Set on the shores of the Western Caribbean, overlooking the Great Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, Ambergris Caye is Belize's favorite beach, dive and water sports destination. Vacationing divers have several waterfront resorts to choose between near the Caye's central town of San Pedro. Those looking for a touch of luxury, a wide variety of services, upscale amenities and more spacious accommodations often choose Alaia Belize.
First opened in 2021, Alaia is a member of the Marriott Autograph Collection of Resorts. The property commands 1,000 feet of Mar de Tumbo Beach and is located just 600 yards from the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve. San Pedro's historic downtown is a short stroll away, and the resort offers bicycle and golf cart rentals for exploring the island.
Alaia Belize offers three categories of accommodation, including options ideal for families and groups traveling together. At the top of the list are the three-bedroom Beachfront Villas, with interiors that showcase reclaimed woods and artisanal stonework. Floor plans include indoor living rooms, fully equipped kitchens, separate dining areas and terraces with panoramic ocean views and private plunge pools.
The Reef House 2-and-3bedroom suites are a favorite with families. These home-like accommodations are set in lush garden-like surroundings at the quiet northern end of the property, space around a family-friendly pool. All Reef House suites offer spacious living rooms and large balconies. Children ages 2 to 12 have access to a Kid's Club with a playhouse, climbing wall and playground.
The Vista studio, 1, 2-and-3 bedroom suites occupy a pair of five-story towers located at the center of the resort. All units have private balconies overlooking the Caribbean and the resort's signature pool garden and are close to all resort amenities. These recently added suites are designed to evoke a sense of relaxation, with ample natural light and calming cobalt and turquoise décor themes. The Vista towers are also the site of the adults-only Infinity Rooftop Lounge and Bar, serving Asian-inspired cocktails, sushi menus and local seafood dishes.
In addition to the Vista Rooftop restaurant, the Alaia property includes casual dining options at poolside and on an oceanfront deck. Elevated culinary experiences await at the resort's signature Sea Salt dining room and wine cellar and guests can schedule bespoke private dining venues. Resort amenities include a boutique, beach, pool and lobby bars, water sports equipment, indoor gym and the K'in Spa and Wellness Center.
Diving
Alaia Belize is home to a PADI 5 Star Dive Center operated by Pro Dive Belize. This facility is centrally located on the resort's waterfront in an overwater building that provides rental equipment, repair services, individual gear storage and staging areas. Pro Dive maintains a fleet of six dive boats at the adjacent dock, ranging from fast six-passenger express launches to a large day boat with a semi-enclosed lower deck with bathroom and shower. The smaller, fast boats provide sun protection and are ideal for making quick trips to the more than 30 local dive sites that lie within minutes of the resort. Both one and two-tank morning dives are offered, as well as single-tank afternoon and night dives.
Local dive sites along the Ambergris Caye shore typically feature spur and groove coral formations that run from west to east, beginning at depths of 30 to 40 feet and sloping to depths of 100 feet plus. Divers can fly above the canyons at depths of 40 to 60 feet or navigate the winding sand-bottom clefts that separate coral ramparts. This complex reef topography creates an abundance of shelter for marine life. Turtles and rays are often seen gliding along reef crests, schooling snapper gather around the edges of formations, and the nooks and crannies hold nurse sharks, moray eels and a wide variety of macro life. Because this reef system is a protected marine preserve and a no-fishing zone, there's a good chance of coming face to face with large black groupers lurking in ambush.
Pro Dive Belize makes regularly scheduled dive and snorkel trips to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which lies just four miles south of the dive center docks. Hol Chan was the first Marine Preserve established in Belize, and it protects one of the Western Caribbean's most biodiverse coastal ecosystems. The signature site within the reserve is Shark Ray Alley, where divers and snorkelers are immersed in clouds of nurse sharks, turtles, stingrays and reef fish.
Pro Dive boats also make all-day excursions to Belize's offshore atolls. These include excursions to dive the Western Caribbean's most famous underwater formation, the Great Blue Hole. This massive, flooded sinkhole plunges to depths of 400 feet and is ringed by shallow coral gardens filled with that enliven safety stops and multi-level profiles. Blue Hole trips also include a stop at Diving at Half Moon Caye for additional reef dives at signature sites such as The Aquarium, and time ashore on this UNESCO World Heritage site.
Another favorite with Pro Dive customers is the all-day trip to the marine reserve at Turneffe Atoll. The largest of the Belize offshore atolls, it is ringed by more than mangrove islands and shallow lagoons that transition to walls, slopes and submerged pinnacles. Inshore waters are home to manatee, nurse sharks and American saltwater crocodiles, and serves as a nursery for juvenile reef fish. The more than 70 dive sites that ring the atoll add Caribbean reef sharks, eagle rays, turtles and the occasional sightings of hammerhead sharks and dolphins.
Caradonna agents work directly with Alaia Belize to create customized dive vacation packages with daily diving and additional options such as all-inclusive rates and a variety of excursions to the Belize mainland.