By Laurie – (The Berkshires, MA)
Is there any shallow beach snorkeling in Belize we can do with kids? We may be going there and were wondering if you could recommend any particular areas to snorkel from the beach, in very shallow, calm water. We’re bringing young children and want to stay in water that’s not deeper than four or five feet, but still have the children be able to enjoy seeing beautiful fish.
We’ve been able to do this on a few Caribbean islands and in Maui and are hoping it’s possible in Belize. Any thoughts you can share will be much appreciated. Thanks!
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Galen and Nicole – Dec 16, 2009 – Almost No Beach Snorkeling in Belize
Hi Laurie, unfortunately there is almost no beach snorkeling in Belize. There are a couple of beaches, but you will only find rocks and seagrass, and maybe a couple of fish. All of the areas with any reef and fish are reached by boat. If your kids are old enough to take a boat trip, then we would probably recommend going to Mexico Rocks from Ambergris Caye because it is more shallow and is not right on the barrier reef edge, so there will be generally be less currents and waves.
Steve – Dec 2, 2012 – Great Beach Snorkeling on a Belize Island
Some of the best snorkeling I have ever done has been from the shore of an island called Long Caye in Glover’s Reef which is 35 miles off the coast of Belize. It is an incredibly healthy reef and there is a wall very close to shore. The island is owned by a company called Slickrock Adventures.
You can also kayak a short distance to get to more coral areas. Lots of fish and very beautiful coral in 4-12 feet of water. Much of the coral comes right up to the surface, so you can swim amongst it (being extremely careful not to touch any of it, which will harm it).
The island is quite rustic, so I’m not sure it would be great with kids, but now there are other options that are more kid-friendly in those atolls.
Jenelle – Jan 21, 2013 – Shore Snorkeling for Kids in Belize
While there is no coral to see snorkeling from the beach on Ambergris Caye, Belize, there are fish. At any pier you will find some fish and the guides say that the pier at Ramon’s Village is rich and also Wet Willy’s Bar. As an example, in the seagrass you may find flounders and one day last year we saw nursery of about 15 baby barracuda. This type of snorkel is good for kids as it teaches them to be very, very observant.
Nicole and Galen – Jan 21, 2013 – Beware of Boats When Snorkeling Near Piers or Docks
We just wanted to add to the previous comment that piers are for boats to come and go from, so everyone needs to watch for boats at all times when snorkeling any part of this Ambergris shoreline.
That said, yes fish do often use piers and docks for shelter and are often in good numbers.
Nicole & Galen – Feb 20, 2015 – Some Shore Snorkeling
We had a guest post about shore snorkeling from the Tranquility Bay Resort on Ambergris Caye. It might be an option with small children.
Genevieve – Dec 29, 2015 – Belize With Kids
After a lot of research for snorkeling in Belize, we spent five days on Pelican Beach Resort in South Water Caye. Wow, beautiful small “Gilligan’s Island,” perfect beach for children, no seagrass, no waves and an adult or good swimmer can easily reach the reef (a little current, though). You can see the reef from the beach.
I also read about some other beautiful and secluded islands like Long Caye with Slickrock Adventures and Off the Wall Dive Center, both in Glover’s Reef Atoll. They offer snorkeling packages as well.
Belize is not a cheap destination but has a lot to offer. I describe it like a little Costa Rica for its jungle and wildlife AND snorkeling paradise. It is easy to combine island and jungle experiences.