Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Hol Chan Marine Reserve, San Pedro: Address, Phone Number, Hol Chan Marine Reserve Reviews: 4.5/5
Hol Chan Marine Reserve
Hol Chan Marine Reserve
4.5
About
This beautiful nature reserve is in an area world famous for its excellent diving.
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Learn moreTop ways to experience Hol Chan Marine Reserve
The area
Best nearby
Restaurants
180 within 3 miles
The French Touch
158
0.2 mi$$$$ • French • Mediterranean • Healthy
The Mesa Bistro San Pedro
522
0.3 mi$$ - $$$ • American • Cafe • International
DandE's Frozen Custard & Sorbet
823
212 ft$ • Dessert • American
Izzy's Smoothies Snacks & Juice Bar
196
20 ft$ • Vegetarian Friendly • Vegan Options • Gluten Free Options
Hungry Grouper
650
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Caribbean • Seafood • Healthy
Iguana Juan's Restaurant and Bar
217
319 ft$$ - $$$ • American • Bar • Fusion
Elvi's Kitchen
4,265
0.1 mi$$ - $$$ • Mexican • Caribbean • Seafood
Pupuseria Salvadoreno
910
0.2 mi$ • Caribbean • Latin • Seafood
Neri's Tacos
494
0.3 mi$ • Mexican • Caribbean • Latin
Estel's Dine by the Sea
2,308
0.2 mi$$ - $$$ • Mexican • American • Caribbean
Attractions
15 within 6 miles
Coco BoY
129 ftFlea & Street Markets
Belizean Arts
333
459 ftArt Galleries
The Gallery of San Pedro
208
0.4 miArt Galleries
San Pedro Water Jets International
85
0.3 miFerries
Paradise Framing & Art Gallery
453 ftArt Galleries
Wings SanPefro
5
0.6 miShopping Malls
Island Wonder
2
0.7 miBeach & Pool Clubs
Black & White Cultural Entertainment Center
66
1.1 miTheaters
Shark Ray Alley
1,204
Points of Interest & Landmarks • Reefs
Belizean Melody Art Gallery
101
1.6 miArt Galleries
Contribute
Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
Popular mentions
4.5
6,999 reviews
Excellent
5,617
Very good
1,025
Average
284
Poor
57
Terrible
16
MAsunny12
Salt Lake City, UT23 contributions
Jun 2022
I just got back from Hol Chan with my family including 11 year old and 7 year old. Snorkeling was amazing! We took a private boat with a guide that I highly recommend doing, they know the water and currents and were able to take us away from the crowd and find other areas to snorkel. Even when you are in the main area of Hol Chan with other people it was totally fine, not overly crowded. Shark Ray Alley was my favorite, felt like you were in an aquarium!
Written June 17, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Cole
Mulberry, FL12 contributions
Feb 2021
Lewis was an awesome guide on our snorkel trip. We had a great time exploring the reserve with Lewis, we saw SO MANY fish and cool Marine wildlife that he was able to spot and point out to us. It was worth every penny to snorkel the most beautiful and largest living reef in the world, and Lewis made sure we had a great time. I would HIGHLY recommend taking the time to check out a snorkel trip with Chuck and Robbie’s.
Written February 11, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Lisa C
Lee, NH14 contributions
Apr 2022
It has good snorkeling but when we went it was so crowded. The tour didn't last very long visiting and felt rushed cause there was so many people. We also went to mexico rocks and I liked it a lot better. There was no on there and we were not forced to stay and a close knit bunch.
Written May 2, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Anish S
Chicago, IL749 contributions
Jan 2020
While in Belize, this is certainly one of the must do considering the 2nd largest barrier reef is there. You will also find a lot of tour options but the unfortunate part is that all tours take you to the same spot. So when you get to the first stop where you snorkel, you are surrounded by many other tour boats and lots of people. To be fair, it doesn't feel crowded when you are snorkeling and looking around, but you certainly do see the people and have to be careful where you are going as you could run in to others.
I was also underwhelmed by the underwater scenery. While it's certainly cool to see fishes living in their natural habitat and the colors of the corals, we saw a lot more variety of fishes and corals when we did a similar tour in bora bora. unfortunately for us, having done snorkeling there, we compared our experience to that, hence the 3 stars as this did not blow us away.
After spending about 30 minutes snorkeling, you are then taken to the shark valley where you can see a lot of sharks in water. Unfortunately, this is a man made 'exhibit', meaning the sharks are now used to being fed in the area, hence they are always there. Every tour boat carries shark food and they dump that in a bucket full of holes so that they can drag the bucket in the water, thus allowing the sharks to smell and crowd the boat. You are given the option to 'swim' with the sharks, meaning you can snorkel on the other side of the boat, approximately 10 to 20 feet away. if you are scared, you can stay on the boat and watch the sharks. If you have a good tour guide, he/she will also show you how you can touch the shark w/o risking your hand/life. While it's cool to see the sharks up close, it's a bit bothersome that this is man made and the sharks have now become dependent on being fed by humans. Again, you will find other tour guides here but the boats do stay a bit further away to allow sharks to concentrate on one boat. You hang out in the area for 30 minutes and then are taken back to dock. The whole tour lasts about hour and halfish with those two stops.
