Best Snorkeling in Belize

[kchesneylover]

I want to be inside an aquarium and see lots of colorful fish. Where should I go?

 

Caye Caulker

 

Hol-Chan Marine

 

Laughing Bird Caye

 

Ambergris Caye

 

 

So many locations to choose from (and I only mentioned 4). Are these any good? Are there better?

 

Thanks!

[kchesneylover]

Anyone???

[dabear]

ho chan marine park which is just off Ambergais Caye. We were there a few years ago and I thought that it was better than stingray city in GC. Saw rays, nurse sharks etc all in shallow , calm water.

[kchesneylover]

Thank you. So there are colorful fish along with the rays and nurse sharks?

[berniemom]

ho chan marine park which is just off Ambergais Caye. We were there a few years ago and I thought that it was better than stingray city in GC. Saw rays, nurse sharks etc all in shallow , calm water.

 

Hi,

Can u let me know? can u take a taxi or do u need a water taxi?

Also, do u know if u would need a water taxi 2 get 2 the split in goffs caye?

thanks for any help.:D

[MrSchwump]

I think the spot someone refered to is called Shark Ray Alley. It's in the Hol Chan marine park which is situtated between Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker.

 

You'll snorkel with southern stingrays and nurse sharks, which is pretty cool and completely safe. The nurse sharks are mostly bottom feeders, like stingrays, and don't have a set of menacing teeth like people picture when you think of sharks. But you can still say, "I swam with sharks, dammit!".

 

There are some very nice snorkerling spots close by that are like little cuts through the reef from the shallow areas to the open water. We saw a ton of fish there including spotted eagle rays, tarpon, grouper, and others that I couldn't identify. It ranges from just a few feet deep to probably 30 feet or so.

 

I've been to Cozumel, Bonaire, the Bahamas, the BVI, and Grand Cayman and this spot in Belize is the best snorkeling, without a doubt. If your ship makes port in Belize City, it'll be a bit of a boat ride out to Ambergris Caye, but it's worth it.

 

Your old pal,

Joe

[Neeners]

Hol-Chan Marine, definitely. We went last fall (not on a cruise, though). I don't know about a water taxi there. We took a boat tour to the spot, he dropped anchor, and then he fed the sharks/tarpon. We jumped in and saw a bunch of fish and interesting creatures after a little bit of a swim.

 

Also, Caye Caulker itself is not a good spot to snorkel from. We left from there to Hol-Chan, though. The boat trip was about 45 minutes to an hour, I think (each way).

[2112]

Hol Cha wins by a long shot. Nice coral, lots of fish, crab, lobster, etc. All of the other sites around Calker and Ambergris are fished out and are full of dead bleached out coral (including Mexico Rocks which some people recommend). The only other places that has great snorkeling/diving are the atolls way off-shore, but you won't get there on a cruise ship stop.

[Cptnkirky]

Neeners,

I was researching this and it looks like it is about a 45 minute ride to Cay Caulker by water taxi, then just a few minute boat ride to Shark Ray alley...is this correct??? Just want to make sure we have our times correct. Thanks!

[Jack and Suzanne]

I have snorkled Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley 10 or more times. I scuba now and still like to go to Hol Chan. I have seen almost as many beautiful fish, even huge grouper, turtle and rays, when I snorkle as when I dive in Belize! Go to Ambergris Caye and San Pedro if you have time. But don't miss Shark Ray and Hol Chan. They are only a few minutes apart. Ramon's and Bottom Time and Amigos have great snorkle and dive trips. Coral Gardens is also beautiful.

[vermonter16]

I'm not sure from reading through the possible shore excursions that any go to Hol-Chan... One goes to Stingray Village and then onto Horseshoe Reef. Another goes to the MArine Ecology Conservation Island of Spanish Lookout and then onto Sergeants Caye. Last but not least one goes to Goff's Caye... Any ideas? Are any of these any good? Should we go with an independent tour? Help please! We were going to do Mayan ruins but the one we wanted to see got taken off the excursion list and it is wayyyy tooo far to go on our own. We have now opted to snorkel!

[Middleager]

We booked our own excursion with Ecotours. They met us at the port, then drove us to the Municipal airport. We took a small plane to San Pedro, Ambergris Caye. From the airport there it's a short walk to the beach and dive shop.

 

I went to diving while my wife and friends went to a snorkeling trip. They went to Ho Chan and Shark Rey Alley. It was the best snorkeling trip they ever went. Saw several nurse sharks and stingrays (the guide went down to pick them up one by one, bring to them to pet). Ho Chan being a marine reserve park required you to pay $10 entrance fee, but it means it is preserved, no overfishing, no careless damages to the reefs, so you get to see excellent marine life.