Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Hol Chan means little channel in Maya, and the reserve is built around a natural cut through the barrier reef where fish concentrate in the current. Declared in 1987, it was the first marine reserve in Belize and it is now the most visited, with snorkel and dive boats running from San Pedro and Caye Caulker all day. Shark Ray Alley, a shallow sand flat within the reserve, holds nurse sharks and southern stingrays that gather where fishermen once cleaned their catch.

What you actually see

• The channel - the reef cut the reserve is named for, with fish shoaling in the current.
• Shark Ray Alley - nurse sharks and stingrays in shallow water on a sand flat.
• The seagrass and mangrove zones - the reserve's other habitats, part of the same system.
• The turtles and rays - green turtles and eagle rays regularly seen in the channel.

When to go

December to April is the dry season with the clearest water. Boats run all day but morning trips are calmer and less crowded. Rough weather cancels trips.

Honest expectations

It is the busiest site in Belize and dozens of boats can be there at once; the fish are habituated and this is not a wilderness experience. Feeding at Shark Ray Alley created the aggregation and remains contentious. Sunburn and reef damage from crowds are real problems.

Nearby

San Pedro is north, and Caye Caulker is southwest.