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With some of the world’s best diving sites on offer in Latin America, we thought we’d round up our top 5 diving sites.

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-Close encounters with marine life
-Our favourite wildlife holidays

1. The Great Blue Hole, Belize

Belize Tourist Board ©

 

Experienced divers can explore the Blue Hole, a perfectly circular cave plunging vertically into the sea bed. Seen from above this cavernous sinkhole is a dark disk in a bright aquamarine ocean, seemingly swallowing the light into its underwater reaches. There are extraordinary underwater stalactites to be seen on the sheer walls, which descend to a depth of 125m, while a number of shark species roam around inside.

Go Caribbean diving in Belize

2.Fernando de Noronha, Brazil

ShutterStock ©

The only populated island in a protected volcanic archipelago way out in the Atlantic Ocean, Fernando de Noronha is almost off the map. But those who go there (and numbers are restricted), especially divers and surfers, are well rewarded. Craggy cliffs jacketed in close garrigue-like vegetation (the original forests were destroyed) close in on gorgeous little bays of sugary sand, and the waters here, warm year-round, are sapphire-clear. Much of the area is designated a marine park, for good reason: sharks, dolphins, turtles and stingrays and a multitude of fish species thrive here.

 

Go scuba diving in Brazil
Active Brazil: Remote Bahia and Fernando de Noronha (15 days from £2,185pp)

3.The Galápagos Islands

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The Galápagos Islands shelter some of the world's best dive sites, offering the chance to gape at an astounding aquatic panorama where penguins dart through equatorial waters and vast shoals of hammerheads patrol the ocean.The convergence of cold currents from Antarctica and warm tropical waters has created microclimates which sustain an incredible spectrum of marine species, many of which would not normally be neighbours.

Diving in the Galápagos

4. The Yucatán Peninsula

Cave,Diving,In,Cenote

How many of us can say we have dived in one of the world’s largest freshwater cave systems? This truly is an experience like no other. The Yucatán Peninsula is a huge porous limestone shelf where fresh water flows into underground river and cave systems. Parts of the shelf have collapsed over thousands of years creating sinkholes or cenotes. These underwater caves and caverns popular among divers today were believed by the ancient Mayans to be entrances to the mystical underworld. Each cenote is different - some are completely underground, others semi-underground - in many the roof allows sunlight to penetrate, creating a magical feeling and intense aquamarine colour.

Explore freshwater cenotes

5.The Bay Islands, Honduras

Honduran Tourist Board CATA©

With their typically Caribbean feel, relaxed pace of life and warm waters awash with marine life, the Bay Islands are a popular place to learn to scuba dive. Even if you have never dived before, PADI courses and shorter 'fun dives' offering a taster of the scuba experience are both easily arranged to suit your schedule.

Go Caribbean scuba diving
Guatemala and Honduras uncovered (14 days from £2,959pp)

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Why not take a look at a selection of all the diving opportunities we offer in Latin America? Alternatively, give us a call to talk to an expert about your dream holiday.

 

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Bartolome, Galápagos

Meet our team

Real Latin american experts

  • Hannah
    Hannah Waterhouse - Travel Expert

    Hannah had an early introduction to Latin America when her family moved to Ecuador and she returned to study in Buenos Aires for a year before backpacking across the continent.

  • Paul Winrow Giffin
    Paul Winrow-Giffin - Travel Expert

    After graduating in Computer Science, Paul spent seven months travelling from Colombia to Argentina and came home hooked on Latin America.

  • Millie
    Millie Davies - Travel Expert

    Having caught the travel bug as a child, Millie has travelled all over Latin America before making her home in Buenos Aires for 3 years.

  • Ben
    Ben Line - Travel Expert

    Ben fell in love with Latin America on a six month backpacking trip from Colombia to Mexico in 1995. Since then he has explored most of South America, including living in Peru for a year. He is now Head of Sales.

  • Juliet
    Juliet Ellwood - Travel Expert

    After graduating with a degree in Anthropology and History and having been fascinated by Latin America since childhood by the book featuring photos of Nazca, Juliet first visited the region in 2003. Since then, Juliet has visited the majority of countries in Latin America but has particularly extensive experience with Peru, a country she loves for many reasons but not least, its incredible archaeological richness and delicious food!

  • Carrie
    Carrie Gallagher - Travel Expert

    A former JLA tour leader, Carrie brings a wealth of on-the-ground experience to our London-based Tailor-made and Group Tours department.

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