Lighthouse Reef Atoll is known worldwide in scuba diving circles for its spectacular diving, but it is most famous for a site called the Great Blue Hole. Originally a cave whose roof collapsed thousands of years ago and filled with water, the Blue Hole forms a perfect 1,000 foot/300m diameter circle on the surface then plunges vertically to a depth of 412 feet/126m. At 130 feet/40m depth inside the hole are the world’s largest underwater dripstones, or stalactites, ever found. Also at Lighthouse Reef, you will find Half Moon Caye, a National Park managed by the Belize Audubon Society. Half Moon Caye is home to a bird colony of rare Red Footed Boobies that can be observed up close by visitors. This Atoll is the furthest out of the Belize Atolls, approximately 66 miles from Hamanasi.

We start this trip bright and early and head to the Great Blue Hole, which takes approximately 2.5 hours.  We have two Blue Hole dive profiles.  Only experienced, comfortable dives, who have previously conducted a Barrier Reef dive WITH Hamanasi, will be permitted to dive to 130’/40m.  Other divers will enjoy a comfortable 60’/18m Blue Hole dive. After the Blue Hole, we head a short distance to Half Moon Caye Bird Sanctuary.  Located at the southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef, Half Moon Caye has some of Belize’s clearest waters and finest beaches.  This 45-acre island managed by the Belize Audubon Society was declared a natural monument in 1981, largely because of its Hawk’s Bill and Loggerhead Turtle nesting sites, as well as its 4,000 red footed boobies.  These rare birds are a glistening white color with bright red webbed feet.  The birds nest in the heavily wooded west end of the island where there is a viewing platform allowing visitors an unbelievable view of both the reefs and the trees covered with booby and frigate birds. Our second dive explores the Half Moon Caye wall, a unique topography of swim-through channels.  Immense coral buttresses are decorated with black corals, gorgonian, sea whips and a variety of brightly colored sponges, as well as a profusion of reef fish and cruising pelagics. Divers then return to Half Moon Caye for a picnic lunch and a relaxing surface interval before heading out to Long Caye for our third and final dive. Perched on the edge of the cobalt blue abyss The Aquarium starts in only 15-20 feet/4-6m of water before plummeting downward. This site offers what is arguably some of Belize’s most prolific and high energy diving. We then depart for our 2-hour journey home with the wind at our back and the sun setting over the Maya Mountains before us.

Lighthouse Reef Atoll is known worldwide in scuba diving circles for its spectacular diving, but it is most famous for a site called the Great Blue Hole. Originally a cave whose roof collapsed thousands of years ago and filled with water, the Blue Hole forms a perfect 1,000 foot/300m diameter circle on the surface then plunges vertically to a depth of 412 feet/126m. At 130 feet/40m depth inside the hole are the world’s largest underwater dripstones, or stalactites, ever found. Also at Lighthouse Reef, you will find Half Moon Caye, a National Park managed by the Belize Audubon Society. Half Moon Caye is home to a bird colony of rare Red Footed Boobies that can be observed up close by visitors. This Atoll is the furthest out of the Belize Atolls, approximately 66 miles from Hamanasi.

We start this trip bright and early and head to the Great Blue Hole, which takes approximately 2.5 hours.  We have two Blue Hole dive profiles.  Only experienced, comfortable dives, who have previously conducted a Barrier Reef dive WITH Hamanasi, will be permitted to dive to 130’/40m.  Other divers will enjoy a comfortable 60’/18m Blue Hole dive. After the Blue Hole, we head a short distance to Half Moon Caye Bird Sanctuary.  Located at the southeast corner of Lighthouse Reef, Half Moon Caye has some of Belize’s clearest waters and finest beaches.  This 45-acre island managed by the Belize Audubon Society was declared a natural monument in 1981, largely because of its Hawk’s Bill and Loggerhead Turtle nesting sites, as well as its 4,000 red footed boobies.  These rare birds are a glistening white color with bright red webbed feet.  The birds nest in the heavily wooded west end of the island where there is a viewing platform allowing visitors an unbelievable view of both the reefs and the trees covered with booby and frigate birds. Our second dive explores the Half Moon Caye wall, a unique topography of swim-through channels.  Immense coral buttresses are decorated with black corals, gorgonian, sea whips and a variety of brightly colored sponges, as well as a profusion of reef fish and cruising pelagics. Divers then return to Half Moon Caye for a picnic lunch and a relaxing surface interval before heading out to Long Caye for our third and final dive. Perched on the edge of the cobalt blue abyss The Aquarium starts in only 15-20 feet/4-6m of water before plummeting downward. This site offers what is arguably some of Belize’s most prolific and high energy diving. We then depart for our 2-hour journey home with the wind at our back and the sun setting over the Maya Mountains before us.