Scuba Season
Underwater reef at Turneffe Atoll
Declining

Turneffe Atoll

Belize · Caribbean

Turneffe Atoll is the largest of Belize's three coral atolls and home to the country's best wall diving — long uninterrupted walls, healthy reef fish, the Elbow current point, and a much quieter alternative to Ambergris Caye.

How this reef is doing

ⓘ How we measure this

Reef state

Declining

Atoll reefs at Turneffe show post bleaching recovery in patches. Wall diving still strong.

Coral cover

22%
LowHealthy
Moderate

Fish life

healthy reef of its kind ▾
SparseRich

About what a healthy reef of its kind holds.

Moderate

Heat

SafeBleaching

Warmer than usual right now, but not hot enough to bleach.

Warming

Fishing

QuietBusy

Quiet water, and the protection is actively patrolled.

Patrolled

Sources · MERMAID and partner coral surveys · Reef Life Survey · NOAA Coral Reef Watch · Global Fishing Watch and reef gravity

What you will see

13 species across the dive sites here

Dive sites

What divers say

Belize's Blue Hole gets the headlines, but Turneffe is the diving worth flying for.
— Repeat visitor

Good to know

Combine with Blue Hole

Most Turneffe trips include the Blue Hole as a day excursion.

Gear & getting wet

  • Basic kit

    • Mask and fins
    • BCD and regulator
    • 3mm full wetsuit · warm water
    • Dive computer

  • For specific sites

    • SMB + reel · The Elbow
    • Dive light · Black Beauty