Our complete Caye Caulker snorkeling guide, covering everything you need to know about getting underwater on the magical Belize Barrier Reef. From choosing an ethical tour company to all the incredible marine creatures you can expect to spot.
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Caye Caulker snorkeling
Without a doubt, one of the best things to do in Caye Caulker is to go on a snorkeling tour. The underwater world here is nothing short of paradise, and it is something you cannot miss in Belize!
Spending a day on the Belize Barrier Reef in the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean, surrounded by marine life of all shapes and sizes is up there as one of our favourite experiences in Belize. Even one of our most memorable days in 6 months of travelling Central America!
The island of Caye Caulker is a stone’s throw from the Belize Barrier Reef. This reef system is part of the broader Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, which stretches over 1,100 kilometres (700 mi) from Mexico to Honduras. It is the second largest barrier reef in the world, second only to Australia’s Great Barrier Reef.
Belize’s section of this reef, the Belize Barrier Reef, is one of the most pristine and protected parts of the reef. It has UNESCO World Heritage Listed status, and the country has done an incredible job of preserving the quality of the reef and protecting the diverse marine life that calls it home.
As Australians, we probably shouldn’t say this, but Belize’s reef can definitely give ours a run for its money!
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Snorkeling in Caye Caulker video
Snorkeling tour vs snorkeling from shore
It is possible to go snorkeling from the shore in Caye Caulker, but you probably won’t see too much. The island isn’t directly on the barrier reef, so whilst you might spot a few fish or rays, you won’t see anywhere near the same level of corals and marine life as you would on the reef.
Snorkeling tours are so popular in Caye Caulker because you’re being taken by boat to the heart of the reef, with vibrant and healthy corals and so much marine life that you wouldn’t spot from shore.
Wildlife you can expect to see on a Caye Caulker snorkeling tour
Before I get into the nitty-gritty details, you’re probably busting to know what types of marine life you might be lucky enough to encounter in Caye Caulker’s underwater world.
Short answer? LOTS! This is to date the best snorkeling experience we have ever had, and I am still processing how much amazing wildlife we saw in just one day.
Of course, it’s worth noting that these animals are wild and nobody can control their presence. You’re not guaranteed to see any marine life, and any company that does guarantee sightings is probably feeding the marine life which is a big no-no (more on that below).
However, given the amazing condition of the reef and the fantastic work Belize does to protect it, you will absolutely see at least some of these animals:
- 🐢 Sea turtles – most commonly green, but there are also hawksbills and loggerheads around
- 🦈 Nurse sharks – completely harmless, known as the ‘puppies of the sea’
- 🦈 Reef sharks – also small, docile and non-aggressive
- 🦭 Manatees – Belize is home to the Antillean Manatee, a sub-species of the West Indian Manatee
- 🪽 Southern stingrays – giant stingrays that hang out on the sandy ocean floor
- ⚫️ Spotted eagle rays – graceful rays that seemingly fly through the water
- 🐍 Eels – there are different species of moray eels hiding in the coral
- 🦞 Spiny lobsters – and other crustaceans like crabs
- 🐠 Reef fish – of all colours, shapes and sizes
- 🐟 Tarpon – large fish with the ability to jump out of the water
- 🪸 Corals – all kinds of hard and soft corals like brain coral, staghorn coral, elkhorn coral and more
- 🦅 Sea birds – pelicans, frigate birds and other feathered friends soar overhead
And so, so many more!
Caye Caulker snorkeling tour details
Obviously getting out onto the reef on a Caye Caulker snorkeling tour is a must-do during your time on the island! But with every tour company and accommodation offering a tour, it can be overwhelming to know what to look out for, and how to choose the right tour for you.
Here’s what you need to know…
FULL VS HALF DAY TOUR
Most tour companies will offer you the choice of a full, or a half-day snorkeling tour.
Full-day tours generally visit 7 stops, and last around 5 – 6 hours. Half-day tours will usually visit 3 or 4 stops and last for 2 – 3 hours.
Unless you’re concerned about your ability to snorkel, or you don’t love being underwater, I would wholeheartedly recommend the full day. Each stop was unique, with so much different marine life, I would have been upset if we only had a few hours!
TOUR COMPANIES TO CHOOSE FROM
The first thing to note is that basically every tour company offers the same experience. They all visit the same stops around the reef, usually offer both half and full-day tours, and essentially include the same things.
However, not all tours are delivered to the same high-quality standard, with guides who are passionate and knowledgeable about the reef.
Some tours have more of a focus on drinking and partying, and we met some other travellers who said their guides were half drunk the whole time. If you want to experience the beauty of the Belize Barrier Reef, and learn more about this rich ecosystem, choose a tour company that will deliver this.
I can’t comment on any other tour company besides the one we went with, but I can highly recommend Salt Life Eco Tours.
We selected these guys because they have a strong stance on not feeding marine life. They also had no single-use plastics on the boat, and all our drinks, lunch and snacks were served in reusable containers.
Our guides were so knowledgeable about the reef and marine life we saw, and no question went unanswered! They gave strict instructions on how we could interact with the reef and enforced rules to avoid damage.
