Snorkeling In Belize: What's The January Scene?

Belize is a snorkelling paradise, with the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef running along its coastline. This reef is the second biggest in the world, and the biggest in the Northern Hemisphere. It's home to 36 species of soft coral, 70 species of hard coral, and nearly 500 species of fish. It's also common to see sharks, rays, turtles, and West Indian manatees.

The best time to visit Belize for snorkelling is during the dry season, from December to May. The water is warm all year round, but the dry season offers clearer visibility. January is a great time to go, as it's outside of the peak season, which runs from December to mid-January and during Holy Week and Easter.

Belize's weather in January

Belize has a tropical climate, so the weather is hot and humid in January. The temperature rarely goes above 80°F/26°C during the day and falls to less than 68°F/20°C at night. The water temperature is around 82°F/28°C, so it's perfect for snorkelling.

January falls within the dry season, which runs from December to May. The dry season is the best time to visit Belize, as the wet season can make outings tricky and reduce the clearness of the water. The rainy season, from June to November, is also when hurricanes may hit the Belize coasts.

The wind can pick up in the afternoons, so it's best to snorkel in the mornings.

Snorkelling spots in Belize

Belize is known for having some of the best snorkelling in the world, with the world's second-largest barrier reef running along its coast. The country also boasts clear turquoise waters, hundreds of cayes (small islands) and three atolls that offer exceptional snorkelling adventures.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve

The Hol Chan Marine Reserve is one of the most popular snorkelling spots in Belize. It is easily accessible from San Pedro and includes Shark Ray Alley, where snorkellers can get up close and personal with southern stingrays and nurse sharks. The reserve is split into four different zones, each with its own unique characteristics. Hol Chan Cut, for example, offers the chance to swim through a channel in the reef and view healthy elkhorn coral, moray eels, sea turtles, and colourful fish.

Mexico Rocks and Tres Cocos

Mexico Rocks and Tres Cocos are located between the Belize Barrier Reef and Ambergris Caye and are accessible by boat from San Pedro. Tres Cocos, in particular, is known for its large brain corals and elkhorn coral along the reef. The reef at Tres Cocos can be as shallow as four feet, making it a great spot for both beginner and experienced snorkellers. This area is also known for its abundant marine life, including conch, banded shrimp, arrow crabs, flounders, stingrays, and various species of tropical fish.

Lighthouse Reef Atoll

Lighthouse Reef Atoll is the farthest offshore of all Belize's atolls and is home to more than 200 species of fish, six cayes, and an abundance of coral reefs. It is also home to the famous Great Blue Hole, a perfectly circular sinkhole that measures approximately 1,000 feet around and 400 feet deep. While there isn't much fish life in the Blue Hole, it is still a bucket list item for many visitors due to its massive size and the giant stalactites within. Lighthouse Reef Atoll also features Half Moon Caye and Long Caye Wall, which offer amazing fish life.

Glover's Reef Atoll

Glover's Reef Atoll is part of the Belize Barrier Reef and is a designated UNESCO World Heritage Site. This remote atoll features remarkably clear waters and a sheltered, shallow lagoon with more than 700 patch reefs to explore. The interaction between the open waters of the Caribbean Sea and the sheltered lagoon has resulted in a diverse and abundant marine life population, making Glover's Reef Atoll a top destination for snorkellers.

Turneffe Reef Atoll

Turneffe Reef Atoll is the largest of the three atolls in Belize's Barrier Reef and is the most northerly, making it a full-day trip from Caye Caulker. It was established as a marine reserve in 2012 and is largely comprised of hundreds of small mangrove islets. This ecosystem attracts turtles and the place is also teeming with lionfish. Turneffe Reef Atoll is also known for its primary dive site, The Elbow, which features a 30-metre drop-off into the deep blue waters below.

Tobacco Caye

Tobacco Caye is located within the South Water Caye Marine Reserve and is known for its world-class snorkelling right off the beach. The calm, clear waters make it a paradise for snorkellers, divers, and paddlers looking for an off-the-grid spot. Tobacco Caye is a tiny island with a year-round population of only 30 people, making it an ideal place to relax and unplug.

Belize's barrier reef

Belize is home to the second-largest barrier reef in the world, which extends the full length of the nation, forming an enormous lagoon along its coast. The Belize Barrier Reef is a 300-kilometre-long section of the 900-kilometre Mesoamerican Barrier Reef System, which is continuous from Cancún on the north-eastern tip of the Yucatán Peninsula through the Riviera Maya and down to Honduras. It is Belize's top tourist destination, attracting almost half of its 260,000 visitors.

The Belize Barrier Reef is a series of coral reefs straddling the coast of Belize, roughly 300 metres offshore in the north and 40 kilometres in the south within the country's limits. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, listed since 1996, due to its vulnerability and the fact that it contains vital natural habitats for the conservation of biological diversity.

The reef is home to a large diversity of plants and animals, including 70 hard coral species, 36 soft coral species, and hundreds of invertebrate species. It is estimated that 90% of the reef still needs to be researched, and only 10% of all species have been discovered.