Overall it was fun but i wish there were less tour guides/boats as the # of boats obviously creates more pollution, thus destroying the corals. I would recommend you take the tour if you don't plan on visiting places like bora bora where you there isn't such a high tour crowd.
I was also underwhelmed by the underwater scenery. While it's certainly cool to see fishes living in their natural habitat and the colors of the corals, we saw a lot more variety of fishes and corals when we did a similar tour in bora bora. unfortunately for us, having done snorkeling there, we compared our experience to that, hence the 3 stars as this did not blow us away.
After spending about 30 minutes snorkeling, you are then taken to the shark valley where you can see a lot of sharks in water. Unfortunately, this is a man made 'exhibit', meaning the sharks are now used to being fed in the area, hence they are always there. Every tour boat carries shark food and they dump that in a bucket full of holes so that they can drag the bucket in the water, thus allowing the sharks to smell and crowd the boat. You are given the option to 'swim' with the sharks, meaning you can snorkel on the other side of the boat, approximately 10 to 20 feet away. if you are scared, you can stay on the boat and watch the sharks. If you have a good tour guide, he/she will also show you how you can touch the shark w/o risking your hand/life. While it's cool to see the sharks up close, it's a bit bothersome that this is man made and the sharks have now become dependent on being fed by humans. Again, you will find other tour guides here but the boats do stay a bit further away to allow sharks to concentrate on one boat. You hang out in the area for 30 minutes and then are taken back to dock. The whole tour lasts about hour and halfish with those two stops.
Overall it was fun but i wish there were less tour guides/boats as the # of boats obviously creates more pollution, thus destroying the corals. I would recommend you take the tour if you don't plan on visiting places like bora bora where you there isn't such a high tour crowd.
Written February 29, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Erin
7 contributions
Dec 2021
The snorkeling at Hol Chan is very pretty, but due to being among the most popular tour sites, is also crowded. It seems that many tours take the "guided tour" route which makes for a less than leisurely snorkeling experience where you have to keep up with your guide and not get mixed into other groups. If you have the chance to go during off hours or with a private tour, I would recommend it. The snorkeling is still beautiful, but there are many other places around the island, as well.
Written February 19, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Kenneth R
Johnstown39 contributions
Mar 2020 • Couples
Amazing!!! So helpful with masks , getting in and out of boat, he would swim, point out fish and coral, pop his head up to tell us what we were seeing. Shark Alley, can’t believe it until you go. Best day of vacation so far, Mexico rocks tomorrow!
Written March 12, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Tylerca4
Chicago, IL25 contributions
May 2021 • Couples
Hol Chan lived up to all of the hype. We snorkeled here on one of our days while staying on Ambergris Caye. It is so close to any resort, only a 5-15 min boat ride depending on where you are staying. You get to see all kinds of wildlife as well as coral. Whether you have never been snorkeling or are a diver this is worth checking out.
Written May 19, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
cmbuck2016
Victoria, TX22 contributions
Mar 2022
This place was a total blast. Best snorkeling ever! Swimming with the sharks was a blast! Lots of groups in the water, got lost from my group but was easily guided back. Great 25 foot free dives
Written March 6, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Wtravelers2120
Wisconsin Dells, WI229 contributions
Feb 2022
We took a private boat snorkeling excursion here. Well worth it. It was a beautiful area to snorkel. It can be very crowded but our guide took us away from the crowds.
We saw some new fish we have never seen.
We saw some new fish we have never seen.
Written June 22, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
First Aboard
New York City, NY41 contributions
May 2021 • Solo
As part of my snorkeling tour to the reserve, I saw turtles, different types of fish- snappers, barracudas, eels, spotted eagle rays, and many others. It was amazing to see the rich marine life and biodiversity of the area. Both the soft and hard corals were beautiful and plentiful. The area is not too deep for beginners and the tide is manageable. A well-kept and protected area. There are reserve rangers/agents that monitor entry to the area to maintain its protection from fishing and other harmful activities that can affect the corals and sea life. A great place to visit.
Written May 24, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of TripAdvisor LLC.
Diana B
Roseville, CA17 contributions
Ivor J. and Gabby were from The "SeaOrious" Adventures San Pedro/ambergris Caye, Belize
Lawrence T
3 contributions
Hi,
My name is Lorenzo. I'll be on Caye Caulker on July 8. The wind forecast shows 25mph and higher. Is snorkeling at Hol Chan Marine preserve still doable? Is the preserve protect from the wind in some way?
I'd love to get a heads on what to expect regarding snorkeling at Hol Chan during high winds. I really appreciate it!
Thanks,
Lorenzo
Mark Phelps
Sammamish, WA2 contributions
Is this trip worth it if I cannot snorkel?
