Review Topic:  Sights & Attractions




Having by now experienced ruins and rainforest, visit Belize Reef!
Nineteen miles offshore lies the 180-mile long Belize Barrier Reef, the world's second largest expanse of coral after Australia's and the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, a snorkeling and diving heaven teeming with life. Even Jacques Cousteau praised the park's reefs 30 years ago.
To the west of the reef are numerous cayes basking in warm water usually not over 16 feet deep. The most popular with travelers is Ambergris Caye, some 36 miles north of Belize City, the largest (25 miles long) of the country's cayes--ragged islands dotting Belize's coast along the Caribbean Sea and Belize’s diving capital. We popped over from the mainland to get a taste of the great reef, landing in colorful San Pedro. The reef is 1 km east of the main town of San Pedro -- the island's only town -- with dozens of narrow streets paved with sand. Ramon's Village is home of San Pedro's best beach. Since Ambergris Cay has more hotels than any other part of Belize, visitors often use it as their base for day trips and longer excursions.
Being one of the region’s premier dive spots, it offers underwater experiences beyond compare. The exceptional nature of Belize is even more pronounced offshore, with a host of excursions offered to diving and snorkeling spots, including: Blue Hole, Glover’s Reef and Turneffe Islands, three of the only four coral atolls on this side of the world. The Blue Hole, 300 to 400 feet deep, is an almost perfect circle of sapphire water ringed by aquamarine shallows. Once avoided by native Caribbean fishermen, these mysterious, seemingly bottomless pools were originally dry caves and caverns on islands of limestone. Big Blue in Belize's Lighthouse Reef is among today's favorite attractions for divers. Ramon's Village San Pedro: http://www.ambergriscaye.com/ramons/index.html One Freedom Square Laurel, MS 39440-3325, USA 601-649-1990 / Fax: 601-649-1996 available scuba instruction, dive guides, water craft rentals and fishing trips · Mata Chica Beach Resort: http://www.matachica.com San Pedro, Ambergris Caye matachica@btl.net Phone: (501) 21-3010 /FAX:3012 Accessible only by boat, Mata Chica offers 11 individual bungalows decorated with one-of-a-kind murals. Also available: a 42-foot, four-stateroom catamaran anchored offshore, which is especially targeted to honeymooners.




Recommended: Yes