Private Hol Chan Morning or Sunset Half Day Charter
Description
Snorkel the famous Hol Chan Marine reserve, enjoy some fresh ceviche and drinks from our open bar. Choose either a morning cruise or a sunset cruise. Relax on comfortable cushions while enjoying the ocean, the views and the sunshine and being pampered by our crew. Hol Chan has the largest variety of species to be seen in the area and is often compared to an aquarium, while at Shark Ray Alley you get to experience a close encounter with nurse-sharks and stingrays. Watch from the boat or swim with them! On the afternoon schedule we stop to see the sunset over the open water, then we sail back watching Ambergris Caye turn into its nocturnal shape with all the lights coming on, and hopefully also the first stars. Open bar with local rum, vodka, gin, soft drinks and juices is included. Try the specials, rum punch and "panty rippers"!
Tour Options
Itinerary
Pick up is not included. We depart from the Palapa Bar dock, and we meet there 15 minutes before departure. Then the ride to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve takes 45 minutes, while you lay down on comfortable cushions enjoying the ocean, the views and the sunshine, accompanied by drinks and music.
Hol Chan is Mayan for "little channel" and is a natural break in the reef, which has always been a very productive fishing area with abundant marine life. It is open to the sea beyond the reef, so allows marine creatures to travel from the outside of the reef to the inside and vice versa. It became the first marine reserve in the entire country of Belize back in 1987 and this have led to the species to re-generate and the corals of growing unharmed. This snorkeling area has the greatest variety of marine life and coral, compared to being an "underwater zoo" - you have the chance to see all kinds of corals, fishes and even sea turtles! Over 160 species of fish and forty types of coral have been recorded in the area.
The story behind Shark Ray Alley is that in all times, due to its position close to the channel to go outside the protecting barrier reef for fishing, it was the point where the local fishermen came in with their catch and started cleaning it - throwing the head, etc into the water. This converted it a natural habit for the marine life such as nurse sharks and sting-rays that associate the sound of an engine to food. The water is shallow and transparent and you will see the nurse-sharks and sting-rays on the surface, meaning that even if you don't get in to the water you can enjoy it from the boat as well! The nurse-sharks and sting-rays eventually swim away, so this stop lasts max. 30 minutes.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- The Tour Duration from 4 hours includes: 45 min to reach Hol Chan. Then we snorkel for 1 hour = 1h 45 min. Takes 15 min to reach Shark Ray Alley = 2 hours Stay there 30 min = 2,5 hours Takes 1 hour back = 3,5 hours. The extra 30 min is to have additional time for guests to put their gear on, get on/off etc and to not be rushed at either of the locations – it might as well be 1 h 15 min at Hol Chan for example, but we promise min. 1 hour. On the sunset schedule we also stop for guests to get the perfect pictures.
- Please note that our schedule depends on the sunset, so through the year it changes in 15-min periods within the range of starting times between 9 am/10 am and 2 pm/3.15 pm. The published times are the current ones.
Reviews(57)
One of the best days of our annual Ambergris Caye trip is always spent with Catamaran Belize. We are repeat customers as we always have a great time with them. They are experienced sailors and snorkelers, but are always super fun and friendly and make the day extra special. I promise you won't regret the time spent with Catamaran Belize.
What a beautiful way to celebrate my 30th birthday. The crew took wonderful care of us and we loved the snorkeling I had never seen anything so beautiful. Drinks and ceviche were flowing. The crew is awesome I will be seeing them next time I visit!
We had such an amazing time, Ana and Charlie were awesome guides! We got to see so much during the excursion, Ana pointed out all the wildlife. They made the shark alley experience so fun as well. Highly recommend it!
Very welcoming and fun staff. The tour was amazing food was good.
We booked a private catamaran snorkeling tour for my birthday and it was incredible! The crew provided top-tier service and made the entire experience so fun and seamless. The snorkeling was beautiful and the vibe on the boat was perfect. My friends and I had the best time. Highly recommend!
We had a wonderful sunset cruise with Catamaran Belize! The views were absolutely stunning as the sun set over the water. The men in our group went snorkeling and had an amazing experience — even getting to see sharks being fed, which was such an exciting highlight. The crew was friendly, professional, and made the entire experience relaxing and fun. A perfect evening on the water!
We had an amazing time! The staff were amazing and the cruise was fun and relaxing! Thank you for easy booking, great service and an amazing tour
This CatamaranBelize trip has been the highlight of our San Pedro stay! 6 in our family, including 2 of n college and two high schoolers. Charlie was an amazing captain. And what a cook. Not kidding…the best meal we had in Belize was on the boat. Pablo was amazing. I’m a nervous swimmer and he made sure to keep me safe and take it slow so I could enjoy the experience with my adventurous kids. I felt completely safe, so that made the day for me. Pablo also was incredibly knowledgeable about the fish & their habitat. A bonus for us curious Colorado land lovers. Worth every penny for the incredible first class experience we got!
This was a great ending to our trip to San Pedro. It was a private sunset cruise with 2 stops for snorkeling. I booked directly through the company which was easy. They were so accommodating. The crew were great as we had a guide when we snorkels at Hol Chan & Shark Ray alley. We saw a lot of sea life too. The crew helped my 75+ year old parents enjoy the trip as well by helping them get to the front of the boat and keeping their cups full with rum punch. The sunset was great. We'd do it again!
Such a great trip!!! The crew and boat were waiting there for us before our scheduled arrival time. Charlie and Claudio are the best! Snorkeling was great - not as many colorful fish as I expected but Shark Ray Alley was supercool!!! Everyone was so helpful and knowledgeable! If I could leave more than 5-Stars I would!!! We will be back!!
