Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Park Snorkel Excursion by Air

Duration
5 hours 30 min
Activity Level
Active
Minimum Age
All Ages
Languages
EN | ES

Description
Meeting Point
Included
Notes
Restrictions
FAQ
Cancellation

Description

Round-trip flight from Belize City to San Pedro Island (15 min) is pre-arranged and included!
English-speaking certified PADI snorkel guides!
Small groups only!
Guided snorkel and instruction!
The snorkel set includes varied-sized fins, sanitized snorkel, a silicone mask, and a vest!

For those guests arriving at Harvest Caye, Belize please see our Harvest Caye Excursions.

It starts with a 15-minute flight from Belize City to the beautiful island of Ambergris Caye. The excitement starts when you board the plane at the municipal airport, which is only a 5 to 10-minute taxi ride from your cruise pier. You will have about 15 minutes to take in the breathtaking view of this paradise from the air - the ticket price is included.

You will be landing in San Pedro on Ambergris Caye Island. When you arrive you will be greeted by the friendly and professional local Belize Cruise Excursion guides for an amazing Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Park Snorkel Excursion! (NOTE: if you are traveling with a diver that would like to come along and snorkel and SCUBA dive on this excursion, please see our Belize Hol Chan One Tank SCUBA Dive and Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Cruise Excursion by Air option to enjoy this adventure excursion in Belize together).

Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley are 2 of the most well-known sites near Ambergris Caye. Hol Chan has a natural break, or you could say cut in the reef. You will be amazed at the wide range of tropical fish that you can snorkel with, from the famous Fairy Basslet to gigantic groupers and they are all within arm's reach!

Large schools of jacks, groupers, and snappers will welcome you to their world starting at only around 5 feet of water. You will then be taken to the 'cut' where the coral formations, sea turtles, and spotted-eagle rays amaze you. This reserve is where over 160 species of fish call home. The cut in the reef there is about 75 feet wide and 30 feet deep. Imagine that it is like snorkeling in one big aquarium!

Close to the cut an even more thrilling adventure awaits you with the friendly Nurse Sharks and Southern Stingrays. The local fishermen made it an everyday practice to clean their catch right there. They noticed Nurse Sharks and Rays taking advantage of this, not wanting to turn down a free meal. Word of this soon spread and the area became very popular with divers and snorkelers who come to visit and 'play' with the rays and sharks.

Both species of these unique animals are harmless and have become people-friendly due to years of human interaction. Some of the rays have an amazing way of being almost cat-like wanting to be scratched and rubbing up on your leg. This is truly the high point of your vacation!

When you are finished snorkeling, you have a couple of options. You may return to the airport for your flight back to Belize City if you like. If time permits, you can stop and have lunch and just take the next flight because all flights from San Pedro to Belize City leave every hour. Leave it to our skilled Belize cruise excursion staff to get you back to your ship on time.

If you miss your assigned flight, the airline will notify the dive shop. If the ship was late, you will not need to pay for a ticket for the next flight. Flights leaving Belize City at 08:30 and 09:30 AM local time.

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Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Park Snorkel Excursion by Air Experiences

Adventure Aircraft Beach Boating Eco Tour Family Romantic Snorkeling Swimming Water Sports

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

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Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Park Snorkel Excursion by Air Reviews

This is an incredible and unforgettable snorkeling cruise excursion in Belize. Visit the best snorkel spots Belize and its barrier reef have to offer!

4.9/5

17 Reviews

+ Add Review

tctx Sugar Land, Texas, US

Miss the crowds!

5/5 (Visited on September 2019)

We wanted to do an excursion to Shark Ray Alley but the reviews for the cruise line's excursion mentioned there being too many people to enjoy the experience. When I found out I could do the same excursion by air and get there sooner than the people going by boat, I decided to give it a try. It was perfect. It was only our group that was there at the time so the experience was great! We saw a ton of sharks and felt safe the whole time. And, as a bonus, the plane ride was super fun and gave great views of the varying shades of blue and green of the water :)

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the girls Belize

Belize

5/5 (Visited on November 2019)

We had the best time, it was a one in a lifetime trip!! So easy and the transportation was very easy!

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T-and-D Houston, TX

Absolutely Wonderful

5/5 (Visited on February 2019)

First of all, I totally recommend this excursion! I originally planned to do a similar excursion but heard that it was very crowded while snorkeling so I cancelled it. Then I found this one that gets you to the snorkeling location before the crowds get there, since you fly to a place really close by. The snorkeling was beautiful. The crew was very helpful & they were very focused on our safety & satisfaction. The plane ride was short & we felt safe the whole time. As a bonus, we were able to take in some amazing views of the blue & green water from the plane. :)

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Tanya Houston

Great choice, wonderful time!

