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Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion

Belize, Belize City (Excursion ID S1623)

From USD
$7499
Regular $91.00
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4.7
22 Reviews
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  • Duration
    5 hours
  • Activity Level
    Moderate
  • Minimum Age
    All Ages
  • Languages
    EN | ES

Description


  • Round-trip snorkel boat ride from your Belize cruise tender pier!
  • Guided snorkel, and instructions with English-speaking shore excursion guides!
  • No snorkeling experience is required!
  • The snorkel set includes varied-sized fins, a sanitized snorkel, a silicone mask, and a vest!
  • See Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Park!
  • Visit 2 incredible Belize snorkel sites!

Snorkel the incredible Hol Chan Marine Reserve and swim with nurse sharks and gentle rays on your stop in Belize.

You'll meet your friendly snorkel shore excursion guide outside your Belize tender terminal and have a 2-minute short walk to the dock where the boat is. Your English-speaking excursion guide will help you onboard and then head off to the Island of Caye Caulker, about 40 minutes away, which is the second largest commercial island of Belize.

On your stop here you'll have time to use the restroom and your guide will provide a briefing on the use of the snorkel gear and the rules and regulations of Hol Chan Marine Reserve. This snorkel and dive site is part of the world's second-largest barrier reef and teeming with marine life. It's a great place to snorkel as it's less crowded with tourists than in other parts of the reef. This reserve covers a wide area of coral reefs, seagrass beds, and mangrove forests. A 10-minute boat ride will get you there and you'll get into your gear before heading off on a guided snorkel adventure.

Each shore excursion group has no more than 8 snorkelers per guide, so it's great for beginners and experts alike. The reef is rich with over 160 species of fish, about 40 species of corals, 5 types of sponges, 8 algae, 2 types of seagrass, 3 types of marine mammals, moray eels, and 3 species of sea turtles. So in other words, there is a lot to see!

Your second snorkel location is Shark Ray Alley. You'll have a 40 to 45-minute snorkel here with these friendly, harmless southern stingrays and gentle nurse sharks. This is a very shallow area and if you prefer you can stand and not snorkel, either way, you can still admire and interact with these fantastic creatures.

The next Belize shore excursion stop is on Caye Caulker Island. This long skinny island is divided in two by a narrow channel. You are able to purchase lunch at your own expense, the cost is around $10 USD per person, please inform your guide you want lunch when meeting them. Before leaving the island and with time allowing, the guides will take you to hand feed the protected Tarpon, a fish that can grow to over 300 lbs.
At the end of this fantastic shore excursion day in Belize, your guide will take you back to your Belize cruise port with time to catch your tender back to your cruise ship.

Book this Belize Excursion

Item Price Deposit Balance Quantity
Adults (11 years and up): $74.99$19.99$55.00
Children (5 to 10 years): $44.99$12.99$32.00
Infants (4 years and under): Free!
Price: $74.99
Reserve Now: $19.99
Pay Later: $55.00
BOOK EXCURSION

Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Experiences

This excursion is available to everybody and specially designed to accommodate passengers of the following cruise lines


Similar Belize Excursions

Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Reviews

Make your cruise call in Belize one you won't want to forget! Snorkeling at the famous Hol Chan Marine Reserve, where you will see some of the most colorful and beautiful marine life. See and swim at Shark Ray Alley to visit the resident sting rays and nurse sharks on this unique Belize shore excursion!


