Shark Ray Alley/Hol Chan reserve

[Motorcycle Gma]

Has anyone successfully done this trip on a cruise day? We are in port 8 am to 5 pm.

 

If so, how did you do it? Privately, with the cruise ship, waterferry to Caye Caulker??

 

Is it a nice snorkel/dive or very shallow? Husband really wants to see sharks, but we can't do the shark dive in Roatan due to timing.

 

Thanks

[BarleyBear]

I would like to know too! Been researching flying to Ambergris Caye but I don't know if I can get off the cruise boat in time!

[Middleager]

We did that a few years back.

 

4 of us flew to Ambergris Caye. From there I went scuba diving. My wife and another couple went snorkeling.

 

The 2-tank boat diving was quite good. My wife and friend's snorkeling trip was one of the best they had ever done. They saw lots of sharks, rays, and other fish. The guide went to hold rays up for them to pad. It was a blast.

 

We flew back to Belize city. Got back to cruise terminal, then back to ship, no problem.

[BarleyBear]

Do you happen to remember what company you used?

[thescot123]

I have not done Hoi Chan via a plane but someone on my upcoming Xmas cruise is doing this. She is going to use Aqua Scuba Center which apparently Ecotours uses also. Looking at their flight schedule they mention that you fly from the ariport at 8.30am. In my opinion, that does not seem enough time as our boat gets to Belize at 8.30am. You then have to take the first tender, if you can, for the 15 minute ride to the city and then find a taxi to take you to the airport. For me, I would use Ecotours as they meet you at the tourism village and take you to the airport.

[wantocruisemore]

We did that a few years back.

 

4 of us flew to Ambergris Caye. From there I went scuba diving. My wife and another couple went snorkeling.

 

The 2-tank boat diving was quite good. My wife and friend's snorkeling trip was one of the best they had ever done. They saw lots of sharks, rays, and other fish. The guide went to hold rays up for them to pad. It was a blast.

 

We flew back to Belize city. Got back to cruise terminal, then back to ship, no problem.

 

How rough was the water? I know it can change but I will have 2 novice snorkelers with me.

[BarleyBear]

Thank you thescot123 for telling me the details about your friend in your Xmas cruise who is going to try for the EcoTours. Let me know how your friend does it! I want to know if she makes it off the cruise in time for her flight! Please post back after your Xmas cruise. I would REALLY appreciate it.

 

For anyone else reading this post FYI Aqua Scuba Centre is the local operator for ShoreExcursioneer too. I didn't realize that Aqua Scuba Centre was for EcoTours too! EcoTours however does cover the ride to the airport whereas ShoreExcursioneer doesn't.

 

I wonder which company Middleager used...

[Middleager]

It was a few years ago, so you'd want references from more recent years to know who are the good ops.

 

The waters were not rough, during the end of Aug. time when we were there. My wife was a novice snorkeler and the other old couple were beginner snorkelers. They were all fine. Oh, we brought noodles ourselves. That really helped, when they could hang onto noodle in front of their arm, and not fear drowning.

 

--

 

Another thing, the sharks there only eat two people per week. So if you time it right (like we did), it won't be a problem.:D

[wantocruisemore]

Would Hol Chan and shark ray alley be suitable for beginner snorkelers? Going in mid May.

Edited November 23, 2013 by wantocruisemore

[Middleager]

Would Hol Chan and shark ray alley be suitable for beginner snorkelers? Going in mid May.

Yes. See this thread.

[wantocruisemore]

Thanks, we are going to go ahead and book a private for shark ray and Hol chan.

[MJC]

We are visiting Belize on Princess and are going to book an independent tour to San Pedro by plane for Hoi Chan and Shark Ray Alley. Would love to hear from previous visitors any tips or advice, especially what to bring (other than the obvious, and we have our own snorkel gear), and what your experience with the timing was... how long did each leg take? The standard tour they offer is 5 hours.

Edited November 2, 2014 by MJC

[BarleyBear]

Hey Margaret,

 

Thought I would share with you my experience with an Independent operator in Belize.

 

As you know Belize is a tender port. We cruised with RC and they let passengers who booked through their cruise line to tender off first. At 8am of the port day they were giving out tender tickets and and of course first there - first off the boat after those who booked via the RC. I was at the tender ticket line up 2 hours before they opened. There was already a line up! If I remember correctly I was on the 3 or 4 tender. Needless to say there was quite a wait because passengers who booked via the cruise line got to get off the boat first and they didn't have to wait for a tender ticket.

 

We did not get off the boat until 10am and we missed the early ferry to Caye Caulker. I suggest that anyone who books a local tour operator from Caye Caulker should book a flight as that gives you more time than using the ferry. DH was unwilling to fly so I had no choice but to do the ferry. DH says next time he will just book an excursion through RC for all tender ports because they tender those passengers off first.

 

Or Margaret book one of the local tour operators that operate right out of Belize City. That way you will have more time.

 

Have fun!

[MJC]

BarleyBear, we have priority tendering otherwise I probably wouldn't attempt this. If the weather gods bless us we should be able to get ashore promptly.

 

The plan is to book EcoTours. I had considered the ferry but since I do all the planning, the DIY just sounds like too much work in this instance. :)

[Middleager]

Shark Ray alley was great. My wife and our friends (an older couple) really enjoyed the snorkeling there. Saw lots of rays and sharks.

 

As I said earlier, the sharks there only eat 2 people per week. So time it right and it won't be a problem.:D

[Streydog]

I did a snorkeling trip at Shark Ray Alley from San Pedro a couple years ago. One tip is to be ready to get in the water early The nurse sharks show up as soon as the boats arrive, eat the chum, then leave. Someone asked our guide why some of the rays had their tails bit off. The guide said that at the end of the day when everything calms down, the big hammerheads come in looking for rays. He said the tourist that want to see sharks get in the boats very quickly at this point.

[MJC]

We did Shark Ray Alley by Air with EcoTours Belize. It was excellent and very well organized. We met two other couples from our ship and the rest were from the NCL ship that was also in port. That gave us some comfort about getting back. At no time did I have any worries about that.

 

I was the first in the water, and Streydog is right about the sharks coming early and then leaving. I got to see a big one right off and then it was mostly rays.

 

A big bonus was getting to see the reef from the air, stretching for miles and miles to the north. Wonderful.