Placencia Peninsula

Scuba Diving

This far south, the reef is as much as 20 mi (33 km) offshore, necessitating boat rides of at least 45 minutes to reach dive sites. Because this part of the reef has fewer cuts and channels, it's also more difficult to get out to the seaward side, where you'll find the best diving. As a result, most of the diving in this region is done from offshore cayes, which are surrounded by small reefs, usually with gently sloping drop-offs of about 80-100 feet. This isn't the place for spectacular wall dives—you're better off staying in the north or heading out to the atolls. Near Moho Caye, southeast of Placencia, you'll find brilliant red-and-yellow corals and sponges that rarely appear elsewhere in Belize. Laughingbird Caye, Belize's smallest marine reserve, is a popular spot for snorkeling. Whale sharks, gentle giants of the sea, appear off Placencia, in the Gladden Spit area, in late spring and early summer. You can snorkel or dive with them on day trips (around BZ$180-BZ$200 for snorkel trips, BZ$330-BZ$370 for dives) from Placencia. The best time to see whale sharks is three or four days before and after a full moon, March to June.

Diving costs a little more in Placencia than elsewhere. Full-day trips to the reef, including two-tank dive, all gear, and lunch, run BZ$190-BZ$260 per person. Two-tank and three-tank dive trips to Glover's Atoll are around BZ$300-BZ$440. Snorkeling trips start at around BZ$80 to BZ$100, and a snorkeling tour to Glover's Atoll is around BZ$175-BZ$220.

Guides

Most of the larger resorts, like the Inn at Robert's Grove and Turtle Inn, have good dive shops and also offer snorkel trips at competitive prices. Avadon Divers. Avadon Divers, which won the 2011 Belize Tourism Board's award for "Best Tour Operator of the Year," is generally considered the best dive operation in Placencia. 503/3377; 888/509-5617 in U.S. www.avadondiversbelize.com.

Seahorse Dive Shop. Brian Young runs the respected Seahorse Dive Shop. Local reef dives are BZ$214 including tax and gear. Glovers Atoll diving is BZ$340 including tax, gear, park fees, and lunch. If you don't dive, you can snorkel on any of these trips for BZ$120. 523/3166. www.belizescuba.com.

Splash Dive Center. At the end of the Sidewalk, at the harbor, Splash Dive Center offers dive and snorkel trips. 523/3058. www.splashbelize.com.

Ocean Motion. For snorkeling trips check with Ocean Motion, on the Sidewalk in the heart of Placencia Village. A day snorkeling trip to Laughing Bird Caye is BZ$122 per person and a day trip to Ranguana Caye is BZ$154. 523/3363. www.oceanmotionplacencia.com.

More Sports and Outdoors

• Fishing
• Sailing

• Scuba Diving