Review diving in Belize in Gladden Spit & Placencia

In the south of the country, a few kilometers from Colombia lies a haven of peace far from the islands of northern Belize. The Placencia Peninsula is perfect for a quiet dive in Belize, away from the tourist streets on the sandy beaches of a lagoon lined with mangroves and an antique jungle.

On the other hand, very close to the peninsula, the very famous reserve of Gladden pit, south of the reef of Belize, has been classified marine park since 2001 and hosts a multitude of whale shark. It is also one of the best destinations in the world for diving with whale sharks. The second marine reserve is called Laughing Bird Cay and offers magnificent diving sites in the Caribbean.

What to see while diving around Placencia

The Laughing Bird Caye and Gladden Spit Nature Reserves feature particularly well-preserved corals with vivid colors, ranging from mauve to yellow. On the other hand, there is a multitude of fishes with, on the one hand, all the common fishes of the Caribbean but also toadfish, spotted moray eels, lobsters, trumpets, barracudas, groupers, angelfishes , turtles, eagle rays, manta rays and, of course, whale sharks. These are particularly present during the whale shark season in Belize from March to June and are attracted by snapper eggs.

Liveaboard of Belize – Gladden Spit

The best way to experience Gladden Spit is clearly to get on a diving cruise ship in Belize. Indeed, the liveaboards of Belize will take you to the most beautiful diving sites in Belize most of which are simply inaccessible as the diving centers of Belize do not go there. A few diving centers goes there but it can take hours. In addition, the diving cruises of Gladden Spit obviously visit other diving areas and you can visit the best dive sites of Belize in one week.

Stay and Diving Cruise at Gladden Spit and Laughing Bird Cay

Diving with Whale Sharks in Gladden Spit

At about 35 kilometers from Placencia and about thirty kilometers from Laughing Bird Caye lies the magnificent reefs of Gladden Spot and Silk Cays, both classified as a Marine Reserve. This enormous area of more than 11 000 hectares is home to an extremely varied fauna and in particular many whale sharks.

The area is particularly rich in plankton and especially in snapper egg from March to June and is clearly the best diving site in Belize to dive with whale sharks with whale sharks. Although a few diving centers in Belize goes there, we strongly advise you to book a liveaboard in Belize to visit this simply extraordinary diving site

Laughing Bird Cay Scuba Diving Sites

Laughing Bird Cay

It is one of the three unique submerged atolls on the planet also known as the Faro Atolls. And was classified as a protected reserve in 1981, Nature Park in 1991 and World Heritage in 1996 at the same time than the entire barrier reef.

You can easily reach this dive site for a day trip. This dive site allows divers to discover two extremely rare species of toadfish; The spotted white toadfish and the white stripped toadfish. The dive site is also particularly known for its lemon sharks and its nurse sharks. You should also know that the diving shop of belize regularly propose to take a night dive on this site.

Laughing Bird Cay North

Is a magnificent calm and current less dive. The large wall starts at about 8 meters deep and descends to 27 meters. You can admire beautiful black corals and beautiful colored gorgonas. In addition, you can dive with morays and lobsters among other things.

Laughing Bird Caye Drop Off

It is a relatively easy dive that can be reached directly from the coast. The site is ideal to try scuba diving in Belize. We meet big grouper, barracudas and angel fish.

Long Coco Split

It is a very nice drop off which begins at 8 meters to go down to 24 meters. Very beautiful gorgonians as well as magnificent eagle rays and a few moray eels.

Laughing Bird Caye South.

The dive site is a magnificent canyon about fifteen meters long. Nursing sharks, rays and some crustaceans are hidden in the crevasses and small caves of the canyon.

Coral Garden

A superb dive that bears his name well. The corals are in excellent health and abundance. There are many tropical fishes.

Miss Pamela Wreck

This is one of the few diving wreck dives of Belize. Miss Pamela is a tug that was deliberately sunk to create an artificial reef in 2002. The boat lies 27 meters deep and is guarded by many barracudas and tropical fish