The perfect Caribbean escape| A Day Well-Spent At Laughing Bird Caye National Park

The boat ride out to Laughing Bird Caye was not only short-lived but also exceptionally exciting. We departed from Placencia village and took a boat ride out to the island. I knew I was not only visiting an island but a protected one. I have visited other cayes in Belize such as the popular San Pedro, Ambergris Caye and the laid-back Caye Caulker but I had never visited an island that is also a National Park and a World Heritage Site, protected for its natural beauty.  

Laughing Bird Caye National Park is distinct from the other islands as it is a part of the famous Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System and it is a snorkeler's paradise. The natural beauty surrounding this island is sumptuous. In order to visit this paradise you must book a day tour with a licensed tour operator: our recommended choice is Splash Dive Center. Not only are the licensed guides friendly and informative, but also the BBQ grilled fresh on the island is a delightful lunch!

So, if you are still asking: what is so special about this island?  Well, let me describe to you the beauty.  Snorkel around the island and you will encounter a diverse and abundant marine life living below. The area is covered with a variety of coral reef habitats that sparkle and give life to other marine species. The island has a distinct elongate shape that forms a faro. A faro can be best explained as an angular atoll that is situated on a reef. The faro is elevated and encloses a central lagoon, which gives Laughing Bird Caye National Park its shallow waters surrounding the island.

If you are visiting the southern coast of Belize, there is much to experience on this beautiful island. The perfect Caribbean escape! The beach is formed by powdery unspoiled white sand, a heavenly and perfect texture. While on the day-trip we were told that the island earned its name due to the Laughing Gills that once populated the island. Today, Laughing Bird Caye is known as a nesting place for a variety of birds including

Brown Pelican, Green Heron, Melodious Blackbird amongst others that call Belize their home.

The northern end of the caye is a very busy rookery and for that reason it is off limits to the public.  The northern end of the caye is opened up one day each year for the annual cleanup by 100 or more school kids and volunteers organized by Splash Dive Center.

If you are visiting Placencia a day-trip out to Laughing Bird National Park will complete your visit to Belize!

Email Patty at patricia@splashbelize.com to find out more about this beautiful Gem!

Belize's Best Whale Shark Diving!!

In Belize’s extraordinarily clear waters of the reef lives an amazing world of colorful limestone corals and incredible variety of fish and sea mammals.  Coral cleaning Rainbow Parrotfish; bashful and brightly colored angel fish; territorial barracuda; lazy nurse sharks; inquisitive Nassau grouper; school of blue stripped grunt; and the ever graceful stingrays, eagle rays and manta rays are often seen. Bottle nosed dolphins, manatee, and sea turtles can also be seen by divers and snorkelers.  The resplendent underwater scenery attracts divers from around the globe to enjoy the multicolor scenery. Consider the following and you’ll understand why Belize is one of the most popular dive destinations – The Belize Barrier Reef, three magnificent atolls, 70 types of hard corals, nearly 500 species of fish and the celebrated Blue Hole.

In terms of diversity, diving far exceeds most destinations. Divers encounter marine life of all shapes, sizes and species.  Subterranean gardens, coral jungles, and encounters with dolphins, morays, turtles, graceful eagle rays and migrating whale sharks, make dive trips irresistible.  Southern Belize harbors whale sharks, the largest fish in the sea, during their migrations in the off-shore area often spotted in the Gladden Spit from March to June.  During these months the gentle giants of the ocean migrate to these corners of the world less than one hour boat ride from Placencia to feed on the spawn during full moon especially from mutton, cubera and dog snappers.

The reef parallels the coast for approximately 185 miles. Like an underwater range of mountains, some peaks rise to the surface.  This uneven range is blessed with almost every type of coral known. Hugging the eastern shore of Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker, the reef then snakes its way down through open water past Dangriga, Hopkins, Placencia, and north of Punta Gorda. Because of its size, the Belize BarrierReef Reserve System has been inscribed as a World Heritage Site. Lighthouse Reef Atoll encircles the celebrated Blue Hole, a 1,000-foot circular sinkhole 410 feet deep.  Explorer Jacques Cousteau called it “one of the four must-dive locations on this blue planet.”  All three atolls – Turneffe Islands, Lighthouse Reef, and Glover’s Reef – harbor more than 100 great dive and snorkeling sites.

In the shallows between mainland and the reef, boats reach hundreds of dive sites in a short time, including tiny islands. Coral patterns and patches decorate the sand like gardens in a yard. Outside the ridge, the reef slopes and reveals shallow corals and gorgonians.

Scuba divers need certification, but no such requirement applies to snorkelers, who can jump right in and witness the spectacle.  Protected Hol Chan Marine Reserve, between Ambergris and Caye Caulker, makes a popular spot both for snorkeling and for learning how to dive.  Beginners enjoy South Water Caye and Glover’s Reef Atoll because they offer beautiful sea life with minimal currents.

Scout as many dive and snorkel sites as possible, because no two are alike.  Vibrant fish and fragile coral still thrive at these sites because visitors help to protect them.  It is critical not to touch, bump, or kick sand on the reefs, because doing so could destroy them.  Call Splash Dive Center today and book your favorite whale shark tour or any combination of dive package available.