The Half Moon Caye Natural Monument

 The Half Moon Caye Natural Monument is located in the Lighthouse Reef Atoll 55 miles east of Belize City. 

  An atoll consists of a type of low coral island or coral reef surrounding a lagoon.   There are only 4 of these amazing aquatic ecosystems in the western hemisphere, 3 of them in Belize. The Half Moon Caye Natural Monument is one of these pristine environments.  The site is ideal for diving, and snorkeling, picnicking, and bird watching …there’s even a very old lighthouse  of which a photograph would be a great memento.

The area is also a good choice for a great dive. The atoll is surrounded by a coral reef which is on the outskirts of a lagoon. Here, an array of coral and marine life intermingles.  What most divers find alluring is the 6,000 ft. vertical wall… The half moon wall.  The white sand coral bed pans out into a sheer drop where an even larger array of coral, sponges and other marine life can be seen.    

 For those who fancy the creatures of the sky and land, the Half Moon Caye Natural Monument is home to the rare and endangered red footed booby.  The red footed boobies, who find a home on half moon caye for about 10 months of every year, are an amazing attraction.  The population of these birds, found on the caye, is one of the few striving red footed booby bird populations in the western hemisphere.  The population of boobies is about 4,000 birds.    

 The caye is also home to the Island Leaf-toed Gecko and the Allison’s Anole lizard.  Here’s another amazing fact:  The Island Leaf-toed Gecko can only be found…in Belize!