Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley
Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley are two of Belize’s most popular destinations for nature tours. Take this 2.5-hour tour to get close to marine wildlife.
- Duration:
- 3 hrs
- Available Days:
- Every day
- Schedule:
- 9:00 AM, 2:00 PM
- Hotel Transport Included
- Mobile Ticket Included
- Offered in English, Spanish
Around the reef you can see large schools of small fish. This tour includes a break in the reef where you’ll stop for a swim. Nurse sharks and manta rays gather here in large numbers. These sharks a non-aggressive species, so you can safely enter the water. You can swim as close to them as you want, but please note that it’s against the law to handle these animals.
Attraction Visited
The quick ride out to Hol Chan Marine Reserve makes this the most popular half-day tour for visitors staying at Ambergris Caye and Caye Caulker. Set aside in 1987, this reserve covers an area of 3 square miles (7.8 sq km) and is found off the southern tip of Ambergris Caye. As a result, this area of the Belize Barrier Reef supports healthy populations of fish and colorful coral. Turtles, nurse sharks, grouper, jacks, reef fish, and barracuda are just a few of the species you might see here. The reef ranges from 10–30 feet (3–9 m) deep and most guides take snorkelers along the outer edge of the reef. While this site is great for beginner snorkelers, as well as divers, swimmers should pay attention to currents which can be strong throughout the reserve.
Read more:Hol Chan
What to Bring
Swim suit, sunscreen, a towel, a hat, and bottled water.
What's included
Guide, boat ride, bottled water, and soft drinks.
Transportation
Many of our tours and activities offer transportation pick up & drop off options from several locations and destinations. Options vary by tour, see “BOOKING REQUEST” for full details.
Traveler Comments
We had a great time. We had no issues. The boat was in great shape, the crew was on top of everything, and the boat crew was very attentive. We really enjoyed this excursion.
Similar things to do
Mexico Rocks is one of the top snorkeling destinations. Not only is the water around Mexico Rocks incredibly clear, it also has a very mild current, making underwater observation especially easy.
Visit the Coral Gardens in the Caye Caulker Marine Reserve to see one of the prettiest underwater landscapes in Belize. This snorkeling tour is a fun excursion for the whole family, for visitors of any level of snorkeling expertise.
Snorkeling at the Hol Chan Marine Reserve is a sure-fire way to experience Belize’s diversity of marine life up-close. Animals at Hol Chan are used to getting fed by people on boats, so they’re relatively bold around snorkelers. This spot gets a lot of marine traffic, and every minute you spend underwater you’ll get to see something new.
