Best Shark Ray Alley Snorkeling Tour? Honest Review of Under Da Sea

I’ve developed my own snorkeling rating system to help compare and differentiate the many incredible sites we’ve explored around the world, including Belize. 

You’ll find a rating in all of my snorkeling blog posts, so you can instantly see how a spot measures up.

Check out the key below to understand what each rating means.

OVERALL SNORKEL RATING KEY

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿   =   World-class snorkeling and worth traveling just for the snorkeling alone!

🤿 🤿 🤿 🤿   =   Incredible snorkeling and should be on your list of top things to do!

🤿 🤿 🤿   =   Decent snorkeling and worth the effort!

🤿 🤿   =   Worth consideration if you are running out of things to do!

🤿   =   Not worth it!

On this Under Da Sea snorkeling tour, we explored multiple snorkeling spots within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, including the famous Shark Ray Alley.

Rather than scoring each site on its own, I’ve rated the experience as a whole, and it’s an easy 5 out of 5 snorkels!

I don’t hand out perfect scores often.

In fact, only a select few destinations, like the Maldives, Bora Bora, and Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, have earned that honor. Belize joins this elite list thanks to its stunning mix of marine life, from graceful rays and nurse sharks to colorful reef fish of every size.

✔️   Private boat (up to 4 people)

✔️   Flexible start times (between 8-9 am or 1-2 pm) * I always recommend morning time for snorkeling

✔️   Exceptional local captain and tour guide (Nahuel)

✔️   Comfortable boat with shade

✔️   BTB Gold Standard Certification (seal of approval from the Belize Tourism Board to show the tour operator meets specific health, safety, and service quality standards)

The last time I joined a big snorkeling group was back in 2009 at Stingray City in Grand Cayman, and it was chaos! Imagine fins smacking your face, strangers bumping into you every two seconds, and a constant storm of water bubbles ruining your view.

Nope. Never again.

Since then, I’ve sworn by private or very small-group snorkeling tours. It’s the difference between being frustrated the whole time or having one of the most magical underwater experiences of your life!

After way too much research than I care to admit, I landed on Under Da Sea Adventures, based in Ambergris Caye. And wow, best decision ever.

Our tour was just me, my husband, and our incredible guide, Nahuel.

Born and raised in San Pedro, Noel knows these waters inside and out. He spotted hidden creatures, pointed out unique coral formations, and made sure we didn’t miss a thing.

Nahuel met us right at our hotel’s pier. At the time, we were staying at what is now the gorgeous Alaia Belize, Autograph Collection.

We left at 8 a.m. to beat most of the tour boats and hit several different snorkeling spots, most of which we had entirely to ourselves.

At Shark Ray Alley, there were a few other boats, but with so many sharks and rays cruising around, it never felt crowded or rushed.

We’re not casual snorkelers.

Hubby and I have explored reefs all over the world, and we never travel without our go-to snorkeling setup.

After testing it across countless sites, we know that a crystal-clear mask and a pair of well-fitted fins can make or break your day in the water.

Sure, rental gear will do in a pinch, but when you’ve flown halfway around the world for a bucket-list spot like Shark Ray Alley, you want your own gear dialed in and ready to go.

TLDR: Bring your own gear for the best experience!

Alright, onto the fun part. What did we spot out there? Actually, scratch that… the real question is: what didn’t we spot?

It felt like snorkeling through a full-on underwater zoo. Sharks cruising by, rays gliding underfoot, fish in every color imaginable.

Good thing we had our trusty underwater camera ready to go, because this was non-stop action from the second we hit the water.

We spotted plenty of stingrays gliding over the seagrass beds, effortlessly rippling their wide pectoral fins as they foraged for snacks like mollusks.

They’re mesmerizing to watch, like underwater birds in slow motion.

We’ve had our fair share of stingray encounters over the years, including some very up-close moments at the Sharks & Rays Sandbar in Moorea and Anse Georgette in the Seychelles, but it never gets old.

And don’t worry, fatal stings like the tragic case of Steve Irwin are extremely rare. Stingrays are generally mellow and keep to themselves unless you give them a reason not to.

The golden rule? Don’t step on them.

Spotted eagle rays are beautiful! Sleek, graceful, and covered in white spots that look like they were hand-painted, they’re the kind of fish that stop you mid-swim.

In the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, we spotted a couple cruising solo.

Other times, like in Bora Bora or during our Moorea trip with Alex Lagoon Tours, we’ve seen them glide by in small squads (called a fever). Angel City in Bonaire? Another great sighting!

They’re shy, though. Blink and they’re gone, which is why every encounter feels like you just won the snorkeling lottery.

