Ambergris Caye Liveaboard Diving

Liveaboard Diving in Ambergris Caye

Belize Dive Area: Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye makes up 40km of the Belize Barrier Reef, with calm waters dense with coral gardens, colorful sponges, many Caribbean reef fish, and water visibility exceeding 46m. Consisting of many classic spur and groove formations with deep canyons, swim-throughs, undercuts, coral gardens, and sand flats, the diving never gets boring.

Ambergris Caye Underwater

You will delight in an underwater specter of colors with soft and hard corals such as staghorn, elkhorn, and gorgonian sea fans of pale green, deep purple, and red. Marine life provides for the occasional loggerhead turtle, Groupers, Angel Fish, Lobster, and Stone Crabs to the larger pelagics such as Sharks, Manta Rays, and the elusive Whale Shark. Many sites offer the opportunity to go critter hunting for red-banded coral shrimp, brittle stars, cautious nudibranchs, and more. A paradise for every diver.

Dive Sites Of Ambergris Caye

Esmeralda Canyons, right off San Pedro, is one of the top dive sites of Ambergris Caye. Hard coral ridges extend into deep canyons sharing distinct geography with the tropical fish that roam the waters, including a resident green moray eel, friendly nurse sharks, and giant black groupers.

Tres Cocos is a spectacular reef only 5 mins north of San Pedro. A spur and groove reef, this is a great site for the novice diver. Harlequin bass, trumpetfish, dusky damselfish, parrotfish, and squirrelfish are commonly seen amongst the coral. Yellowtail snapper, grey angelfish, bar jacks, and black durgeon hover just above the reefs or in the canyons. Nearby, the M&M Caverns is a unique dive spot with swim-throughs and tunnels. Because of the deep water surrounding these tunnels, there are always schools of horse-eye jacks and a good opportunity to see deep water pelagics cruising the reef.

Tackle Box Canyon features several deep, narrow canyons with vertical walls. Marine life is scarce in the caves and tunnels but plentiful on the top coral ridges. It is common to see jacks, groupers, snappers, parrotfish, angelfish, barracuda eels, spider crabs, lobster, nurse sharks, and the nocturnal glassy sweeper.

Cypress Canyons is another spur-and-groove reef adorned with coral growth like elkhorn, staghorn, lettuce, and boulder coral, creating an interesting topography. Small reef fish and critters such as the dusky damselfish, rock beauty, hogfish, spiny lobster, and hermit crabs are a haven for the avid macro photographer.

Top Tips For Divers

Diving at Ambergris Caye is year-round but bear in mind hurricane forecasts from July to September. Sea conditions are calmer from spring to summer, and the water temperature stays around 80F (27C) throughout the year. Visibility reaches 30m, and currents are generally mild but can be strong in some areas.

Getting To Ambergris Caye

Ambergris Caye is not currently included on any of our Belize itineraries but is an excellent place to add to the beginning or end of one of our Belize Liveaboards, which depart from the Radisson Ft. George dock, located in the heart of downtown Belize City. International flights to Belize depart regularly from around the world, often with a transfer to Miami, Florida. If you land at Belize City International Airport (BZE), the transfer is provided to and from the yachts.