper, Atlantic spadefish, and shark species.