AmbergrisCaye.com Home Forums The Cayes Ambergris Caye Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour

Hi,

I'm planning to do a 1/2 day snorkel tour to Hol Chan/Shark Ray Alley while in AC. Can anyone recommend me which tour I should go w/? Also, where can I book the tour? Thanks...

ktny, I have always liked amigos del mar and you do both of them at the same time ...one right after the other.. in a 1/2 day tour. make sure you have your guide go with you at hol chan.. he will point out lots of cool stuff for you...john in denver

ktny... You can book online before you leave direct with Amigos del Mar or wait till you get there and book thru either CDM or The Palms. The Palms staff can book everything from your Lamanai trip to snorkeling to water taxis to fishing for you! E-mail or call them direct and they will arrange it all.

Sorry, I've done more research and read from this forum about an all day snorkel tour that stops at Caye Caulker for lunch. Is it worth going?

We personally like Alphonse Graniel best of the guides we've gone with for 1/2 day trips. He's got a real love of Belize and its marine life and he enjoys sharing his knowledge with wisitors. We've also gone on several night snorkels with him and had a great time.

Because Alphonse doesn't have an office, like Seaduced, Hustler or Amigos, some resorts are hesitant to book with him. So if your resort balks, you might have to push.

Try a search of previous posts - you'll find a lot of feedback about Alphonse and other guides.

The El Gato run by Geraldo Badillo does an all day sailing tour to Caye Caulker with two snorkel stops in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve. It is one of, if not the, most popular tours with our guests and they get rave reviews for their quality and value for money at only US$50 per person. Small groups are almost gauranteed with a max of twelve people (min of 3 or 4) on the Catamaran. Take your own snorkel gear or rent from a dive shop prior to the trip as their kit selection is limited. Take money for Park fee, lunch and any shopping on Caye Caulker.

ktny33...I second Alphonse Graniel as the best guide for the snorkle trip. Went with him over the Christmas holiday and he was great. We scheduled him through Tanisha Tours as a recommendation from Daniel Nuñez.

how many days should I schedule the tour in advance? Can I book it once I get there?

We snorkeled with Alphonse and liked him so much we scheduled another full day where we went to see the Manatees and stopped at Caye Caulker on our way back for lunch, then went snorkeling. I second everything everyone has said. We booked him through Monkey Business at Banana Beach. He served rum punch and beer on the trip and we learned so much about the island and the people. It was one of our best days. I swear he knew every fish snorkeling and told us about everyone. We had kind of a big group the first day, but it still went really well. This was my first time snorkeling and he helped me so much, I felt very comfortable and couldn't wait to go again.

I third the suggestion of Alphonse. He was the bright spot of what I thought was a very disapointing 9 days in San Pedro. His enthusiasim and geniune love of his job put ever other person I met in Belize to shame. I actually did Hoi Chan/Shark Ray three times just because nothing else came close to living up to my expectations.