Thanks
Mark
Diana B
Roseville, CA17 contributions
Yes, you are in waist or chest depth in most places and can swim, FLOAT, viewing sea life.
TProctor5021
Brainerd, MN10 contributions
When fishing shallow near the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, what size/weight rod and line is needed????
Just looking for kids to be entertained, no trophy fish here.
Thx,
Theresa
Sylvia F
Nampa, ID9 contributions
Fishing isn’t allowed at the reserve and not sure how close you can be to Hol Chan to be able to fish. Unsure about what you’ll need as I only fished in the other side of the island and that was with Belize Fishing Charters and they provided everything for us.
Wade P
82 contributions
Is “coral gardens” the same place that you are dropped off for the normal “Hol Chan” reef tours? Some tours say Hol Chan/shark and ray alley, while others say coral gardens/shark and ray alley. If these are not the same places, what are the major differences between the two reefs (Hol Chan and coral gardens) and which reef stacks up better in terms of the coral available to see. Thank you!
Julie M
65 contributions
They are two different places. We never visited coral gardens. I was informed it would be a great place to see manatees, sea turtles . Possibly seahorses as it is closer to caye caulker.
Julian K
Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada4 contributions
hey! i will be in san pedro on xmas day, i am hoping to do the shark ray alley tour as well as see some manatees, budget is of no issue just looking to have the best experience possible! any recommendations on which tour company to book & why is greatly appreciated.
MJ B
Brooklyn, NY2 contributions
I don’t know the name of their company but a young man named Milo and his nephew Jean run a hol Chan tour and they are excellent!! Milo is very patient and both are VERY knowledgeable about the sea and Belize history. If you’re not sure who to ask, try asking the staff at the Ocean Tide sea view hotel, as they are affiliated with Milo and Jean. Enjoy Belize!! By the way, if you happen to drive to secret beach in one of those golf carts, be sure to take along mosquito repellent for the ride.
GerryAZ
51 contributions
I visited Hol Chan in the early 1990’s and the reef was incredibly healthy, abundant sea life, giant groupers hanging under the coral walls. Then, in 2005-2007 was back. Much of the coral was bleached, groupers were gone, fish life was reduced by at least 60% due to overfishing and fertilizer spill-off. Has it come back, or will i be heartbroken by what remains of what was an overwhelmingly pristine reef environment.
Mike
Tampa, FL35 contributions
This is a late post but I thought I would weigh in on the coral bleaching. I dived here in 2015 and again last month. On my 2015 trip, there wasn't bleaching that I can remember. On my trip last month, I was saddened to see that about 15% of the reef off of San Pedro was bleached and another 10% was going fluorescent, which is the stage before bleaching. That said, I did not notice any bleaching in Hol Chan than I can remember and the bleaching on the most Northerly reefs was much less than in the central area off of San Pedro. Hol Chan was abundant with sea life and seemed very healthy.
Neus G
43 contributions
Somos 4 adultos que llegan el día 14 de marzo de un crucero desde Miami a Belice y tenemos de 12 a 18 horas para poder ver la
Fauna y flora del lugar. Necesitamos una excursión que se adapte a nuestras necesidades, ofrecéis este tipo de servicio! Snorkel y visitar este lugar tan bonito? Presupuesto? Gracias
sailorvenus11
Redondo Beach, CA
If one does not swim, is it worth going on this tour and staying in the boat? Is there much to see from the boat?
ICTDiner
Wichita, KS55 contributions
Not above the surface.
Frequently Asked Questions about Hol Chan Marine Reserve
- We recommend booking Hol Chan Marine Reserve tours ahead of time to secure your spot. If you book with Tripadvisor, you can cancel up to 24 hours before your tour starts for a full refund. See all 15 Hol Chan Marine Reserve tours on Tripadvisor
- According to Tripadvisor travelers, these are the best ways to experience Hol Chan Marine Reserve:
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat (From $84.00)
- Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye (From $107.34)
- All inclusive Snorkeling at Hol Chan (From $105.50)
- Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkeling and Marine Life Tour (From $92.00)
- Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley Snorkeling Tour (From $90.00)
- Hotels near Hol Chan Marine Reserve:
- (0.01 mi) Casa Redonda 4 bedroom Luxury Oceanfront Villa
- (0.02 mi) Luxury 3 BR/3 BA Beachfront Condo - Ambergris Caye, Belize
- (0.02 mi) Beach and ocean view, pool with swim-up bar, close to town!
- (0.02 mi) 201 - 1st Floor Ocean View Suite
- (0.02 mi) Playa Blanca Villa
- Restaurants near Hol Chan Marine Reserve:
- (0.00 mi) Pirate's Pizza
- (0.00 mi) Izzy's Smoothies Snacks & Juice Bar
- (0.01 mi) Caramba! Restaurant
- (0.01 mi) Thirsty Tarpon
- (0.01 mi) My Secret Deli