Private Hol Chan Morning or Sunset Half Day Charter
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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"!
Prices change with the date; the lowest is shown.
Out at sunset: the 2:00 PM departure is under way when the sun sets, around 5:15 PM in the coming weeks.
From the operator’s live schedule on Viator, checked Nov 13.
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.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
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All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
Private Hol Chan Morning or Sunset Half Day Charter lasts about 4 hours. The itinerary has 3 stops.
Prices start at $625 per person for this Ambergris Caye experience, booked through Viator with the price shown before checkout. There are 14 booking options, so the final price depends on the option you choose.
According to the operator’s current schedule, it runs every day, with 8 departures a day between 9:00 AM and 3:00 PM.
All sales are final. No refund is available for cancellations.
The meeting point is Pick up is not included. We depart from the Palapa Bar dock, and we meet there 15 minutes before departure. Hotel pickup is not part of this experience.
The experience is available in EN, ES.
It is a private experience: only your party takes part. Your own group can be up to 15 people on one booking; no other travellers join.
Yes, bookings are confirmed instantly.
Travellers rate it 5.0 out of 5 across 57 reviews on Viator and Tripadvisor; it is run by Catamaran Belize - Coral Tours Sailing.
Reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor
| Tour | Duration | Rating | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Private Hol Chan Morning or Sunset Half Day Charter | 4 hours | 5.0 (57) | $625 | |
 Private Full Day Charter from San Pedro | 8 hours | 5.0 (209) | $1,210 | View |
 4 Day / 3 Night All Inclusive Private Sailing Charter | 4 days | 5.0 (10) | $9,980 | View |
 Half-Day Private Barrier Reef Snorkeling in San Pedro | 3 hours | 5.0 (1) | $224 | View |
 Full-Day Snorkel at Hol Chan, Shark Ray & More; San Pedro Belize | 7h 30min | 4.8 (467) | $130 | View |
 Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat | 4 hours | 4.8 (363) | $99 | View |
 Snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley | 2h 45min | 4.8 (302) | $80 | View |