Shark Ray Alley — Attraction in Belize District

Took at tour with Exotic Tours from Belize City to snorkel the reef, and Shark Ray Alley.

The trip from the city out to the reef took about 50 minutes, and on the way the Captain spotted dolphins and circled the boat for a look. The downside here was the boat seemed to be a ferry/tender with limited viewing on the lower deck, and moving about or getting kitted up for snorkelling was very restrictive.

Apollo (our guide) introduced the team, and gave a safety briefing. This was all extremely well organised, including a support boat, and first aid expertise. The emphasis was clearly on safety. Flotation devices were mandatory at the first reef snorkel.

At the first area we were split into groups to snorkel with two guides to point out interesting coral, fish etc, and also keep an eye on, and provide assistance if required.

The reef snorkel was interesting in crystal clear water of 15-20 ft depth. Interesting coral, stingrays and various fish, although not significant numbers in the latter case.

The second stop was at Shark Ray Alley and even as the boat pulled up the Nurse Sharks, and Stingrays appeared. Water is extremely shallow about 3-4 feet deep, and flotation vest not required. Being in the water with the sharks and rays was amazing, and they are very adept at getting close to you. My only comment was that the guides handled the sharks and rays which was disappointing.

Finally, we headed to Caye Caulker for lunch, along with the obligatory rum punch. It was great to visit the island and sample the Cayes.

Overall a very enjoyable trip. This would’ve been a 5 star trip if on a roomier boat with...

Snorkelled here as part of our tour with Reef Adventures. Super awesome, especially if you’ve never seen or even swam up close to a nurse shark. They throw food over board so you get to see a swarm of fish and a couple of sharks clambering over each other to eat. Totally harmless and awesome to watch.

I had watched another lady in the boat use her iPhone in the water which she said wasn’t a problem, so I tried it and got to video some of the action and take...

I thought the name was a tourist gimmick, but it does exactly what it says on the tin. Saw 2 fins coming towards the boat even before it dropped anchor. After some hesitation, I dived in and swam with sharks and stingrays within touching distance. Mind blown. Very clear water and pristine reef. Lots of other fish to see too. The instructors should not be handling the rays IMO, but I felt safe in there. Will never forget...