ARCC Programs | Belize: Caribbean Reef Conservation

Spend two weeks exploring the rich marine life of this beautiful tropical nation. Earn your PADI SCUBA certification or advance your current skills while diving in the Belize Barrier Reef World Heritage Site. Spend your free time kayaking and paddleboarding through the clear tropical waters around our private Belize island. Find out more!

Arriving into Miami, you’ll meet your ARCC leaders and fellow students, then fly together to Belize City, and shuttle onward to the small Mayan community of San Jose. During a guided visit to the Xunantunich ruins, we learn about the rich history and current influence of the Mayan culture.

We then depart to the coast and the small town of Placencia. A visit to Laughing Bird Caye National Park gives us our first introduction to the rich marine enviornments that Belize is known for, as we snorkel through coral reefs filled with vibrant fish, nurse sharks, eagle rays, sea turtles, and more!

From Placencia, the group takes a short boat ride to the private island we will call home for the next week. Here we will meet marine biologists from a local non-profit organization with a mission to protect our oceans through science, action, and advocacy. We have the island entirely to ourselves for the next week as we delve deep into the marine conservation efforts in the area.

The first three days will be spent practicing SCUBA skills to earn our PADI dive certification. Students who are already certified will jump directly into assisting the biologists with our spotlight project: helping to spear and remove invasive lionfish from the reef. Newly certified students will join them after they complete their skills tests. Together we enjoy world-class diving on some of the most unique habitats in the Caribbean. In addition to the main project of controlling invasive lionfish populations, we’ll have the opportunity to look for migrating whale sharks, survey the reef for areas of coral bleaching, and identify fish and other marine life around the area.

Having bonded as a group, we spend the last few days of our trip enjoying the tranquil atmosphere in Placencia where we’ll have a chance to enjoy authentic Belizean culture, including samples of local cuisine, shopping for handmade souvenirs, and mingling with friendly locals. We return home to share memories of the big adventures this small country has provided!