Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley snorkeling is the trip most visitors to Ambergris Caye ask us about first. It pairs a cut in the barrier reef with a shallow zone where nurse sharks and rays gather, and you can do it without any dive training. White Sands Dive Shop runs it as one of our two scheduled snorkel trips.
This guide is for travelers planning a snorkel morning from San Pedro: first-timers, families, non-divers traveling with divers, and anyone choosing between Hol Chan and our other trip, Mexico Rocks. It covers what each site is like, how the morning works with us, and how to snorkel without harming the reef.
How do Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley snorkeling trips work?
Quick answer: White Sands Dive Shop offers two snorkel trips from San Pedro: Hol Chan Marine Reserve with Shark Ray Alley, and Mexico Rocks. Boats leave at 9:00 and pick you up at your hotel dock. Mask, snorkel and fins can be rented. Marine park tickets are not included on the Hol Chan trip.
Our two snorkel trips at a glance
Both trips are part of our daily service, alongside diving and SCUBA instruction. The table compares them on what matters when you choose, so you can match the site to your group. For current trip prices, see the course and trip prices on our Water Sports page.
| Trip | What you see | Who it suits | Good to know |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hol Chan / Shark Ray Alley | A natural cut in the barrier reef, reef fish and turtles, then nurse sharks and rays in shallow water | First-timers who want the classic big-animal encounter, and groups mixing divers with snorkelers | Inside a protected marine reserve; park tickets are not included |
| Mexico Rocks | Coral heads with elkhorn and staghorn coral, starfish, lobster, eels and small juvenile fish | Snorkelers who prefer coral and small reef life, and repeat visitors who have done Hol Chan | A second scheduled trip, with the same 9:00 departure and hotel dock pickup |
Hol Chan snorkel tour: the reef cut
Hol Chan means “little channel” in Maya, and the name describes the deep cut, or quebrada, through the barrier reef. The Hol Chan Marine Reserve sits about four miles south of San Pedro and is divided into four zones: coral reef, sea grass beds, mangroves and Shark Ray Alley.
The reserve is known for docile nurse sharks and schools of silver and colorful fish. It also protects loggerhead and green turtles, Nassau grouper and several reef-building corals. Divers who want to see the channel from below can read our guide to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve dive and Shark Ray Alley snorkel.
Before you get in
Listen to the briefing and ask how the water is moving that day. If you are a nervous or weak swimmer, say so before the boat leaves the dock, and ask for a flotation vest. Stay close to your guide and your group in the channel.
Shark Ray Alley snorkel tour from San Pedro
Shark Ray Alley is one of the four zones of the Hol Chan reserve, so the two stops are usually done together. Here the draw is the animals rather than the coral. Nurse sharks and rays come close to snorkelers in water shallow enough to see everything from the surface.
The reserve describes its nurse sharks as docile, but they are still wild animals. Float above them, keep your hands to yourself, and let them choose how close to come. The best photos come from staying still at the surface, not from chasing.
Mexico Rocks snorkeling: coral and small reef life
Mexico Rocks is our second snorkel trip and a good contrast to Hol Chan. Instead of a reef channel and big animals, you float over coral heads of elkhorn and staghorn coral, with starfish, lobster, eels and many small juvenile fish tucked into the structure.
It suits patient snorkelers who like to hover and look closely, and it makes a good second outing if you have already seen Shark Ray Alley. Ask Elbert which trip fits the day’s weather and your group when you email to book.
How a snorkel morning works with White Sands Dive Shop
- Email or call to book, and tell us which trip you want and how comfortable each person is in the water.
- Be ready on your hotel dock for pickup; local diving and snorkeling departures are at 9:00.
- Bring your own mask, snorkel and fins, or rent a set from us.
- For Hol Chan, plan for the marine park ticket, which is not included in the trip.
Divers and snorkelers in one group
Many families split between divers and non-divers. Our one-tank Hol Chan dive includes a snorkel at Shark Ray Alley, so certified divers in your group still share the shark and ray stop. For the wider picture of local reef dives, see our guide to scuba diving on Ambergris Caye’s barrier reef.
Snorkelers who want to try breathing underwater can book a Discover Scuba Diving experience on Ambergris Caye, with no certification needed. Lapsed divers can take our scuba refresher course with a Shark Ray Alley snorkel, which includes a Hol Chan dive with the instructor.
Reef etiquette for snorkelers
A single kick of a fin can break coral that took years to grow. NOAA’s guidance on simple ways to protect coral reefs comes down to a few habits that every snorkeler can follow.
- Never touch or harass wildlife, including the sharks and rays.
- Don’t stand on, kick or hold the reef, and keep your fins up off the bottom so you don’t stir up sediment that can smother corals.
- Choose a sunscreen without chemical UV filters such as oxybenzone and octinoxate, which can build up in coral tissue; a mineral sunscreen is the better option.
- Cover up with a long-sleeve rash guard so you need less sunscreen at all.
- Take everything you bring back to the boat, including any trash you find.
Who runs your snorkel trip
White Sands Dive Shop is a 5 Star PADI Dive Facility on the beach in San Pedro, a PADI International Resort Association member and licensed by the Belize Tourism Board. The shop is owned and operated by PADI IDC Staff Instructor Elbert Greer.
Our students often mention how Elbert handles nervous swimmers. Minette Layne of Seattle wrote that after her refresher he “really calmed me down and set me up for a wonderful couple of weeks of diving and snorkeling.” You can read her full note and others in our letters from Elbert’s dive students.
Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley snorkeling: your questions answered
Do I need to be certified to snorkel Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley?
No. Snorkeling needs no certification, only a mask, snorkel and fins, which you can rent from us. Tell us before the trip if anyone in your group is a weak swimmer.
Are the nurse sharks at Shark Ray Alley dangerous?
The nurse sharks here are known as docile, but they are wild animals. Float above them, never touch or grab them, and let them decide how close to come.
Is Mexico Rocks or Hol Chan better for snorkeling?
Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley are best for big animals such as nurse sharks, rays and turtles. Mexico Rocks is better for coral, starfish and small reef life, and makes a good second trip.
What time do snorkel trips leave, and where do you pick up?
Our local diving and snorkeling trips leave at 9:00, and we pick you up at the dock of your hotel in San Pedro.
Is the marine park fee included in the Hol Chan snorkel trip?
No. Park tickets are not included in the Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley trip. Ask us for the current amount when you book.
Book your snorkel trip
Tell us which trip you would like, your hotel and how many people are snorkeling, and we will set up your 9:00 pickup. Email Elbert at elbertgreer@fastmail.fm or call the dive shop on 011 (501) 226 2405.