Belize

Gladden Spit is the site of one of the ocean's most extraordinary spectacles: each year between March and June, on the nights of the full moon, hundreds of cubera and dog snapper gather to spawn in a feeding frenzy that attracts whale sharks up to 15 m in length. Divers descend to 20–30 m in the blue water and watch the giants filter-feeding on the spawn clouds, an experience that has no equivalent anywhere else in the Caribbean. Only permitted certified divers with licensed guides may dive the site.

The Great Blue Hole is a 300 m wide, 125 m deep submarine sinkhole at the centre of Lighthouse Reef Atoll, declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site and made famous by Jacques Cousteau. Divers descend through the hole's cobalt-blue water to 40 m to see perfectly preserved stalactites formed when the cavern was above sea level during the last ice age. Bull sharks, Caribbean reef sharks, and midnight parrotfish cruise the outer walls.

The Elbow at the southern tip of Turneffe Atoll is famous as one of Belize's best current dives, where tidal flow funnels past the reef tip carrying a constant stream of horse-eye jacks, creole wrasse, and spotted eagle rays. Nurse sharks rest on sandy ledges at 20 m and great hammerheads are reliably sighted here in late winter. The drift is exhilarating on a strong tide and very manageable on neap tides.

Belize Barrier Reef Divers operates from Ambergris Caye, the gateway to the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System — a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the second-largest barrier reef on Earth. Signature trips head to the Great Blue Hole, a perfectly circular marine sinkhole 300 metres across, where stalactite-hung cavern walls beneath 40 metres attract Caribbean reef sharks and midnight parrotfish. Manatee encounter snorkel tours and night dives on the shallow lagoon-side reef complement the deeper offshore diving program.

Turneffe Atoll Dive Team is based at Turneffe Island Resort, giving guests direct access to one of the Western Caribbean's largest atolls and its celebrated permit flats, mangrove systems, and offshore drop-offs harbouring resident great hammerhead sharks. The atoll's isolation from Belize City keeps diver numbers low and marine life impact minimal, resulting in consistently pristine reefs with spectacular coverage of elkhorn and staghorn coral beginning their post-bleaching recovery. Technical diving certification in Belize remains rare, making this one of few operators offering NAUI Tech and TDI courses in country.