5/5 (Visited on September 2018)

This was one of our most favorite excursions! The plane ride was like a bonus excursion :) The guides were very knowledgeable, professional & helpful. They were very focused on keeping us safe, helping us see as much sea life as possible and making sure everyone was having a good time. I mentioned being a weak swimmer and they gave me a rope to hold onto so they could pull me if I got tired. It's hard to make the first flight but we ran to find a taxi & he got us there just in time. When we arrived at the snorkeling office, we found out that the other people booked on the same excursion didn't make the flight though so we had to wait an hour for them to arrive. The person at the snorkeling office escorted us to a nice little restaurant with a view of the water though so our wait was very pleasant. A common concern when going on an excursion not booked through the cruise ship is that you won't make it back in time. So, we opted to head straight back but we really could have stayed another hour or two. We got back to the ship very early :) I'd definitely recommend this excursion.

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Russ Cincinnati, OH

Awesome!

5/5 (Visited on July 2018)

132

This is an amazing outing and I highly recommend it. There were 5 people in our party and on the tour there was one scuba diver so we basically had a private tour. There is a lot of moving parts on this outing from a cruise ship but it all comes together! The ship time is one hour ahead of the tour time so that helps. We were on Carnival so we took the transport to the dock and picked up a cab to the airport for an 8:30am flight. The airport does not need passports or ID. I had reserved 5 spots and they had me write down everyone's names and gave me 5 boarding passes. The cab driver came in with us and offered to return at 1:15pm to pick us up. The views from the 15 minute flight were terrific! We landed at the airport on Ambergris Caye and were transported to diving boat. From there we went to Shark & Ray Alley which was incredible. Huge schools of fish, nurse sharks, rays and giant sea turtle were our companions in the sea. We swam with them for about 45 minutes and then went to Hol Chan Reef. This the the 2nd largest reef in the world and according to the locals the healthiest with the most live coral. It was beautiful! Our guide took us thru the reef and pointed out eels and other sights. We loved this trip! Please do not be intimidated by the logistics of this outing because it is so worth it!!

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TravelingNurse Fort Defiance, AZ

worth every penny

5/5 (Visited on May 2018)

short flight to San Pedro followed by short boat ride to Hol Chan then to Shark Ray Alley. Our guide was great. We saw lots of fish and enjoyed the shark and ray encounter. The best part: our guide spotted a sea turtle and stopped and boat and let me jump in to get close and take pictures! We were originally signed up for the 2 turtle snorkel but it was canceled so getting to swim with one made my day, and my trip!

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Brianna Cleveland, Ohio

LOVED THIS!!!!!

5/5 (Visited on December 2017)

105

We had a great time! You get off your cruise boat, head to the airport and hop on a plane that takes you to San Pedro. (They) picked us up at the airport in San Pedro (the views from the plane are amazing) and we went to Hol Chan Marine (AMAZING) to snorkel and then Shark Ray Alley! The staff was incredible. My only complaints are they shouldn't allow people to wear fins during Shark Ray Alley, I kept getting kicked in the face. I wish they could have someone take us from the cruise terminal to the airport because the taxi situation was a little shady. Note: Taxis should be $10 each way to the airport, they will try and trick you. Belize isn't a super safe place so be careful heading to get a taxi.

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Farechiga Austin, TX

Wow - Great Experience

5/5 (Visited on May 2017)

113

My wife, sister-in-law and I decided to book this excursion with less than a week before our arrival in Belize. We were able to take one of the first tenders off Carnival Freedom and arrived at the cruise tender terminal early at about 8:30am. A quick cab ride to the municipal airport and check in with the air carrier had us in a 9am flight to San Pedro. The views from the plane at 3500 feet were spectacular. Our guide met us at the airport and escorted us by foot and we walked about a quarter mile to the beach. The dive shop fitted us with our snorkel gear and within 10 minutes we were on our way to Hol Chan. After checking in with the park ranger at the reef site we were in the water swimming among some of most beautiful coral formations and variety of fish one could imagine. Our guide led us in the water to many different reef canyons and walls that were populated with beautiful fish, rays and sharks. After that 45 minute swim we loaded back up and headed to Shark Ray Alley where we entered the water and were immediately surrounded by at least a hundred fish, slowly the nurse sharks came by within 2 to 3 feet. They were anywhere from 6-8 feet long but very docile. The rays then started coming by and patrolled the bottom about 15 feet below. Very impressed by the variety of fish and proximity they permitted us to approach - some as close as 2-3 inches to our masks. We then loaded back up and as a bonus our guide searched for and found aa manatee resting area. We quietly entered about 30 yards from a spot where one was resting on the ocean floor in about 30 feet of water. She slowly ascended to the surface took a breath and then slowly went back to chill on the sandy bottom. We also found 2 others nearby that were foraging for sea grass. Very graceful and docile creatures. We then headed back to the dive shop. After turning in our gear we were directed to a local restaurant and had an nice local meal of rice beans and pork. Our guide then met us and escorted us back to the airport and made sure we made our flight back to Belize City. Within the next hour we were back on Freedom. This was a wonderful excursion!