4.7/5

22 Reviews

SHEPHERDSVILLE
Sharks, Rays, and great food!
     5/5  (Visited on February 2024)
0
Meetup led to quick bus ride to drop off point at pier, paid balance and signed our waivers and off we went. Crew were very professional and patient with all guests of all ages and experiences. A storm from the Pacific had stirred up the water the previous day but we still had a great experience with the sharks & rays. The restaurant at the island you go to had amazing food and diversity in its menu. Snorkeling equipment was great for provided gear. Crew pointed out several things that would ordinarily remain hidden to the untrained eye while doing the drift snorkel.
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Rowlett
Great time with our Grandkids!!
     5/5  (Visited on July 2023)
0
It was pouring rain the day our excursion was scheduled. The tour operator was kind enough to delay the start time. It turned out to be great. We did this excursion with our Grandkids. Everyone had a great time :)
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Vermilion, Ohio, US
Excellent excursion
     5/5  (Visited on June 2017)
13
Loved this, all 7 of us really enjoyed this excursion. Highly recommend!
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Cedar Park
Again extordinary snorkeling
     4/5  (Visited on March 2019)
26
This time (our 4th) was just a bit busier with spring break than previous tours. But the team did a great job and we were quite happy we had Mark once again as our tour Captain. The waters were clear as ever and though the current was quite strong for the day it was great.
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Cedar Park
As usual ... amazing
     5/5  (Visited on December 2018)
49
Gone with (tour operator) now several times and they're great every time. This time our guides were Stacy and Nicole and they did an amazing job with a large group and the choppy waters. We were able to see a ton of fish, enjoyed the nurse sharks and tarpon feeding.
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Cedar Park
amazing tour group
     5/5  (Visited on December 2018)
39
Stacy’s informative trip to Caye Caulker was really cool. Then her and Nicole did an awesome job guiding folks around the choppy water in both Hol Chan and shark ray alley.
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Roatan
shark ray alley
     5/5  (Visited on May 2018)
121
This was an amazing excursion. Our guide Stacy was very informative and loved sharing about her country. We had a great time.
Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion shark ray alleyBelize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion shark ray alleyShow Management Response

Joplin
Loved it.... Best guides ever!
     5/5  (Visited on March 2018)
115
We were so impressed with (tour operator), who we booked via shoreexcursioneer.com. We were THAT family. I grossly underestimated the time it would take to tender in from our ship and we were late for our excursion. They had every right to tell us " too bad, so sad' but instead they worked with another tour to get us on our boat, since they were docked on Caye Caulker pre-ordering lunch. We changed boats and had a great snorkeling and sharks/rays experience. My son got seasick snorkeling due to the current and Mark, out guide, pretty much towed him back to the boat. Mark also dove in after a phone another kid had dropped while feeding tarpon and got it back to him. The food in Caye Caulker was incredible. I know James, Garreth, and Deshawn were on the first boat and Mark and Layton (?) were with us on the second boat; other than that I don't remember everyone's names but every single person we met was fantastic. I heartily recommend them and will definitely be with them when we return to Belize. ♥️
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Paris, texas
Excellent snorkeling experience
     5/5  (Visited on February 2018)
115
February 6 2018 Caye Calmer The boat ride was pretty good, we were told about a lot of the history of the island and the house in the.middle if the house clean. We had two guys and one last, I think Stacy who guided us. Sure would like to give these guys a call, I have a few things to send them. Everything was excellent on this tour and would recommend it. Dry much
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rochester, ny
Best Day Ever!
     5/5  (Visited on February 2018)
97
We had the best day on this excursion. Our guide Mark and boat captain, Alex, were wonderful, knowledgeable and respectful of the wildlife we encountered. Great snorkeling. Would highly recommend it. Get some red snapper for lunch. Delicious.
Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Best Day Ever!Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Best Day Ever!Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Best Day Ever!Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Best Day Ever!Show Management Response

