South Water Caye sits within the South Water Caye Marine Reserve, the second-largest marine protected area in Belize, in the Caribbean Sea. All diving is by boat, and the sites span a practical range of depths, from shallow reef gardens at places like One Manta Point and Long Reef through to the wall drop-off at Black Hole, which descends to thirty-five metres. Visibility at Curlew Reef can reach forty metres. The reserve is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System. Species recorded across the sites include whale sharks, Atlantic goliath grouper, green sea turtles, nurse sharks, and gorgonians, alongside reef fish such as yellowtail parrotfish and rock beauty.
Monthly water temperature across South Water Caye's sites, from satellite sea-surface data corrected for depth. The band shows the site-to-site spread.
Water temperatures are warm throughout the year, rising into the high twenties and low thirties from late spring through autumn and settling in the mid to upper twenties in winter. The dry season from November to May tends to offer the most consistent diving conditions.
Water temperature around South Water Caye ranges from about 27°C in January to 30°C in June, based on satellite sea-temperature data for its dive sites.
With water around 27–30°C, a rash guard or 3mm shorty works in South Water Caye year-round.
Fin maps 7 sites in South Water Caye (7 scuba diving sites).
5 more sites to explore
