Diving Ambergris Caye starts a few minutes from the beach. The island sits behind the largest barrier reef in this hemisphere, so the reef, the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and the offshore atolls are all within reach of a boat ride from San Pedro.
This guide is for certified divers planning a trip and the snorkelers traveling with them. It covers the trips White Sands Dive Shop runs, how a dive morning works and what you can rent.
White Sands Dive Shop is a 5 Star PADI Dive Facility on the beach in San Pedro, owned and operated by PADI IDC Staff Instructor Elbert Greer. We dive, teach and snorkel daily.
What is diving on Ambergris Caye like?
Quick answer: Diving Ambergris Caye means boat dives on the barrier reef just off San Pedro, plus the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and full-day trips to Turneffe Atoll and the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef. White Sands Dive Shop runs one-, two- and three-tank reef dives, a night dive and atoll days, with local trips leaving at 9:00 from your hotel dock.
Ambergris Caye dive trips compared: reef, Hol Chan, night and atoll days
Our trip list is short and easy to plan around. Many visitors mix reef mornings with one atoll day and a Hol Chan morning.
| Trip | What the trip includes | Good fit for | Schedule |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1-tank barrier reef dive | One dive on the local reef, tanks and weights | A first dive after travel, or a short morning | 9:00 departure, hotel dock pickup |
| 2-tank barrier reef dive | Two reef dives, tanks and weights | Most certified divers on a normal dive day | 9:00 departure, hotel dock pickup |
| 3-tank barrier reef dive | Three reef dives, tanks and weights | Divers who want the most bottom time locally | 9:00 departure, hotel dock pickup |
| Hol Chan dive and Shark Ray Alley snorkel | One tank in the reserve, then a snorkel; park tickets extra | Divers who want the reserve plus a shallow wildlife stop | 9:00 departure, hotel dock pickup |
| Night dive | One tank after dark; dive light rented separately | Certified divers curious about the reef at night | Ask us when you book |
| Turneffe or Blue Hole atoll day | Three dives, continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks | Experienced divers with a whole day to give | Full day |
Every dive includes tanks and weights. Rates change, so check the current dive course prices on our Water Sports page and email us for today’s trip rates before you set a budget.
Best dive sites around Ambergris Caye on our trip list
The island has far more named dive sites than one guide can cover. We name only the places our own trips visit.
Barrier reef local dives
The reef runs just offshore, which keeps boat rides short and mornings relaxed. Our one-, two- and three-tank dives all go to the barrier reef.
Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley
Hol Chan was declared a reserve by the Government of Belize in 1987, and it lies about four miles southeast of San Pedro, according to the Belize Tourism Board snorkeling guide to Hol Chan. Our trip pairs one tank inside the reserve with a snorkel at Shark Ray Alley. The whole morning is laid out in our guide to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve dive and Shark Ray Alley snorkel.
Mexico Rocks for snorkelers
Mexico Rocks is one of our two snorkel trips, alongside Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley. It suits non-divers, and our Ambergris Caye snorkeling guide to Hol Chan and Mexico Rocks compares the two.
Turneffe Atoll and the Great Blue Hole
Beyond the local reef we run full-day trips to Turneffe Atoll, including The Elbow and Turneffe North, and to the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef. Each day is three dives with continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks. Details are on our Great Blue Hole and Turneffe atoll day trips page.
How a dive trip with hotel dock pickup works in San Pedro
Our local diving and snorkeling trips have a scheduled 9:00 departure, and we pick you up at the dock of your hotel. No walk across town with a gear bag.
- Email us your dates, your certification level and roughly when you last dived.
- Choose your trips: reef mornings, Hol Chan, a night dive or an atoll day.
- Tell us what gear you need to rent so it can be ready for you.
- Have your certification card, swimwear, sun protection and your own gear ready at your hotel dock before 9:00.
- Step aboard at the dock and head out to the reef.
If it has been a while since your last dive, start with a skills session. Our scuba refresher course on Ambergris Caye includes a pool review, a Hol Chan dive with the instructor and a Shark Ray Alley snorkel.
Scuba gear rental on Ambergris Caye
You can travel light. Tanks and weights come with every dive, and the rest of the kit is available to rent from the shop:
- Mask, snorkel and fins
- BCD, the buoyancy control device: the inflatable vest that holds your tank
- Regulator, which delivers air from the tank
- Shortie wetsuit
- Dive light, which you will need for the night dive
The Belize Barrier Reef: what you dive on
The Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System was inscribed as a World Heritage Site in 1996. The UNESCO World Heritage listing for the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System calls it the largest barrier reef in the Northern Hemisphere and names seven protected areas, among them the Blue Hole Natural Monument and Half Moon Caye Natural Monument.
UNESCO also lists three atolls within the property: Turneffe Island, Lighthouse Reef and Glover’s Reef. Two of those are on our day trip list. UNESCO counts more than 500 fish species and 65 stony coral species across the system, which is why a week of local dives rarely feels repetitive.
Best time to dive Ambergris Caye and water temperature
We haven’t yet published month-by-month notes on sea conditions and water temperature, so we won’t guess here. Email Elbert your travel dates and ask what to expect that week.
Dive and snorkel trips in this guide
Each trip and course mentioned above has its own page. Use these to go deeper before you book.
Who you dive with at White Sands Dive Shop
White Sands Dive Shop is a PADI International Resort Association member and is licensed by the Belize Tourism Board. Elbert Greer, a PADI IDC Staff Instructor, owns and runs the shop, and his background is in our profile of Elbert Greer, PADI instructor in San Pedro.
Student Vivake K. Bhalla wrote that Elbert was “very friendly and fun, but equally very strict about safety”. You can read that note and others on our page of letters from Elbert’s dive students.
Not certified yet? Start with our guide to learning to dive on Ambergris Caye, or try Discover Scuba Diving on Ambergris Caye, which qualifies you to dive in the marine reserve with a certified divemaster to 40 feet.
Diving Ambergris Caye: your questions answered
Do I need to be certified to go diving on Ambergris Caye?
Certified divers can join any of our dive trips. If you are not certified, Discover Scuba Diving lets you dive in the marine reserve with a certified divemaster to 40 feet.
What time do dive trips leave, and where do you pick up?
Our local dive and snorkel trips have a scheduled 9:00 departure, and we pick you up at the dock of your hotel.
Is equipment included on a 2 tank dive?
Tanks and weights are included on every dive. Mask, snorkel, fins, BCD, regulator, shortie wetsuit and dive light are available to rent.
Are Hol Chan park tickets included in the dive?
No. Park tickets for the Hol Chan Marine Reserve are not included in the trip, so ask us for the current amount when you book.
Can I dive the Great Blue Hole from Ambergris Caye?
Yes. We run full-day trips to the Great Blue Hole at Lighthouse Reef and to Turneffe Atoll, each with three dives plus continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and drinks.
Plan your diving with Elbert
Email elbertgreer@fastmail.fm or call 011 (501) 226 2405 with your dates, your certification level and the trips you have in mind. We will help you fit reef mornings, Hol Chan and an atoll day into your stay.