Established in 1993, Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve is one of seven protected areas that together form the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The reserve is located off the coast of Dangriga/Hopkins and includes the Glover’s Reef Atoll and a surrounding open sea area of approximately 34,965 hectares (86,400 acres).
The biodiversity at Glover’s Reef Marine Reserve is incredible–it is a critical nursery and feeding ground for sea turtles, sharks and rays, and numerous fish species, including the endangered Nassau Grouper. As a result, the marine reserve draws eco-tourists from around the world interested in nature-based sustainable tourism.
Resort guests from Hopkins or Placencia often visit on day trips to snorkel or dive the protected area while more adventurous explorers choose to stay at one of the remote cayes of Glover’s Reef Atoll. Accommodations are modest and rugged, with a focus on outdoor adventures and wellness tourism (e.g. Island Exeditions’s marine basecamp).
