Ambergris Caye is one of the easiest places from which to explore the Belize Barrier Reef. The reef runs close to the island, which means you can leave San Pedro and be at many local dive sites within minutes rather than spending hours travelling by boat.

The underwater scenery includes coral ridges, sandy channels, spur-and-groove formations, canyons and swim-throughs. Each site offers something different, from relaxed shallow reef diving to deeper routes along the outer reef. Parrotfish, angelfish, snappers, groupers and moray eels are commonly found among the coral, while turtles, spotted eagle rays, southern stingrays and nurse sharks add to the possibility of a memorable encounter.

Ambergris Caye is primarily a land-based and day-boat diving destination—and that is one of its strengths. Local operators can select sites according to the weather, current and experience of the divers onboard. Nearby Hol Chan can also be dived at night, when the reef takes on a completely different character and nocturnal marine life emerges.

If your main aim is to dive the local Ambergris Caye reefs, staying in San Pedro and using day boats may be the most convenient choice. A liveaboard becomes more attractive if you want to explore remote offshore sites such as Half Moon Caye, Lighthouse Reef and the Great Blue Hole without the long journeys required from Ambergris Caye.

One particularly good option is to combine the two: spend a few days diving from San Pedro before or after joining a Belize liveaboard. This gives you the convenience and atmosphere of Ambergris Caye together with the more intensive diving and remote-site access offered by staying aboard a dive boat.

The local Ambergris Caye diving information shows the range of reef, Hol Chan and night-diving trips available from San Pedro. You can then compare the available Belize liveaboards for the offshore part of your trip.