Lighthouse Reef Adventure

Early in the morning, an Islands Expeditions representative will meet you in the lobby of the Biltmore Plaza Hotel in Belize City. After a quick stop at a local shop, you'll proceed to the waiting motorboat charter. Travel 56 miles (90 km) out to sea, passing through mangrove forests and white-sand cayes, until you reach Belize's most remote group of islands, Lighthouse Reef Atoll. Upon arrival at Half Moon Caye, the guide team will orient you to the island and camp and make sure you're settled into your accommodations. Enjoy a late lunch and receive sea kayaking and snorkeling instructions before heading out on the water.

Please note: "Base camping" involves sleeping in wall-to-wall tented cabanas. These spacious safari-style tents have ample headroom, are set on raised wooden floors, and feature real wood-framed beds (6-inch foam mattresses). Tents can be configured with either double or single beds. All bedding is provided.

Because of the early morning check-in time, we recommend arriving in Belize City one day before starting your adventure.

Due to its isolated location from the mainland, the waters of Lighthouse Reef offer exceptionally clear views, boasting abundant fish populations and colorful coral reefs, making it one of the best spots for sea kayaking, snorkeling, and scuba diving in Belize.

Throughout your stay, you'll have ample opportunities to learn from your guides about the marine reef ecology, local flora and fauna, and the island's coconut and littoral forest, which is unusual for a coastal area. Half Moon Caye, a stunning 45-acre nature preserve, is home to a colony of red-footed boobies and a rookery of magnificent frigatebirds. You'll visit viewing platforms built by the Belize Audubon Society to observe nesting sites on the island.

Over the coming days, you can also explore a disappearing shipwreck just north of the caye. Activities will be tailored daily based on weather conditions and group preferences. Alternatively, relax in a hammock with a good book and a cold beverage.

Later in the trip, journey to the world-renowned Great Blue Hole, a massive collapsed sinkhole adorned with soft and hard corals of various colors, which was made famous by ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau. Travel the 6-mile (9.5 km) distance by motorboat or kayak to reach this perfectly circular formation within the Lighthouse Reef atoll.

Continue exploring deeper into the atoll with extended fishing trips, visits to new patch reefs, or downwind paddle trips on SUPs, all chosen by your guides to suit the day's conditions and your interests.

On the final night, enjoy a special dinner prepared just for you by the cooks. Following dinner, immerse yourself in a cultural presentation featuring drumming and dancing to celebrate your last night at Half Moon Caye.

Due to the remote location of the Lighthouse Reef Basecamp, the activities on the reef portion of this trip are weather-dependent and are subject to change.

The choice is yours for your last morning at Lighthouse Reef. Snorkel your favorite reefs, walk the island trails, swing in a hammock, or beachcomb along the immaculate island beaches.

After lunch, a motor charter will arrive to take you back to the mainland. This journey will take you through Turneffe Atoll, across the Great Barrier Reef, and you'll arrive at the Belize City Biltmore Hotel by late afternoon.

For travelers leaving Belize after this trip, we strongly recommend spending a night in Belize City. International connections out of the country require a departure the following day. Talk to your Adventure Life Trip Planner about hotel reservations in Belize City or extending your Belize itinerary by combining this trip with another adventure.