Just south of Mexico, once part of the Mayan and British Empires, English-speaking Belize offers the best of worlds; a soft white sand coastline home to the second largest barrier reef in the world and a lush interior jungle with its Mayan ruins, exotic birds, waterfalls and adventures.

Every destination in Belize has its share of archaeological and national parks, marine and nature reserves, wildlife sanctuaries. Each of these protected areas is packed with opportunities for adventure.

Walk out of the jungle to admire the incredible biodiversity of its waters. Enjoy excellent scuba diving and snorkeling on the Belize Barrier Reef or on one of the three atolls - Turneffe, Glovers and Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Immerse yourself in every shade of blue imaginable as you discover the medley of marine critters that inhabit these warm, crystal-clear Caribbean waters.

Don’t even think about leaving this compact, easy to reach, Central American nation without scaling an ancient Mayan temple, tubing through a vast cave system, horseback riding on jungle trails, zip lining through the rain forest, or one of the many other adventures that await you. Let Reef & Rainforest‘s Belize experts be your guide to the best of Belize.

Blessed with the world`s second largest barrier reef running parallel to the coast, Belize is a snorkel and dive haven. Belize`s underwater landscape is incredible diverse. It ranges from gentle slopes adorned with gorgonian fans, to sloping shelves with deep cracks and crevices, to the reef`s outer edge with great wall drop offs, to one of the wonders of the world, The Blue Hole.

In deeper water the coral walls grow steeper and crevices give way to the brilliant blues of open water. Turrets and spires of coral reach from the surface while the reef wall plunges into the blue. The wall is festooned with deep-water seafans and feathery sea whips and large colorful sponges that are home to pairs of queen angelfish. From your very first dive you’ll see spectacular stands of yellow and purple tube sponges that are brilliant and large. Schools of chromi glide gracefully around coral heads and through the maze of gorgonians. Large black grouper peer out curiously from hideaways. Numerous iridescent pink and violet vase sponges may appear to have internal bioluminescence. At depths below 80 feet, huge black coral trees come into view. Sheer walls beginning at 30 feet plummet vertically more than 2,000 feet around Lighthouse Reef and Glover’s Reef with more than 600 coral pinnacles and patch coral heads to choose from.

Always keep an eye out in the blue, you just never know what is going to chance by! Around Half Moon Caye an encounter with a southern stingray or a majestic eagle ray close up is common. Manatees are a permanent resident in the Turneffe Islands shallows and flats while the rare red-footed boobie bird nests at Half Moon Caye. Gladden Spit is home to Whale Sharks who frequent the area during the weeks of the full moon in March, April and May.

Securely set in the middle of Central America with Mexico to the north and Guatemala to the west and south, Belize has a relatively small population of 200,000. It’s geographical area is small in size at only 8,867 square miles but this country is gigantic in the way of attractions and diversity. The mainland and coastal cays are incredible wonders, with the topography changing rapidly. The capital, Belmopan, is the seat of government with a population of 44,000. Approximately 270,000 people in Belize consist of Creole, Garifuna, Mestizo, Spanish, Maya, English, Mennonite, Lebanese, Chinese, and East Indian. Due to racial harmony and religious tolerance, all of these different elements have mixed and blended successfully, and Belize has gained a widespread reputation for its friendly peoples.

Because Belize was an British colony, English is the official language of Belize although Spanish, Creole, Garifuna and Mayan are widely spoken throughout the country.

The climate is sub-tropical, with a brisk prevailing wind from the Caribbean Sea. The average annual temperature averages about 80ºF with a humidity that is nicely tempered by the sea breezes keeping it around 85%. Variation in weather features, emphasizes the interesting difference in elevation, geology, land and animal life. A summer high temperature, usually never exceeds 96ºF and winter lows are seldom below 60ºF, even at night. Annual rainfall ranges from 50 inches in the north to 170 inches in the south. Although the rainy season is usually between June and October and the dry season is between February and May, global weather changes are making historical predictions somewhat invalid. At the end of October, the weather does become cooler, and from November to February it is pleasant with occasional showers.

Boasting the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere, Belize is a premier spot for scuba diving, snorkeling and other watersports. The reef is home to over 430 species of exotic reef fish, 70 species of hard coral and a thriving community of manatee and sea turtles. Belize`s barrier reef and three off-shore atolls offer fantastic diving conditions over live coral reefs.

The Blue Hole is Belize`s most famous dive site. One thousand feet in diameter, the Blue Hole plunges 410 feet in depth. This "must dive", popularized by a Jacque Cousteau documentary, is believed to have been a cave whose roof fell in during the end of the Ice Age when the land receded into the sea. Lighthouse Reef Atoll, the farthest atoll from shore, features pristine drop-offs and is home to the Blue Hole. Glover's Reef Atoll is the least known of the three atolls and is a coral paradise featuring protected rarely visited sites. Turneffe Atoll is the largest atoll and easiest to reach.

Novice scuba divers will love Belize`s calm, crystal warm waters offering numerous fascinating sites within the protected waters of the reef. Experienced divers will be delighted with sites that include an assortment of shipwrecks, black coral forests, exotic tropical fish and pelagic species.

Reef and Rainforest has grouped the properties according to their location. Outer reef resorts include the properties on Turneffe Atoll and Glover`s Atoll, inner reef resorts are located on Ambergris Caye, Thatch Caye and on the mainland. Whether you choose a resort on the mainland or on an outer caye, all the dive locations are within your reach. Belize will dazzle the underwater adventurer.