Silk Caye/Turtle alley Snorkeling
Snorkel the tiny islands in Belize known as Silk Cayes or Queen Cayes located on the second longest Barrier Reef in the world where you will find the best snorkeling and diving sites on a tour from beautiful Placencia. From schools of permits and other tropical fishes to the docile nurse and lemon sharks, every second of our circular tour of picturesque islands of the Silk Cayes is filled with epic discoveries.
As you go along, the excitement never ends as we will end up at the place we’ve dubbed as “Turtle Alley”. Here you will have a 90% chance of a close encounter with huge loggerhead turtles, rough-tail stingrays, snappers, nurse sharks and eagle rays that frequent the area. Don’t worry, they are all harmless- keep your hands to yourself and enjoy the encounter for a safe yet thrilling adventure.
Tour sheet
Includes: Guide, gears, island/park fees, lunch (Beach Bar-be-cue), bottled water, refreshment
Silk Cayes/Turtle Alley snorkeling adventure
You will be snorkeling in a Marine Reserve so a park ranger will brief us on the dos and don’ts. Your snorkel guide will also brief you on snorkeling and how to approach the marine life. The first snorkel session starts by swimming off the beach.
After the briefings, we begin our tour by snorkeling around the reef system. Your guide will assist you around the reef while pointing out various creatures. This is an easy snorkel for about an hour and a half (1h:30min). Pay close attention to the guide as he points out colorful fishes, corals, and other marine life.
Once back on the beach, enjoy a freshly prepared meal (can be a packed lunch or a beach bar-be-cue, depends on the day). After lunchtime, you can swim or relax on the beach until you are ready for the next snorkel adventure.
When you’re ready, we will board the boat and go over to a nearby patch reef. There you will enter the water from the boat, and the guide will take you along the patch reef.
As you go along, you will end up at the place we call “Turtle Alley”. Here you will have a 90% chance of a close encounter with huge loggerhead turtles and/or rough-tail stingrays, snappers, barracudas, nurse sharks and eagle rays that frequent the area. Don’t worry, they are all Harmless. Keep your hands to yourselves and enjoy the encounter.
Once that is done, we load up and take a boat ride back to Placencia, all in a fantastic day of fun.
Silk Cayes Marine Reserve
Silk Caye Marine Reserve is located 36 kilometers. East of Placencia Village, Belize. Silk Caye makes up only part of the attraction of this region known as Silk Caye and Gladden Spit Marine Reserve. The reserve was established in 2003. It protects the wonderland of the marine ecosystem, home to many endangered species of corals, turtles, and fishes.
One of which can be spotted by your licensed tour guide during your snorkel! Many tour guides and captains have spotted the loggerhead turtle, measuring about four (4) feet in length, swimming along the cayes. Tour guide’s suspects these turtle’s to age at 45, in human-years!
Protected Marine Life includes:
- Green Turtle
- Loggerhead Turtle
- Hawksbill Turtle
- Goliath Grouper
- Nassau Grouper
- Great Hammerhead
Also Different Corals:
- Staghorn Coral
- Fire Coral
- Star Coral
From schools of permits, tropical fishes to the docile nurse and lemon sharks every second of our circular tour of picturesque islands of the Silk Cayes is filled with epic discoveries.
Go scuba Diving the Silks Cayes canyon with us or any of the tour companies and dive shops in Placencia.
Whale Shark in the Area
(The gentle Whale Sharks, a filter eater, is a seasonal attraction for divers just outside of the Belize Barrier Reef, in the Gladden Spit Marine Reserve.)
FYI: Are nurse sharks dangerous?