It was very clear to me that they had spent much of their lives out on the water, and they had a real love and passion for the reef, with a strong desire to protect it.
PRICE OF CAYE CAULKER SNORKELING TOURS
The price for snorkeling tours is pretty fixed across the island, and most operators offer similar pricing for the full and half-day options.
You should expect to pay around $90 USD for a full-day tour, including lunch. Most half-day tours are sold for $45 USD, generally without lunch.
Our full-day tour with Salt Life Eco Tours was $90 USD including a yummy lunch, snacks and drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic).
WHAT’S INCLUDED IN THE TOURS
This may differ slightly between tour companies, but generally, you can expect to have the following included:
- 🤿 Snorkel, mask and fins
- 🛟 Life jacket
- 🎟️ Entrance fees to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve
- 📷 GoPro photos and videos taken and shared after the tour
- 🍍 Fruit and snacks
- 🍱 Lunch on board (for full-day tours)
- 💧 Drinking water
- 🍻 Soda, beers, rum punch or other drinks post-snorkeling
This is the exact tour we booked. A full-day, 7-stop Caye Caulker snorkeling tour with Salt Life Eco Tours. It is sustainable and eco-friendly with NO feeding of marine life, and NO single-use plastics on board. We can’t recommend it more highly!
Sustainability considerations
Coral reefs are some of the most fragile ecosystems in the world, and as visitors, it’s on us to do what we can to minimise our impact.
There are a couple of things to consider when snorkeling in Caye Caulker, to make sure we aren’t contributing to degrading or damaging the reef:
- 🐠 Feeding marine life is not okay – and you need to choose a tour company that openly rejects this. Many tour operators around Caye Caulker feed the marine life to entice them towards boats, to make sure their guests get to swim with all the different animals. But this puts them at risk of injury from boat motors and makes them reliant on humans for food, rather than naturally finding their normal food sources. It’s a terrible practice, and if you do somehow end up on a tour that is doing this, I encourage you to speak up and complain.
- 🧴 Use reef-safe sunscreen – but it’s even better if you can avoid using sunscreen at all. Reef-safe sunscreen is a much better alternative to toxic chemical sunscreens, but lots of research has shown it can still damage our reefs. If you’re lathering up with cream and jumping straight into the water, you’re still introducing foreign materials into the ecosystem that can have detrimental effects. Instead, cover up with a rash top, and a hat and shirt on the boat to try and avoid needing sunscreen at all.
- 🥤 Opt for a tour that has banned single-use plastic – and instead offers drinks and foods in reusable containers. Our world does not need any more plastic waste. Plus, despite best intentions, eating and drinking on a boat in often windy conditions means rubbish inevitably ends up in the ocean. Support tour companies who use reusables, and don’t bring any single-use plastic onboard with you either.
- ✋🏼 Do not touch the reef or marine life – and follow all briefing instructions from your guide. It is astounding to me how many people just do not listen to what they’re told, and selfishly and ignorantly step on coral, pick up starfish, chase down turtles etc. If you touch any coral or marine life, you can kill them. Simple as that. You are in a wild environment, that is not your home. Respect it and act like a good visitor.
Seven stop Caye Caulker snorkeling tour
To give you an idea of what to expect on your Caye Caulker snorkeling tour, I’m going to run through the seven sites we visited on our full-day tour with Salt Life Eco Tours. Most tour companies stop at all of these places, but the order may change.
Wind, waves and tides can affect if and when you visit these sites. Just remember your captain and guides know the area like the back of their hand, and your safety is their priority. They won’t take you somewhere if it’s not safe to do so.
Salt Life Eco Tours starts their full-day tour at 9 am, which is much earlier than most of the companies on the island, who leave at 10:30 am. This means you are on the reef earlier without as many crowds!
1. Manatees
Our first stop of the day was a site where manatees are commonly found. The captains all talk to each other, so if someone has spotted a manatee that day, your guides and captain will be keeping a very close eye out to see if they can find one.
Manatees hang around Caye Caulker year-round, and we were lucky enough to spot one in January. However, they congregate in much larger groups during the mating season, which is usually June – July. Despite being large, they can be pretty elusive, and they swim away quite quickly, so be ready to jump in as soon as you get the signal from your guide!
These strange creatures look like huge, floating blobs underwater and we were absolutely in awe! Neither of us had ever seen a manatee before, and they are such unique animals. We were so excited that our first stop of the day was swimming with a manatee! Pinch myself.
2. Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Our second stop was the famous Hol Chan Marine Reserve. This small section of the reef is part of a protected area, that is monitored 24/7 from a floating rangers station. Your tour guides should give you a wristband, indicating that you have paid to enter the protected area (this should be included in your tour price) and to show to the rangers before you enter the water.
Because this is a protected area, you must snorkel with your guide and remain as a group. It can feel a little cramped when you first jump in but don’t worry, within a few minutes the crowds disperse and you’ll naturally spread out a little bit.
Meaning ‘little channel’ in Mayan, Hol Chan was my favourite stop of the day. It felt a bit crowded when we arrived, with lots of boats docked near the ranger station. But once my head went underwater, I was instantly surrounded by three sea turtles, and it was all okay!
