Best snorkeling? (on our own)

[leighi123]

Where would the best snorkeling be?   We will be in port at Harvest Caye from 8am-5pm and want to go snorkel on our own - we know what we are doing and have equipment so we don't need a "tour" or "guide", we just need to know where to go and how to get there (and back again!).     Suggestions?   

 

Edited January 15, 2020 by leighi123

[crewsweeper]

For that area of Belize, the best snorkeling is off one of the Cayes, like Laughing Bird Caye.  You'll need a guide/excursion to get there. And take the ferry to Placencia.

 

Most of the mainland shore is sandy. No iron shore. While you can snorkel off the beach at Harvest Caye, you'll see very little.

[mitsugirly]

No snorkeling at Harvest Cay. The water is too stirred up and murky. Like Crew said, you'd have to pay for an excursion and get away from that area.

[leighi123]

I'm aware that there is no snorkeling right off the ship, which is why I'm asking where to go from there, and how to get there.    

We don't do excursions booked through the cruise lines, they are way too expensive, waste too much time waiting for everyone, and the people are always terrible.   We have done it twice and regretted it both times.    

What can we do on our own? 

[crewsweeper]

See my post.  You will need a guide out of Placencia to take you to a Caye. Take the ferry to Placencia. And meet up.   Snorkeling from shore/beach even in Placencia is not good.

 

Go out on Trip Advisor and look up snorkeling in Placencia for reviews of various operators. 

 

Add:  This is true for all of Belize.  Great Barrier Reef off shore but nothing right off the mainland coast.

Edited January 17, 2020 by crewsweeper

[Podie]

I scuba dive in Belize regularly, and their barrier reef is the second longest in the world. But you have to reach snorkeling and dive sites by boat. When they built Harvest Caye and the ship channel, they tore up the reef and surrounding area so there is nothing nearby with any visibility whatsoever. Reef life is amazing if you get away from the area.