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Belize a Family and Dive Destination

© Linda Gettmann

From romantic tropical breezes to world-class diving - whatever you're in the mood for, you'll find it in Belize. Here is a country of unlimited discovery, contrasts, and enchanting surprises. Belize's wilderness aspect makes it seem very far-flung, but it is close to the USA and is easily reached via jet service from several gateway cities, Miami and Houston to name two. This small country places a high emphasis on nature and is a nation of inland ecological appeal and an offshore Caribbean paradise encompassing one of the best underwater environments in the world.

Off the 170 miles of Belize coastline, from 12 to 30 miles away, is a massive and continuous section of barrier reef. The second longest reef system in the world, it represents a lifetime of dive discoveries. But that's not all - beyond the barrier reef are three magnificent coral atolls, Turneffe Islands, Lighthouse Reef, and Glover's Reef. Each is another dive universe, each is larger than some well-known dive islands and each is unique and different. Along the reefline and around the atolls are hundreds of islands. Some are equipped with comfortable accommodations, restaurants, and dive shops dedicated to discovering the fascinating underwater world at their doorstep.

If you can tear yourself away from diving adventure, there is another Belize waiting for you inland. Beginning with the wonderful people, you will discover innocence, humor and charm. A thousand years ago, ancestors of the present day Maya created impressive sophisticated cities and temples in the jungle. We now recognize that Belize includes a sizable portion of the ancient Maya heartland. Fifteen of these sites are available to visitors. Hundreds more are still engulfed by the jungle.

Visitors are attracted to Belize primarily because of its natural assets - a place like nowhere else on earth, a biological and cultural shelter, a meeting place between two great continents and an ocean wilderness. Offshore there is diving, birding and wide panoramas of sea and sand. Inland you can wake up to a soft breeze of cool mountain air or the warmth of the sun on a beach, or a coastal plain. The sheer variety of wildlife is incredible, a refuge of the jaguar, tapir, and the white-tailed deer. There are more than 300 species of birds, 150 varieties of orchids and more species of butterflies than in the US and Canada combined. Adventurous travelers will find rivers, mountains, estuaries, jungles, waterfalls and deep limestone caves waiting to be explored.

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