Belize Barrier Reef Travel Guide
Travel to Belize Barrier Reef - Marine UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site
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Declared a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site in 1996, Belize’s 185 mile (300km) long Barrier Reef is the country’s top tourist destination, for very obvious reasons: one of the world’s most diverse ecosystems in a stunning, easily-accessible location, with a tropical climate and an efficient yet friendly service industry catering to those who wish to explore it.
Water sports are a major draw, with some of the world’s finest dive sites located here – including the Great Blue Hole, made famous by Jacques Cousteau. Most of the coral life is to be found near the surface making snorkelling an equally rewarding pastime.
But it is not just underwater that the natural wonders lie, for the cays and atolls created by the reef system are home to a wealth of flora and fauna, particularly attractive to bird watchers.
The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly 300 m (0.2 mile) offshore in the north and 40 km (25 mile) in the south within the country limits. The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300 km (185 miles) section of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System which is continuous from Cancun on the northeast tip of the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico and continues through to offshore Guatemala, making it the second largest coral reef system in the world after the Great Barrier Reef in Australia.
The Belize Barrier Reef is home to a large diversity of plants and animals, one of the most diverse ecosystems of the world:70 hard coral species; 36 soft coral species; 500 species of fish; hundreds of invertebrate species. With 90% of the reef still needing to be researched, it is estimated that only 10% of all species has been discovered
A large portion of the reef is protected by the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, which includes seven marine reserves, 450 cays, and three atolls. It totals 960 km² (370 miles²) in area.
Attractions in Belize Barrier Reef
Belize Barrier Reef is one huge attraction in itself, with locations such as the Great Blue Hole, the Turneffe Islands and Half Caye Natural Monument, being just a drop in the ocean …literally!
The cays and reefs that are accessible from Placencia, Dangriga, Belize City, Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye all belong to this reef system.
Activities in Belize Barrier Reef
The main activity here is looking at the natural wonders of the coral reef and the flora and fauna that inhabit in or around it. This can be done by snorkelling or diving.
Relaxing
On a desert island, looking at a star-filled sky with gentle lapping of the Caribbean in your ears.
Getting Around
The only real way to get around the barrier reef is, of course, by boat, with the main departure points being Belize City, Placencia, Dangriga, Caye Caulker and Ambergris Caye.
Some of the cays have their own landing strips, but these are limited.
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