Caribbean – Diary III – Hol Chan Marine Reserves – Sharks up close

Page 8 – Cuddling with sharks…

08.02. – 09.02.2026

From Cay Caulker, it's just a stone's throw to San Pedro and Ambergris Caye. This is the check-in point, the main tourist town of Belize, and home to the Hol Chan Marine Reserve, which we head straight for on our approach, only to be promptly chased away by the ranger. "Only registered boats with licensed guides are allowed in the national park after payment of the entrance fees."

So we anchor off San Pedro and organize the excursion for the next day. We quickly book our guide, Cesar, via WhatsApp. We register our boat and pay the entrance fees at the tourist office on land, pick Cesar up in the dinghy, and then set off around 11 a.m. in the catamaran. Everything is strictly organized. There are two stops, the first at the reef and the second at Shark Ray Alley. At each spot, we reserve a buoy, which we have to vacate after an hour.

The ranger first checks boat registration, payment of entrance fees, and the guide's license. After a phone call to the Marine Reserve office, it turns out they haven't collected enough, but we're allowed to stay after assuring them we'll pay the difference and receiving a club wristband. Then we set off with our guide, who shows us the interesting spots and is responsible for our safety.

The underwater world is impressive, and we stay for more than an hour. Since we're out on the open sea – quite a distance from shore where snorkeling usually takes place – the first thing we notice is how big the fish are. Huge yellowfin tuna circle us, and a beautifully patterned sea turtle grazes on the seabed. Large schools of fish "hide" among the soft corals, and a giant manta ray glides by with a serene wingbeat. The underwater world captivates us; the colorful activity beneath the seemingly tranquil surface is always fascinating.

From snorkeling on the reef, we head to the next stop – swimming with nurse sharks. We've barely docked at the buoy when our boat is already surrounded by sharks. "They're curious," I say. "No, they're hungry," says the guide. This reassurance inspires confidence… "They're very gentle sharks," Cesar assures us, "they won't do anything." But they are large, some over two meters long.

Nurse sharks are scavengers, but unfortunately we didn't bring any food. So they quickly lost interest in us and headed for the next arriving boat. We put on our diving masks and got into the water; I was a little nervous. But at first, there was no shark in sight.

Cesar leads our snorkeling group to the next boat, where feeding time is in full swing. The sharks are leaping halfway out of the water to get at the baitfish. The enormous yellowtail tuna are frantically circling them, hoping to get a piece of the action. Stingrays have also arrived; perhaps something will fall to the bottom. And above the boat, gulls and huge frigatebirds are circling – they want a piece of the pie too… you couldn't get more action above and below the water.

You could even pet the sharks… but you don't have to overdo it.

We swim on with our small group towards the reef. Cesar points out a green moray eel lurking among the rocks. Nurse sharks are everywhere. They swim alongside us, beneath us, or lie sleeping in the seagrass. "These sharks have lived here for many years, they were born here," Cesar informs us. "They're used to snorkelers and people." There are also hammerhead and reef sharks here, but our guide tells us they don't like people, so you don't see them – Cesar seems quite happy about that, as these sharks are considered more aggressive, and they don't want to take any risks with the tourists…

Once you get used to the sight of so many sharks around you, their calm and deliberate nature makes them not so scary anymore, and so I climb up the swim ladder while two nurse sharks and countless yellowfin tuna have made themselves comfortable under our catamaran.

On our way back to our anchorage off San Pedro, we attract the interest of a seagull, and after I start feeding them, more and more arrive every minute.

An eventful day with intense animal encounters.