You will swim towards a deeper channel in the reef, which typically attracts larger marine life and is always our preferred type of environment to snorkel in.
We saw a whole group of Spotted Eagle Rays gliding by below us, it was magic. These guys are my favourite marine animals, so I was totally content at this point! There were also reef and nurse sharks, huge schools of fish and plenty of colourful corals.
3. Conch Shell Bay
Conch Shell Bay is an area where fishermen have thrown hundreds of conch shells into the water, after cleaning out the conch from their day’s catch. This is a short stop, as there isn’t too much marine life to see here, but the shells carpeting the ocean floor were pretty cool.
We actually anchored and had our lunch stop here in the bay. The water was incredible, such a bright blue colour and crystal clear, it was the perfect place to hang out for a while.
4. Sunken Barge
Our next stop was the shipwreck, a large barge that sunk over 40 years ago.
These days, the remains of the ship are covered in colourful corals and act as a home to lots of different fish. The wreck is less than 10 metres / 30 feet deep, so if you’re a good free diver you can dive down and get a better look.
We spotted a nurse shark here sleeping on the sandy floor next to the wreck, so keep your eyes peeled!
5. Shark Ray Alley
Next up is the iconic stop, Shark Ray Alley, which I’m sure you’ve heard of in your Caye Caulker planning. Yes, this is the place where you can swim with sharks!
Shark Ray Alley is where fishermen used to come to clean their catch for the day, attracting nurse sharks and stingrays with the scraps.
These days, the sharks are attracted by the sound of the boat engine, and even without feeding them, your boat will be surrounded by curious and playful nurse sharks before you jump in the water!
Nurse sharks are very placid sharks, that aren’t aggressive or dangerous to humans. In fact, they’re known as the ‘puppies of the sea’ because they are so playful and curious.
We loved jumping in and swimming amongst these guys. It is so fascinating to see sharks up close, and they are such interesting creatures to watch. There are also tons of huge Southern Stingrays in this area, and you’ll see many gliding past on the seagrass floor.
6. Coral Gardens
The Coral Gardens is an area rich in all types of corals. There is less marine life here, but the area is a beautiful example of how vibrant a healthy reef can be, with hard and soft corals of all shapes, colours and sizes.
This was our final stop on the reef, and admittedly we spent most of the time jumping off the boat and floating in the insanely blue waters. It did not feel real how blue the water was, I was in heaven!
7. Tarpon Fish
The final stop is back on the edge of the island, where you have the chance to see the giant Tarpon fish, which have a natural ability to leap out of the water.
If you waggle your fingers above the surface, one will leap out of nowhere thinking you have food. They don’t have teeth but they will suction onto your finger so think quickly!
This is a stop where many tour companies will give you food to feed the fish. It’s not necessary to do this, given (unfortunately) they are so accustomed to people, so you can still have the same experience of seeing them jump out of the water, without giving them a free meal.
Snorkeling vs scuba diving
If you’re a scuba diver, you might be wondering if you should do a Caye Caulker snorkeling tour or go diving.
We are qualified divers, and although we would have loved to dive around Caye Caulker, the prices are crazy expensive and it deterred us.
We had heard so many positive reviews for the snorkel tour, that we decided we would book that first, and if we didn’t feel satisfied we could organise to dive a few days later.
Well, the snorkel tour was the best ocean experience we have ever had – diving or snorkeling – and we saw so much marine life in one day, we didn’t know how we could beat that diving!
We didn’t feel we needed to book a dive, especially as we were doing a scenic flight over the Great Blue Hole too, so we kind of covered all bases.
If you love diving and you’ve got the budget for it, by all means, you are going to have an incredible experience. But, I guess what I’m trying to say is, that you don’t have to dive to enjoy the Belize Barrier Reef and see a ton of marine life.
There are just a handful of reputable scuba companies on Caye Caulker. Frenchies Diving and Blue Wave Divers are considered the best.
What to bring on your Caye Caulker snorkeling tour
Your tour company will provide pretty much everything you need for the day, but there are a couple of things you should bring along:
- 👙 Swimwear – come wearing it, as there is nowhere to get changed
- 🩱 Rash top or t-shirt – to wear in the water for sun protection
- 🧢 Hat and outer shirt – for the boat for sun protection
- 🧴 Reef safe sunscreen – if you really have to use it
- 🕶️ Sunglasses – it’s bright out there on the water!
- 🧖🏽♀️ Towel – to dry off and stay warm between stops
- 💧 Reusable water bottle – there should be purified water on the boat for refills
- 📷 Underwater camera – a GoPro or waterproof phone case (sold everywhere on the island)
- 🎒 Waterproof bag – to keep all your bits safe and dry on the boat
Snorkeling in Caye Caulker: Final thoughts
Our Caye Caulker snorkeling tour was up there as one of our best days in 6 months of travelling Central America. We still can’t process how much marine life we saw in one single day!
I hope this guide was helpful for planning your own Caye Caulker snorkeling adventure! I know for budget travellers it is quite a big chunk out of your daily budget, but it is so, so worth it. Don’t miss it!
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