Lighthouse Reef, made famous by legendary underwater explorer Jacques Cousteau, has become known amongst divers as the ‘Aquarium’, renowned for its sheer abundance of marine life, crystal clear waters, and thriving coral reefs.
From the Air, Lighthouse Reef Atoll is a Dazzling island necklace of white sand Cays encircling a sapphire blue lagoon. On the extreme edge of the Belize reef system, miles beyond the main barrier reef, these isolated atolls support the greatest diversity of reef types and marine life.
Formed over millennia, the coral reefs grew on top of the inundated Maya Mountains as sea levels rose (some 10,000 years ago as the last ice age retreated) and eventually formed an oval-shaped wall of corals around a shallow sand and coral lagoon. Stunningly beautiful islands, a sheltered lagoon brimming with life, and the dynamic interaction between the outer reef, open seas, and inner lagoons are the prime attractions of our atoll basecamp on Half Moon Caye.
To get to Lighthouse, we travel by boat beyond the main barrier reef, past Turneffe Atoll – some fifty-five miles east of the mainland where the underwater walls of Lighthouse atoll rise 3000 feet from the surrounding depths of the sea. The inner protected lagoon provides a rare underwater habitat for snorkelers with miles upon miles of shallow, warm waters studded with corals, and where the lagoon drops off to the open sea, precipitous walls, undersea ridges, canyons, tunnels, and valleys brimming with life are the deeper realm of scuba divers.
Long difficult to access and out of reach for kayakers and snorkelers, we have the first-ever basecamp at Lighthouse Reef where we sleep in spacious walk-in tents, each with an ocean view. You may begin your day with a morning yoga class, and after each day’s activities, our open-air dining pavilion and lounge is the perfect place to relax in comfort with fine meals, splendid company, and conversation charged with the excitement of the day’s adventures.
Activities: Blue Hole Snorkelling, Caving, Sea Kayaking, Kayak Sailing, Snorkelling, Stand-Up Paddleboarding, Scuba Diving, Fishing, Birding, Yoga, Photography, Natural & Cultural History
Scuba diving is optional and not included in the trip fee.
Yoga is offered on select departures.