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Laura Spain

AMAZING!

5/5 (Visited on September 2016)

If you are looking for something different ... this is the excursion you should definitely do! We are experienced snorkelers and this excursion is breathtakingly amazing!! we were a little scared about taking a plane after we got out of a cruise but everything went so smoothly that after arriving at the municipal airport we forgot all the nerves we had. At the municipal airport they were so nice and friendly, nothing seemed a problem and if a problem occurred they just fixed it right away. As we arrived a little early, we waited in the waiting room and an employee joined us and provided us a bunch of information about all the (less visited) places we should visit when weÂ´d come back to Belize. Up in the air you get an amazing view over the small islands of Belize... it was like those idyllic pictures you find in magazines. Our snorkeling guide was waiting for us at the local airport in San Pedro and took us straight to the boat to get us to the first stop, a corral reef with small fishes and beautiful colored corals. We saw 1 nurse shark. On the way to our second stop there was a giant sea turtle so they pulled over and we got some time to swim with this precious creature before we proceeded our way to the final stop: Shark Ray Alley. This place is just breathtaking. Soo many trigger fishes, nurse sharks, sting rays, and some smaller colorful fishes... as the guides informed us the sharks are attracted by the sounds of the engine and curious for only 5 minutes. afterwards they were gone. Just have a look at the pictures of this excursion. What you see is what you get! WeÂ´ll definitely do this excursion over and over again every time weÂ´re in Belize!!! This excursion exceeded all our expectations...

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Rider Shreveport, LA.

Awesomme

5/5 (Visited on February 2016)

101

My wife and I booked with Shoreexcursioneer over our cruise ship to avoid the crowds. This turned out to be the best snorkel and dive trip my wife and i have ever had. It was a slow day and we received one on one supervision, I dove while she snorkeled. She completely enjoyed this tour, the guides stopped and showed her everything, pointing out the different fish, eels, sharks, rays and turtles. They did not short change us just because we were only two people. I was able to concentrate on my dive, knowing she was safe and being guided above all the time. Seeing the Sharks up close was exhilarating and awesome. We were able to get so many pictures of the rays and sharks, we could not keep up with all the wonderful sights. This tour was the highlight of our 7 day cruise.

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Rhonda Wahoo, Nebraska

Great excursion, way cheaper than booking it on the ship!

5/5 (Visited on December 2015)

117

We just got back from our cruise, and we went on this excursion Dec. 22, 2015. We were a little nervous about getting ourselves to the airport and getting to San Pedro on time, but it was no problem. The cab cost us $8, I think. The airport was a new experience. They didn't even ask for our ID! As expected, the plane was small. A 12-person prop plane, but the flight over was smooth and the views unbelievable! Gil met us at the airport and started walking us to the dock. Someone else from the company came along and gave us a ride on a golf cart. We were early, but they had a comfortable place for us to sit on the dock. Oscar took us out to the reef. (There was more security getting in the marine park than at the airport!) But the park rangers were nice. Soon we were in the water and saw a sea turtle immediately. Oscar escorted us around and we saw a stingray and a large variety of fish and coral. It was beautiful! There were just 4 people in our group. My husband and myself and a mother and her son, so we had lots of one-on-one with our guide. I also had attention from a sucker fish! He must have thought my floating hair was seaweed. LOL He was swimming in my hair, then sucked onto my ear and scared me half to death. I screamed into my snorkeling gear! We were told to not harass the sea life, but apparently they didn't get the same memo! The sucker fish then swam right in front of my mask and to the other side of my body where he swam by my left elbow for a while. It freaked me out a little, but didn't ruin the amazing experience we were having. After 45 minutes or so, we got back in the boat and went to Shark Ray Alley. We were offered cold water as refreshment. Oscar explained that the sound of the boat engine attracted the sharks, so we'd have to jump in right away to see them before another boat arrived and they went to investigate that. We jumped in and there were lots of fish, but then we saw the nurse sharks. Maybe three or four of them circling. Oscar was right, they were gone within five minutes. We didn't see any sting rays at this stop, but since we had seen one earlier, we didn't stay in the water that long once the sharks were gone. After getting back to the dock, we had about an hour and half before our flight. Oscar walked us to a great local restaurant where we feasted on fresh lobster. The cost of this excursion was HALF what we would have paid for the same thing on the cruise. We were back to Belize City on time to do some shopping before boarding the ship in plenty of time. We'd recommend this excursion to everyone!

