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Pier over the sea beneath sunlit clouds in Ambergris Caye.

Belize · Ambergris Caye

Marine reserves and atoll

Hol Chan and Shark Ray Alley, off Ambergris Caye, and the Great Blue Hole and Half Moon Caye, on Lighthouse Reef atoll; all three with unconfirmed status.

3 places3 unconfirmed, flagged

  1. 1

    WaterStatus unconfirmed

    Hol Chan Marine Reserve and Shark Ray Alley

    Off Ambergris Caye; visited by boat with operators. The pin is the coordinates the reserve publishes on its pass page; it is not a dock.43.5 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

    Entry
    non-Belizean, 13 or over BZ$30
    Hours
    Not confirmed
    Booking
    Not stated

    A marine reserve covering the southernmost marine and coastal areas of Ambergris Caye, under the Fisheries Department, with the Hol Chan channel and, since 1999, the exclusive recreation area of Shark Ray Alley; in 2016 it was extended to Mexico Rocks and other areas, according to the reserve.

    Status not confirmed: the reserve sells the pass in its shop, but its calendar offered no dates after 31 July 2026 and no dated confirmation of visits was read. Check before you go.

    Source: Hol Chan Marine Reserve – Day Pass (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +6

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Day pass: BZ$30 for non-Belizeans aged 13 or over, BZ$5 for Belizeans aged 13 or over and free for children 12 and under, according to the reserve’s shop, whose booking calendar only ran to 31 July 2026 when read. The press reported a US$15 entry fee from 1 August 2024.
    Hours
    The reserve office opens Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; the sources read publish no access hours for the marine zones.

    Tip: According to the Fisheries Department, you must register to dive or snorkel in the recreation zones; in the Hol Chan channel feeding fish and wearing gloves are not allowed; at Shark Ray Alley scuba diving is not allowed and only guides feed the sharks from the boat.

    Nearby: Caye Caulker Marine Reserve (12.7 km) · The Split (13.4 km)

    Sources: Hol Chan Marine Reserve – Day Pass (tienda oficial; consultada oct. 2026) · Hol Chan Marine Reserve (consultada oct. 2026) · Hol Chan Marine Reserve – About us (consultada oct. 2026) · Hol Chan Marine Reserve – Contact (consultada oct. 2026) · Belize Fisheries Department – Hol Chan Marine Reserve (consultada oct. 2026) · The San Pedro Sun – Nueva tarifa de Hol Chan desde el 1 ago. 2024 (1 ago. 2024) · Belize Travel Blog – Lo que cuesta un viaje a Belice (verificado el 24 sep. 2026)

  2. 2

    WaterStatus unconfirmed

    Great Blue Hole (Blue Hole Natural Monument)

    Lighthouse Reef atoll; reached with operators leaving from San Pedro, Caye Caulker, Hopkins, Placencia and the atoll resorts, according to Audubon. The pin is the sinkhole in OpenStreetMap; it is not a mooring.33.8 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

    Entry
    non-national, per day BZ$60
    Hours
    8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
    Booking
    Not stated

    A large circular sinkhole about 1,000 ft across and 412 ft deep on Lighthouse Reef atoll, part of the reef reserve system World Heritage Site; it has no land or facilities other than mooring buoys for dive boats, according to the Belize Audubon Society.

    Status not confirmed: Audubon publishes fees and hours on an undated page and the visit depends on operators and sea conditions. Check before you go.

    Source: Belize Audubon Society – Blue Hole Natural Monument (consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Non-nationals BZ$60 per day and nationals BZ$2.50, according to the Belize Audubon Society.
    Hours
    8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the Belize Audubon Society.

    Nearby: Half Moon Caye Natural Monument (12.3 km)

    Sources: Belize Audubon Society – Blue Hole Natural Monument (consultada oct. 2026) · Belize Audubon Society – Protected Areas, preguntas frecuentes (consultada oct. 2026)

  3. 3

    NatureStatus unconfirmed

    Half Moon Caye Natural Monument

    Lighthouse Reef atoll, 55 miles east of Belize City, according to Audubon. The pin is the natural monument in OpenStreetMap; it is not a dock.43.4 km in a straight line from the regional map centre

    Entry
    non-national, per day BZ$20
    Hours
    Daily 8:00 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
    Booking
    Not stated

    A caye on Lighthouse Reef atoll with possibly the only viable breeding colony of white-phase red-footed boobies in the western Caribbean; it is the rangers’ base and has a visitor centre, picnic area and campground, according to the Belize Audubon Society.

    Status not confirmed: Audubon publishes fees and hours on undated pages and the visit depends on operators and sea conditions. Check before you go.

    Source: Belize Audubon Society – Half Moon Caye Natural Monument (consultada oct. 2026) · 2026 · +1

    Practical details and sources
    Entry
    Non-nationals BZ$20 per day and nationals BZ$2.50, according to the Belize Audubon Society.
    Hours
    Every day, including weekends and public holidays, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., according to the Belize Audubon Society.

    Nearby: Great Blue Hole (Blue Hole Natural Monument) (12.3 km)

    Sources: Belize Audubon Society – Half Moon Caye Natural Monument (consultada oct. 2026) · Belize Audubon Society – Protected Areas, preguntas frecuentes (consultada oct. 2026)