Santa Fe, TX USA
Would recommend this tour and company to anyone
     5/5  (Visited on June 2017)
99
The Belize shark ray alley and Hol Chan snorkeling was an incredible day. The entire event from meeting the guides to the boat ride and return was memorable and educational. The main guide was very personable and provided information about the country and the islands. The snorkeling was great. The swim with the sharks, and don't forget the stingrays, was breathtaking. The small restaurant we stopped at to order and later eat at was one of the best meals we had. I talked with others that did different but similar excursions, and paid more, didn't have near the great experience we did. Would book this again if the opportunity arises..Thanks again to the great crewman and boat captain..
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Texas
Best part of our entire cruise!
     5/5  (Visited on July 2016)
110
My husband, granddaughter and I went on this Excursion in July of 2016. A little late with my review! We had a wonderful time. Our guide met us at the gate in Belize City. A fast boat ride from the mainland to the island was fun. A short walk away we ordered our lunch at the small waterfront café. Yes it's an outside spot with sand and dirt streets. But that's Caye Caulker. Part of its charm. The fact it's a fishing village founded in the 1800's is really cool. The Locals were so kind and inviting. We did order our lunch prior to going out to snorkel. I had the grilled Red Snapper. It was delicious. I'm sorry I can't remember the names of our guides but our main guide was female. She and the two males were very knowledgeable, explaining everything, made us comfortable. We all enjoyed both snorkeling sites. Beautiful warm water, reef and all the sea life was awesome. We loved it so much, we are going back to Caye Caulker this June for a week. Staying at Weezies Penthouse condo. Certainly plan on hooking up with these guys. The highlight of our trip. Our weather was great. I understand if it rains, if you have preconceived ideas about how you think it will be, you may not have as much fun. It's not a "Resort town" I suggest you open up. Go with it. These guys showed us a great time. I have to admit, I enjoyed our lady guide calling me "Mama" throughout the day.
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Houston, TX
Sharks were awesome
     3/5  (Visited on January 2017)
79
My friend and I did this excursion in January 2017. Water was so very clear, fish were everywhere. I was able to actually touch the shark. (just like the photo on here) it was so incredible. We only saw one sea turtle, which was disappointing, but we are in the open ocean, so it can't be guaranteed. Only complaint I have was the lunch. We had to pre order it, then we left to do the snorkel. When we came back to the restaurant (2 hours later) our lunch was not ready. we had to wait another 30 minutes for it. So any site seeing at the island wasn't possible. The service at restaurant was terrible. Bathrooms were gross, with no toilet paper. Once we took the boat ride back (it's an hour boat ride, and it's bumpy, just be prepared) the city folks were so nice to us. Shopping there was very pleasurable. We will definitely go back to Belize and stay for a few days. I recommend eating very good before getting off the boat, as it will be a long time before you eat again. Bring a couple bottles of water too.
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USA
Some things were great and some weren't
     3/5  (Visited on December 2016)
110
Not sure if we just didn't have the best of luck that day but our tour started off very disorganized then we were crammed into a van. Seemed like there were some last minute tour joiners. After having been in the boat for 40 minutes, we were ready to get into the water but we stopped at Caye Caulker, walked to a restaurant and ordered lunch. Couldn't have they brought the menu to the boat? This took a good 30 minutes off our tour. The snorkeling at Hol Chan was great. The staff was attentive when we were in the water. The stop at Shark Ray Alley felt rushed. By the time we got back to Caye Caulker for lunch, the party of 11 that joined last minute complained that we might not get back to the ship on time, demanded that we be taken back to the tender and ruined the mood for the rest of us. Lunch wasn't great. This tour mentions a beach stop but we did not see a beach. Overall, I'd say the tour would have been great under more organized circumstances. The time management could have been better and there were just way too many people in the boat. Made me think that I would have had the same experience going on the Carnival excursion. This was not my usual Shore Excursioneer experience.
Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Some things were great and some weren'tShow Management Response

