Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Tobacco Caye
11 miles east of Dangriga
The tiny, five-acre island of
Tobacco Caye
perches right on the reef a dozen miles east of
Dangriga, making it the easiest (and cheapest) to reach of the Tobacco Range cayes.
Two-storey timber buildings in differing states of repair line the shore, and stand
strewn across its sandy core as well, interspersed by little footpaths. Some are simple
hotels and cabins, some are home to local fishing families, and some are seldom-
occupied private holiday properties. Wherever you may wander in the centre you're
only a minute's walk from the shore in any direction, with unbroken reef stretching
north for miles.
Since the reef is within wading distance of the shore, you don't even need a boat for
some superb
snorkelling and diving
, saving precious time to eat, drink or relax in a
hammock.
The cayes of Columbus Reef were, incidentally, originally visited by turtle fishermen.
Tobacco Caye was a trading post where passing boats could pick up supplies, including
the tobacco that gave it its name.
6
South Water Caye
16 miles southeast of Dangriga
Five miles south of Tobacco Caye and about three times larger,
South Water Caye
is one
of the most beautiful and exclusive islands in Belize. It takes its name from a well at its
centre, still in existence, which provided fresh water for passing ships. While a fine
selection of accommodation makes it an absolutely wonderful place to kick back and
relax for a few days, it only takes ten minutes or so to explore the whole island on foot.
Like Tobacco Caye, South Water Caye sits right on the reef and offers fantastic, very
accessible
snorkelling
and scuba diving in crystal-clear water. Most of the resorts have
their own very good
dive shops
and can arrange trips to
Glover's Reef
(see below).
Much of its eastern shoreline still consists of mangrove forest, but there's a superb and
enticing
beach
at the southern end, protected by the reef as it curves around offshore.
Turtles nest in the sand here, and this stretch belongs to a small nature reserve.
The tiny island visible off the caye's south end is
Carrie Bow Caye
, where the
Smithsonian Institute
has a research station; you can ask your hotel to arrange a visit,
but there's no overnight accommodation.
Glover's Reef
30 miles east of Dangriga
The southernmost of Belize's three coral atolls,
Glover's Reef
lies twenty miles beyond
the Tobacco range. Named after British pirate John Glover, the reef stretches about
twenty miles from north to south, and eight miles east to west. Physically this is the
best-developed atoll in the Caribbean, rising from depths of 3000ft, with the reef wall
starting less than ten yards offshore. It offers some of the most spectacular
wall diving
in the world - the fantastic Long Caye Wall is less than 300ft offshore - with visibility
of over 900ft.
Glover's Reef is home to rare seabirds such as the white-capped noddy, all its cayes
have nesting ospreys, and Belize's
marine turtles
lay their eggs on the beaches. The
vitally important snapper spawning grounds on the atoll attract dozens of immense
whale sharks
, which congregate during the late spring full moons to feast on snapper
eggs. Within the aquamarine lagoon are hundreds of smaller
patch reefs
- a snorkelling
wonderland.
These unique features led to the atoll being protected as the
Glover's Reef Marine
Reserve
, further enhanced by its designation as a World Heritage Site in 1996. Fishing
is not allowed from the cayes themselves, but it is permitted in certain specified zones.
