Turneffe Islands is an atoll created out of hundreds of thick green mangrove islets offering dive sites to all its sides.

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Turneffe Islands is made up of more than 200 mangrove islands and is more than thirty miles long and ten miles wide. The set of islands are just twenty miles east of Belize City and have three lodges that can supply at max about 200 tourists and researchers. Turneffe Island lodge and Blackbird Caye Resort are luxury places with simple guestrooms to up-market cabanas that have air-conditioning and bathtubs with running hot water. There are excellent snorkeling tours, kayaking rentals, bird watching trips and brilliant white beaches to relax on. Fishermen often catch bonefish, permit, tarpon and other saltwater game fish or just enjoy the relaxing atmosphere on the islands.

The marine life on Turneffe Island is overwhelming and has many types of baitfish, crabs, shrimp and other small aquatics. It is brilliant for macro photography with shallow white sandy waters that provide excellent light conditions. Its many mangrove island provide shelter to all juvenile creatures and fish until they are large enough to become part of the circle of life out in the open sea. It you like schools of colorful fish; this is the place to go. American crocodiles have been seen inside the mangroves, but they are very shy and rare and won't interfere with your diving. Most diving is done at the west and southwestern site of the atoll where the northeastern trade winds can't come. Wall dives can be done all around the island, but the northwest is generally best with a lot of healthy spur and groove coral. The walls at the east side are often sheerer with more pelagic but less coral. Some of the fish you most likely meet are Cubera Snappers, Tiger Grouper and filefish. Other wildlife you should keep an eye out for are manta rays and hammerhead sharks, but count yourself to be lucky when you see one.

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