West Palm Beach, FL
Great Excursion despite poor weather
     5/5  (Visited on December 2016)
129
The excursion started from the port with a short 5 minute van ride to the dock the boat was located at. We had 9 other people on this excursion with us, putting the total at 11 people which is probably why we were on a smaller 28' center console boat with no cover. From there we took the boat about 35-45 minutes to Caye Caulker. We were in storms the entire way which made for a rough and wet ride. Once we arrived at the island we went inside the little restaurant and placed our lunch order and then boarded back on the boat to head to the barrier reef for our first dive. My girlfriend wasn't very comfortable on the ride to island so she decided to stay at the restaurant while we continued the tour. From there it was about another 15 minute ride to our first dive spot. Once we arrived the heavy rain had diminished to a light sprinkle. There we snorkeled for about 35 minutes. The water was beautiful even though it was rough from the weather. We saw a sea turtle, nurse shark, eel, sting rays and lots of beautiful fish and coral. The guides were very helpful in the water and led us around the reef to show us everything. Once we got back on the boat we drove about 10 minutes to the second dive spot. Here they put some chum in the water and within seconds nurse sharks and stingrays were everywhere. It was one of the most exciting things I've ever experienced. We were in the water with around 40 sharks swimming all around us. The amazing part was I felt completely comfortable in the water with our guides. They even held one of the sharks in their arms. After about 30 minutes in the water there we drove back to the island and made a quick stop in a small lagoon and hand fed the large tarpon swimming in the shallow water. After that we went back to the restaurant and our lunch was ready for us. Then we headed back to the port. The nice part was they dropped us off directly at the port instead of having to take the van back from the boat's dock. I definitely would recommend this excursion to anyone going to Belize. Despite the bad weather it was an amazing experience.
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A must do
     5/5  (Visited on December 2015)
90
Really awesome!
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Lisbon, Portugal
Amazing experience
     5/5  (Visited on June 2016)
95
We recently passed on Belize by cruise and went on Excursion "Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Snorkeling by Boat with Caye Caulker". It was really a fabulous experience, complemented with the great service delivered by Nelson and his team. Nelson really made all efforts to give us the best time. Would definitely recommend this tour.
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Biella
Great experience!
     5/5  (Visited on May 2016)
110
Before booking I was a little bit concerned about missing the excursion due to ship arrival time or delays, but everything was perfect. We were cruising NCL and set on local time, took the first tenders and were on perfect time. Boarded on a boat with our guide Leon and the crew and other 6 pax, we headed to Caye Caulker island to order our lunch and have it ready for lunch time with no delays. Then we had a short boat trip again to the first snorkeling site in Hol Chan that was amazing. We swam very close to turtles, saw stingrays and many other fishes and corals. Leon paid a lot of attention to us and to our safety in water as well. After that we boarded again and after a short ride we met and swam with the sharks and rays. We headed back to Caye Caulker for lunch and for some free time, and than back to the cruiseship pier where we docked at 2:30 PM, in perfect time to catch the tender to the cruiseship with no hurry. Everything was perfect, I do recommend this excursion!
Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Great experience!Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Great experience!Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Excursion Great experience!Show Management Response

