Welcome to a dive like no other—where the ocean opens into a perfectly round portal of deep blue mystery. The Great Blue Hole of Belize isn’t just a geological wonder, as it’s considered one of the most thrilling underwater adventures on our planet. 

As you descend deeper, layers of ancient limestone formations, surreal silence, and aquatic life unfold around you like chapters in a hidden story.

Whether you’re a seasoned diver or chasing your first bucket-list experience, this guide will lead you through every step of exploring this iconic sinkhole—from preparation to the awe-inspiring plunge. Let’s dive in.

Fun Facts About the Blue Hole

• Thousands of years ago, this great Blue Hole in Belize was a limestone cave.
• While rising the sea level and the cave flooded and collapsed.
• The Great Blue Hole is one of Jacques Cousteau’s favorite dive sites.
• This Blue Hole is about 122 metres/400 feet in depth.
• With 300 meters in width, the Great Blue Hole in Belize is massive enough to be seen from space.

Marine Life in The Great Blue Hole

The reef that surrounds The Great Blue Hole in Belize is one of the UNSECO World Heritage Sites. This site is full of colorful fish, groupers, shrimp, and other Caribbean marine life. Once you descend down there, things change.

Instead of gobies and groupers, there are stalagmites, stalactites, and sharks. You won’t see many fish because the conditions inside aren’t helpful for any growing healthy reef. Almost all types of corals need sunlight and nutrient-rich water to be able to live and grow and these things don’t exist in the Blue Hole.

Here, scuba divers are expected to see black tip and reef sharks. They may also see other types of sharks, like bull and hammerhead sharks.

How To Dive The Blue Hole

When talking about Blue Hole diving, there are two choices. You can either book a day boat or dive off a liveaboard instead.

The big Blue Hole is located around 70 km/44 miles from the shore. It is about a 3 hour boat ride from Ambergris Caye. From Placencia, it’s a four-hour trip to the Great Blue Hole.

If you get seasick easily, keep in mind the following for your Blue Hole Belize diving adventure:

• Prevent your seasickness by your preparations the night before.
• Remain near the outer waters of Glover’s or Turneffe Atoll.
• Booking a liveaboard is more recommended (larger vessels will be better because they are more stable)

It is recommended to wear a 3 mm wetsuit, if you chill quickly. The temperature of surface water in Belize is nearly 26-29°C/79-84°F, but when going down in the hole it becomes a few degrees cooler. It is also recommended to have a dive light/dive torch.

The Blue Hole is Not a dive for novice divers. It’s dark, deep and you will become in real danger if you don’t get the appropriate training and experience.

Your guide may take you down to 40 metres (131 feet). If you want to get the proper training and experience to reach this depth, you should complete your PADI Advanced Open Water certification or enrol in the Deep Diver Specialty course before you delve into the Blue Hole scuba diving world. Experienced divers should listen carefully during the briefing and always keep the guide in sight.

What To Expect

Spoiler alert: here in Belize, you can’t reach the bottom of the deep Blue Hole. It has a depth of 122 meters/400 feet (way beyond recreational limits).

It starts at the shallow reef around Belize’s Great Blue Hole (about 10m/30 ft below the surface). Next, you’ll go down through the hole’s inner wall. At first, you might spot feather duster worms and some plants, but you won’t be able to see any coral.

The guide will point to cool rocks and may show you a hidden cave. After a short time deep, you’ll ascend slowly , then conduct a safety stop. Keep an eye out for sharks gliding past while enjoying your big blue hole scuba diving adventures.

When scuba diving from a day boat, it is supposed to have a surface interval followed by two additional scuba dives on the Belize Barrier Reef.

Back on the mothership, liveaboard divers can have a snack, rest up, dive again—or whatever they want.