Nurse sharks are hands down the stars of the show.

They are the puppy dogs of the sea, slow cruisers that spend their days lounging under coral ledges and their nights out hunting.

Most of the time they are completely harmless, but like any animal, they can give you a painful bite if they mistake you for food or you get too close. So yes, I know you are dying for that epic Instagram shot, but give them some space.

The water here is shallow and crystal clear, so spotting them up close is ridiculously easy.

We have crossed paths with nurse sharks before at Waterlemon Cay in St. John and at the Outrigger in the Maldives, but I have never been surrounded by an entire school of them at such close range.

This was not just a highlight of the trip, it was one of the most unique snorkeling experiences we have ever had!

Can’t get enough of sharks?

Then you’ll love our cage diving adventure with great whites in South Africa, or the time we had “lunch with the sharks” during our Coral Garden Tour in Taha’a.

Both experiences were exceptional!

If these fish could talk, I’m pretty sure they’d be saying, “Hey, wanna play? Come on, let’s go!”

The large schools of horse-eye jacks here were anything but shy.

The moment we slipped into the water at Shark Ray Alley, they swarmed around us, their big silver eyes practically begging for attention.

While snorkeling in the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, we also spotted some gorgeous four-eyed butterflyfish. They’re almost always seen in pairs because they mate for life.

That extra “eye” on their backside isn’t just for looks either.

It’s believed to be a clever trick to confuse predators about which end is the head.

We seem to spot these fish just about everywhere we snorkel.

In Belize, they were everywhere, and we also saw plenty while snorkeling under the Frederiksted Pier in St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands.

Their bold, vertical stripes are said to resemble the insignia of a military sergeant major, which is how they got their name.

These fish love to hang out over coral. The adults hang out in big schools, which makes them fun to swim through.

Parrotfish are absolute stunners. Their electric colors pop like neon signs in the open water.

Fun fact: their beak-shaped mouths have some of the strongest teeth in the animal world!

They use them to scrape algae off coral, which actually helps keep the reef healthy. The coral they chew gets ground up and, yes, pooped out as sand. A big parrotfish can produce up to 1,000 pounds of sand every year.

That is a whole beach day’s worth of sunbathing material courtesy of a fish.

Spotlight parrotfish have another wild trick. They change color and sex as they mature, starting brown with reddish orange bellies and often turning bright green when they become male.

I used to be nervous around these torpedo-shaped, tough-looking fish.

After snorkeling alongside plenty of them at places like Lac Bay and Bari Reef in Bonaire, I’ve realized they really don’t bother you.

Just avoid wearing shiny jewelry or a glittery swimsuit, as it can attract the kind of attention you don’t want.

We explored stunning stretches of coral, from delicate sea fans and intricate brain coral to towering elkhorn and swaying soft corals.

We booked the half-day snorkeling tour to Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley.

If you’re based in Caye Caulker, Salt Life Eco Tours runs an excellent trip that includes Hol Chan, Shark Ray Alley, Caye Caulker, a chance to swim with manatees, and a local Belizean lunch.

My husband and I visited Caye Caulker on a separate day, taking the express water taxi over for a quick island escape. It’s a fun day trip with plenty to do (like these 7 things!) including possibly spotting seahorses up close!

Since Nahuel only runs private tours, his calendar fills up pretty fast, especially in high season.

If he’s already booked, don’t worry. I found two other highly-rated Shark Ray Alley tours that also leave from Ambergris Caye:

→   Catamaran Belize (max 8 people)

Semi-private option

• Hol Chan + Shark Ray Alley
• Belizean lunch
• Stop at Caye Caulker
• Ceviche and open bar on board

→   Ridge and Reef Adventures (lots of flexibility)

Group option #1

• Hol Chan + Shark Ray Alley

Group option#2

• Hol Chan + Shark Ray Alley
• Caye Caulker
• Manatee spotting
• Belizean lunch

Private option

• Hol Chan + Shark Ray Alley
• Manatee spotting
• Up to 5 different snorkel sites

We’ve had some unforgettable snorkeling adventures around the world, and Shark Ray Alley easily ranks among our top experiences in Ambergris Caye!

It’s absolutely worth the trip.

Book a private tour with Nahuel, and he’ll take you to all the best spots for a snorkeling experience of a lifetime.

And if you’re still in the trip-planning phase, don’t miss my 1-week Ambergris Caye itinerary.

It covers all the must-see sights, foodie gems, and is packed with personal tips to make your trip unforgettable!

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Questions about our snorkeling experience at Shark Ray Alley? Any other cool snorkeling spots in Belize you would recommend?

Let me know in the comments below!