Texas
Most amazing excursion!
     5/5  (Visited on March 2016)
92
We got instructions on how to meet someone outside the gate. They led us to a pier that was across the street from the Radisson Hotel. Here we paid our balance in cash. The boat was not large but there was only our group of 5 which included a 4 year old and another 4 guys. The ride to the island was fun. We were going pretty fast and we stopped to see the mangroves for a few minutes and learn a little about them. We stopped at Caye Caulker for a bathroom break and to place orders for lunch if we wanted. Back on the boat it was about 15 minutes more to Hol Chan. The water was crystal clear and the most gorgeous color. Our 4 year old grandson was a little afraid and didn't want to wear a mask and didn't want to get into the water. Our guide was so awesome. He gave him an extra vest to float on top of the water and he put an arm around him and told him to hold onto the life preserver which he had so that the group could spot him. He talked to him and entertained him all along the way. We saw a barracuda, an eagle ray, a sea turtle and many fish and beautiful coral. When we got back on the boat our grandson said he saw them too. They gave us water to drink and in a few minutes we were at the shark/ray alley. It was incredible! There were a lot of nurse sharks and tons of amber jacks and stingrays. Dennis, the captain sat at the back of the boat with our grandson and let him throw out the sardines to feed the sharks and stingrays. He also talked to him and every time we checked on him he was having a great time. Nelson, one of the guides, would catch a nurse shark or stingray and let us all touch them. We had plenty of time and my husband got some great video with his GoPro. When we got back on the boat they gave us some really good rum punch and chips and salsa. In about 10 minutes we were back at Caye Caulker. We highly recommend the shrimp ceviche at the restaurant there and have a local beer called Belikin. Everyone agreed to leave a little early because Nelson said they would take us to the other side of the island for something extra. We went through the split in the island that was made during a hurricane. On the other side, we stopped and there were hundreds of tarpon (large fish) and many pelicans. Some of us were able to hold up a sardine and the fish jumped out of the water to take them. Dennis taught us to say in the broken English that the Belizians speak in...Ima gan ta Belize. He said to tell everybody it was unbelizable! And it was! We have no problem recommending shoreexcursioneer. They were fun, friendly and really went the extra mile to make sure we all had a great time.
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Conway Arkansas
Booking it again
     5/5  (Visited on November 2014)
148
We did this in November last year, it was our first time snorkeling in the ocean. And wow what an exciting time we had. The Island break was fantastic and so was the food. We are booking again for February.
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Pleasant Grove, UT
Rocky start, great excursion
     4/5  (Visited on April 2015)
119
I'm not going to lie, I was a little nervous booking outside of the cruise line. When we got off the ship we had to leave the gates to meet someone who walked us around some less than desireable areas, through a hotel lobby, and to a dock. Everyone sat in silence, a little nervous. Some of the equipment was low quality and the masks were scratched and had poor visibility. I was so disappointed. Fortunately things improved dramatically. They brought nice equipment (hooray for snorkels with a purge valve!!!). We got on the boat and the trip was beautiful! The water was gorgeous, the mangrove forests were amazing. We got to feed some fish. The snorkeling was good, not as great as we were expecting though. However, feeding the sharks was so much fun! Many thought it was the highlight of the trip. We had heard some excursions take you to areas shallow enough to stand. We liked the deeper water and saw and touched a lot of sharks. We saw rays and even a sea turtle. Definitely a highlight for the guys. We just wish it had started better.
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Brunswick
The Best
     5/5  (Visited on April 2014)
104
What a great shore excursion! After years of cruising I am fed up with paying the high prices for the ship excursions. This was better than what the ship was offering and much less money! Besides, snorkeling does not get better than this. We saw the sharks and got up real close and personal with them and the sting rays. We had a small group which was perfect. Nothing is more of a vacation turn-off than being crammed together with dozens of other cruisers! On our boat, it was just 11 passengers and the wonderful crew who made it so much more individualized. No masses in the water and getting kicked in the face with a bunch of fins. Thanks to our crew, we had an unforgettable day! And thank you to this company for saving me money. I will never book through the ship again!
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GREAT SO FAR
 GREAT SO FAR 
Oscar S Orange Grove, TX, US
 
Oscar S Orange Grove, TX, US Yesterday
This is the second time I’ve booked an excursion through you guys. It was pain...
 This is the second time I’ve booked an excursion through you guys. It was painless and effortless. Thank you. 
Michael M Irving, Texas, US
 
Michael M Irving, Texas, US Yesterday
Yes
 Yes 
Cynthia H Lake Jackson, Texas, US
 
Cynthia H Lake Jackson, Texas, US Yesterday
Everything was great. In the future...I'd like the option to pay it in full. Tha...
 Everything was great. In the future...I'd like the option to pay it in full. Thanks. 
Marianne L Arnold, MO, US
 
Marianne L Arnold, MO, US 3 days ago
Easy to book on a mobile phone.
 Easy to book on a mobile phone. 
David M Saint Johns, 1, US
 
David M Saint Johns, 1, US 5 days ago
Love making all my excursions with this company
 Love making all my excursions with this company 
Franci S San Antonio, TX, US
 
Franci S San Antonio, TX, US 5 days ago