The Great Blue Hole Belise Postcard

The Great Blue Hole is a giant submarine sinkhole off the coast of Belise. It is near the centre of Lighthouse Reef, a small atoll about 70 kilometres (43 mi) from the mainland and Belise City. The hole is circular in shape, over 300 metres (984 ft) across and 124 metres (407 ft) deep. It was formed during several episodes of quaternary glaciation when sea levels were much lower. It's a world-renowned destination for scuba divers, drawn by its clear water and spectacular underwater rock formations, including stalactites. From an aerial perspective, it appears as a dramatic, dark blue circle sharply contrasting with the shallow, turquoise waters of the surrounding atoll. The surrounding coral formations form a beautiful, textured ring around the deep blue void. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site and famously associated with Jacques Cousteau, who declared it one of the top ten scuba diving sites in the world.