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v4au carrollton, tx

Perfect for Cruise Ship Passengers

5/5 (Visited on November 2015)

119

If you are coming into Belize City and want to see the best of Belize, you must do this excursion! We had a few bumps at the Belize City airport - they didn't have our names for the flight - but they fixed it and we were on our way to Ambergris Caye within the hour. The flight is only about 15 minutes and you get to see the amazing water from the air. Once in Belize, we were greeted at the airport, and walked with our guide to the dive shop where the snorkel tour would depart. We had a great tour guide (Thanks Kinton!) and an amazing day. The water was warm, but refreshing and we saw incredible fish, coral, sharks, sea turtles, etc. This tour is the reason we want to return to Belize for a longer visit.

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Snorkelman Port Lavaca, Texas

Had a great time!!!

5/5 (Visited on October 2015)

100

We went on this excursion last week. We had a blast!! A worker on the tender to shore asked us what excursion we were on and we told him. He set us up with a taxi when we got to shore. Taxi took us to the municipal airport. We waited for the plane for about 30 minutes. Plane ride was about 15 minutes. Our guide for the excursion was waiting for us at the airport and walked us to the dock, maybe 5 to 10 minute walk. We then paid for the excursion and headed to the marine park. There were four in our group so we basically had a private tour. We stopped at Hol Chan first. Lots of fish and beautiful coral everywhere. Our guide showed us and described the different coral and fish while we snorkeled. We then went to Shark Ray Alley. It was crazy jumping into the water with a shark and fish feeding frenzy going on. Was very cool too! We snorkeled there for a while and our guide caught a shark swimming by and let us take pictures while holding it ourselves. We saw lots of fish, sharks and even a sea turtle on the trip. We went back to shore and had time to eat lunch at a restaurant by the dock. They took us back to the airport and we were back to the ship in plenty of time. I would definitely recommend this excursion and would do it again in a heartbeat!

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Blue couple Tucson, Arizona

Wonderful adventure

5/5 (Visited on May 2015)

116

My husband and I took this excursion off our cruise ship. Mainly, we are tired of the mob scene when participating with a cruise ship excursion. We took a cab to the airport and only waited 15 minutes for our flight. The trip was wonderful. The best part was that we were the only people on this excursion, our own private tour of Hol Chan Marine Park and Shark Ray Alley. Awesome!! Our tour guide was polite and informative and everyone was so friendly. Definitely go this route!

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Judy Arkansas

Too many fish

3/5 (Visited on May 2014)

102

There were too many fish in the water and my son got scared. The fish were just everywhere and he was crying so did not snorkel.

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Sonya.673 Houston

Everything we expected....

5/5 (Visited on March 2014)

113

We booked this tour and so glad that we did. I will admit that the thought of jumping on a plane and going to the island was a bit scary and had thoughts of missing our ship. Those thoughts were 100% wrong. This company has been doing business with the cruiselines for a number of years and are on top of all the schedules. We soon just relaxed and enjoyed our marvelous excursion! It was everything that we thought it was going to be and better. Hol Chan was amazing! But being in the water with the rays was unbelievably fun! And totally safe. We were very impressed and hope to again some day.

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Jeff and Kate Kansas City

Do this excursion!!!

5/5 (Visited on August 2013)

109

We did alot of research online before the trip and thought this tour looked good. I kinda thought it would be difficult dealing with taking an airplane over to the other island but everything was so simple! There was no need for any of us to worry. We saved so much money booked an independent tour and not paying the high priced ship tour. The snorkeling was fabulous and we took tons of underwater photos. Thank you from Kansas

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Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Park Snorkel Excursion by Air

Belize, Belize City (Excursion ID S1345)

Description

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Cancellation

Excursion out of stock

Belize Shark Ray Alley and Hol Chan Marine Park Snorkel Excursion by Air 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 Park Snorkel Excursion by Air Reviews