Silk Caye/Turtle alley Snorkeling
If you love snorkeling, you won’t want to miss the chance to explore the tiny islands of Belize called Silk Cayes or Queen Cayes. They are part of the second longest Barrier Reef in the world, and they have some of the most amazing snorkeling and diving sites you can imagine.
You will be amazed by the variety and abundance of marine life that you will see on this tour. You will swim with schools of permits and other colorful fish, as well as encounter gentle nurse and lemon sharks. Don’t worry, they are not aggressive and they will leave you alone if you respect their space. You will also see beautiful corals and sponges that make up the reef ecosystem.
One of the highlights of this tour is the place we call “Turtle Alley”. Here, you will have a high chance of meeting huge loggerhead turtles, rough-tail stingrays, snappers, nurse sharks and eagle rays that hang out in this area. It is an incredible experience to see these majestic creatures up close and personal. They are harmless, but remember to keep your hands to yourself and enjoy the encounter for a safe yet thrilling adventure.
This tour is perfect for anyone who loves snorkeling and wants to see the best of Belize’s marine life. You will have a blast exploring the Silk Cayes and learning about the reef. Don’t miss this opportunity to have an unforgettable snorkeling adventure in Belize!
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?