A large portion of the reef is protected by the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System, which includes seven marine reserves, 450 cayes, and three atolls. The reserve system covers an area of 960 square kilometres and includes the following:

• Glover's Reef Marine Reserve
• South Water Caye Marine Reserve
• Half Moon Caye Natural Monument
• Hol Chan Marine Reserve
• Ambergris Caye
• Caye Caulker
• Caye Chapel
• Carrie Bow Caye
• St. George's Caye
• English Caye
• Rendezvous Caye
• Gladden Caye
• Ranguana Caye
• Long Caye
• Moho Caye
• Blackbird Caye
• Three Corner Caye
• Northern Caye
• Tobacco Caye
• Sandbore Caye

Belize has committed to preserving a full 30% of its oceanic territory, including each of the seven marine protected areas. The country has also implemented a total ban on single-use plastics, making it a leader in conservation in the Caribbean and the world.

The Belize Barrier Reef is an ideal habitat for a wide variety of oceanic creatures, including living coral, endangered sea turtles, and over 500 species of fish. It offers excellent scuba diving and snorkelling opportunities, with diverse sites that include walls, pinnacles, and reef flats located throughout a vast area of sea.

The most accessible and popular area for snorkelling is Ambergris Caye and its main town, San Pedro. From here, you can explore the wonderful snorkelling spot of Hol Chan Cut and the famous Shark Ray Alley.

If you're looking for an adventure, the more distant atolls of Lighthouse Reef, Turneffe Islands, or Glovers Reef are exceptional spots. These require a bigger budget and a longer boat ride across the open sea.

The Great Blue Hole, located in Lighthouse Reef, is the most emblematic spot in Belize. It is one of the most famous dive spots in the world, made famous by Jacques Cousteau in 1970.

Snorkelling tours in Belize

Belize is a great place to snorkel, with the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef—the second largest in the world—running along its coastline. The best time to visit Belize for snorkelling is during the dry season, from December to May, and especially between March and April when there is clear skies, sunshine, and pleasant temperatures.

Hol Chan Full-Day Bucket List Snorkelling and Marine Life Tour

This tour takes you to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve from Caye Caulker, where you can swim among stingrays, sea turtles, harmless nurse sharks, and even manatees. The tour includes equipment and a fresh lunch on board the boat.

Belize Hol Chan Marine Reserve & Shark Ray Alley Snorkel Tour - Ambergris Caye

This tour takes you to two of the most popular snorkelling sites in Belize: Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley. You'll get to swim with a variety of fish, sea turtles, stingrays, and nurse sharks among the coral formations of the largest barrier reef in the Western Hemisphere.

All-inclusive Snorkelling at Hol Chan

This full-day tour takes you to six different sites around the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, including spots known for nurse sharks, southern stingrays, and manatees. You'll also get to explore a sunken shipwreck and swim among schools of tropical fish and colourful coral reefs.

Hol Chan Marine Reserve Snorkel Tour on the 40' Sirena Azul Sailboat

On this tour, you'll sail from Ambergris Caye to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve and shark ray alley. You'll get to swim above bright coral formations and watch for the sea turtles, eels, and fishes that thrive within the protected area. You'll also get to slip into the water with the stingrays and nurse sharks at shark ray alley.

Second Largest Barrier Reef Adventure Snorkelling

This tour takes you snorkelling with green moray eels, one of the most popular animals to spot while diving in Belize. You'll also get to swim with southern sting rays and friendly nurse sharks.

Coral Garden Shark and Sting Ray Alley Snorkelling

This tour takes you to the world's second-largest barrier reef, where you can admire colourful sea fans, finger coral, and sponges teeming with fish. You'll also get to dive into waters churning with throngs of harmless nurse sharks and sting rays.

Belize's marine life

Belize is a snorkeler's paradise, with the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef—the second-longest barrier reef in the world—forming part of its coastline. This reef has been a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1996 due to its diverse ecosystems and biodiversity. The country's marine life is incredibly rich and varied, with an abundance of species to discover.

Belize is home to approximately 36 species of soft coral, 70 species of hard coral, and nearly 500 species of fish. The country's barrier reef is a haven for marine life, including sharks, rays, turtles, and West Indian manatees. The West Indian manatee, a vegetarian sea mammal, is a threatened species, with just a few hundred surviving in Belizean waters. They are a sight to behold, typically measuring 10 feet long and weighing 1000 pounds.

Belize is also a prime spot for shark enthusiasts. The reef is frequented by nurse sharks, which are harmless to humans. Shark Ray Alley, just off the coast of Ambergris Caye, is a popular snorkelling site where you can observe these creatures up close. Other shark species found in Belizean waters include reef sharks, lemon tip sharks, and hammerhead sharks.

In addition to sharks, Belize is home to a variety of rays. The southern stingray, spotted eagle ray, and manta ray grace the waters with their graceful, wing-like movements. The manta ray, also known as the "Devil Ray," is the largest of the three species, with a wingspan of up to 20 feet and a weight of up to 3,000 pounds.

For those seeking a truly magical experience, keep an eye out for the bioluminescent glowing algae that occasionally grace the waters of Belize. This natural wonder will leave you in awe as you watch tiny comets and glowing jellyfish pulsating in the water.

The country's marine life extends beyond its reefs, with deep-sea fishing identified as a potential commercial stock. The fisheries sector in Belize supports over 2,500 fishers directly and provides income for thousands more in the tourism and seafood processing industries.

Frequently asked questions