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From Away.com
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Ambergris: Diving in Belize with Ease (Cont.)

Shaky English, admittedly...but such a simple sentiment. (Laura Boswell)
Novice divers, or those simply too short on time for a Blue Hole venture, can still find glorious, world-class diving within eyesight of the Ambergris shore. The delightful Hol Chan Marine Reserve is only a five-minute boat ride from San Pedro (be prepared to pay $5 U.S. on the park ranger boat). People-friendly fish will congregate beneath your boat even before you slip into the warm blue silk of the water—a mere preview of the aquatic zoo that awaits you. Parrotfish, damsels, wrasses, barracuda, and triggerfish are sure sights, as well as hovering grouper, blissful rays, menacing morays, lithe nurse sharks, and the occasional curious sea turtle.

Diving Hol Chan is perfect for newbies and those more interested in seeing wildlife than deep diving—its lowest sand floor lies at only 35 feet. It's a fun, leisurely dive if you are only on Ambergris for the day, or have to fly within 24 hours. But for more electric diving on the same boat trip, merely cross through a cut in the reef to the outer edge for deeper waters and more intricate coral formations. Or visit Hol Chan for a night dive and watch the luminous shrimp, sea urchins, and snapper fish come to life.

Full dive certification and quickie courses are available on Ambergris, but for those uncertified or simply uninterested in diving, snorkeling is also available at many of the dive spots. Birding and tours of Mayan ruins are popular, or try sea kayaking on the clear, gentle shallows surrounding the shore, exploring the mangroves and marshes. Dive operators also offer non-diving trips to the mainland for jungle tours, river tubing, and wildlife sanctuaries. (Says one outfitter: "We'll help you do anything that won't land us in a Guatemalan prison.")

But for us, diving is the only focus of this trip. On the way back to the shore, we sip rum punch thick with chunks of sweet pineapple and watch the sun set. It's hard to imagine any other dives could be better than today's, but knowing Belize, they always are.


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