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Divers looking for crystal clear water, sunshine on their shoulders, and big marine life encounters, look no further.

Belize may be one of the smallest nations in Central America, but it boasts some of the planet’s best diving. Three of the four true atolls in the western hemisphere lie 30 to 60 miles in crystal-clear water off the mainland of Belize, and offer fish- and coral-packed walls that plummet 3,000 feet below, and two of them — Lighthouse and Turneffe — are the stuff of scuba-diving legend.

Scuba diving with whale sharks is a bucket-list item for many divers, and in some places irresponsible whale shark watching is on the rise.

Mangroves are a biological oddity that links land and sea.

The UNESCO world heritage list comprises more than 1,000 spots — and these 13 are diveable.

You can accomplish a lot with just 72 hours in Belize — but you should start with a dive at the famous Great Blue Hole.

Ever wonder what it's like to scuba dive with sharks? Check out this footage one of our editors caught on a trip to Belize.

With 70 hard coral and 36 soft coral species identified, as well as over 500 fish, Belize is one of the most diverse ecosystems in the world.