Snorkel the Perfect Tropical Isle Silk Caye with Turtles, Rays and Sharks
Overview
Silk Cayes is a marine reserve consisting of 3 small islands formerly known as the Queen Cayes. This Marine Reserve hosts over 25 species of reef fish, with a variety of coral and other marine life! The Silk Caye is one of healthiest areas in the Belize Barrier Reef Reserve System due to its location and protected status. It is a great destination to snorkel, scuba dive or simply spend a day on the island! Snorkelers explore the reefs surrounding the islands. Scuba Divers explore the the barrier reef wall and other dive sites the Silk Cayes have to offer. As a bonus just before returning to Placencia, everyone has an opportunity to snorkel with rays, sharks and (usually) huge turtles in an area where the local fishermen clean their catch - when the critters hear the boat engines, they think it is meal time and come to the dive boat.
Inclusions
- Pickup and Drop off along the main road in Placencia Village.
- Park Fees.
- Taxes.
- Licenced Snorkel Guide.
- Lunch and Snacks
- Use of Snorkel Vests or Life Jackets (available on request)
- Towels
- Use of Snorkelling equipment
What to expect
Itinerary
Silk Cayes is our most popular snorkel destination and offers great scuba diving on the nearby Barrier Reef. A perfect getaway for whole family, Silk Cayes are part of a marine reserve established to protect the outer reef and has an abundance of marine life, tropical fish, and healthy corals.
Start with a briefing by the park rangers before your licensed snorkel guide leads you into the water to meet the local residents. If you have not snorkeled before, no problem; the guides are happy to teach and guide you! The snorkel guides will show you where to find the coral and the fascinating creatures who live there. Critters include lobsters, cleaner shrimp, arrow crabs, snapper, barracuda and more varieties of reef fish than you can count.
Around mid-day enjoy an authentic Belize style picnic lunch. Then head back into the water to explore more corals and denizens who make Silk Cayes their home. The best is yet to come! After the second snorkel expedition, you'll head to a spot just inside the barrier reef where local fishermen clean their catch. You are almost certain to have close encounters with huge turtles, rays, and nurse sharks!
Silk Cayes is our most popular snorkel destination and offers great scuba diving on the nearby Barrier Reef. A perfect getaway for whole family, Silk Cayes are part of a marine reserve established to protect the outer reef and has an abundance of marine life, tropical fish, and healthy corals.
Start with a briefing by the park rangers before your licensed snorkel guide leads you into the water to meet the local residents. If you have not snorkeled before, no problem; the guides are happy to teach and guide you! The snorkel guides will show you where to find the coral and the fascinating creatures who live there. Critters include lobsters, cleaner shrimp, arrow crabs, snapper, barracuda and more varieties of reef fish than you can count.
Around mid-day enjoy an authentic Belize style picnic lunch. Then head back into the water to explore more corals and denizens who make Silk Cayes their home. The best is yet to come! After the second snorkel expedition, you'll head to a spot just inside the barrier reef where local fishermen clean their catch. You are almost certain to have close encounters with huge turtles, rays, and nurse sharks!
Additional information
- Children must be accompanied by an adult.
- Infant meals not included.
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Infants must sit on laps
- Travelers should have a moderate physical fitness level
- All crew and staff have had both covid-19 vaccinations.
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s canceled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 15 travelers
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
Ticket delivery
You can present either a paper or an electronic voucher for this activity.
Cancellation
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start time of the experience.
Kim_M
February 2022
The crew was attentive, the lunch homemade and delicious and the snorkeling the best I have ever experienced. I will be back.
The crew was attentive, the lunch homemade and delicious and the snorkeling the best I have ever experienced. I will be back.ZogOut
January 2022
A great experience for the whole family. Ronald was a terrific guide - he made sure wee were well taken care of and also shared a great deal of information throughout the day. Silk Caye seemed like an almost impossible location - very remote, beautiful and memorable.
A great experience for the whole family. Ronald was a terrific guide - he made sure wee were well taken care of and also shared a great deal of information throughout the day. Silk Caye seemed like an almost impossible location - very remote, beautiful and memorable.grahamflyguy
December 2021
A long review but Splash is without question the best dive shop everywhere. They literally saved my life and I is impossible to convey my graditute and thanks. I have used Splash on 3 trips and the people and equipment are the best. This week on my second day dive of the second day, I had a frea...
A long review but Splash is without question the best dive shop everywhere. They literally saved my life and I is impossible to convey my graditute and thanks. I have used Splash on 3 trips and the people and equipment are the best. This week on my second day dive of the second day, I had a freak and bizarre accident getting into the water. Unknown how but I ended up under the boat and stuck my head, I was rendered paralyzed which in real time was likely 2-4 minutes. Fellow divers (Carly) and Dive master Lydia, along with Poopoo the legend captain, were are to get me back in the boat. A race back to shore, we arrived with a doctor and Ambulance to transport me to Belize City. Lydia went and grabbed my personal belongings from my Air BNB. The owners refused to send my alone to a hospital in Belize City since I was traveling alone. one of the snorkel guides Martin, traveled at my side and stayed at my side in the hospital, sleeping on a chair in my room, Taking care of paperwork and being my caregiver until my sister could arrive from the states. Splash contacted my rental car company and saw it was returned and were, my family. The care and support was and continues through calls, texts, checking in. 48 hrs later I am back in the states recovering yet still feel Splash is with me. When you think saving $10 for a guide is worth it, Think of me and spend the extra to know you not only will have a great experience, you will be around to come back to do it again. Lastly, the first day a snorkeler came back on the boat after the afternoon snorkel, whining because Silk Caye didn't have enough shade to his liking and was going to give a bad review. Sir, you are a petty man and should just stay in New Mexico or wherever you are from. You are in the Caribbean snorkeling in a place most will never enjoy.ask a question, bring a hat and take some responsibility. I will return and will be at Splash again.Juan Q
June 2021
3 days of incredible diving, snorkeling and lion fish spear fishing. This is an amazing team of well coordinated professionals that will take you to incredible sites. Our family of 4 enjoyed diving Silk Cayes as well as a couple of private areas. We observed everything from loggerheads to ee...
3 days of incredible diving, snorkeling and lion fish spear fishing. This is an amazing team of well coordinated professionals that will take you to incredible sites. Our family of 4 enjoyed diving Silk Cayes as well as a couple of private areas. We observed everything from loggerheads to eels, lobster to crabs and dolphin to nurse sharks. The nurse sharks followed us around the entire dive like pets. Between dives we enjoyed wonderful authentic Belezean food on beautiful small islands. During the dives we encountered several lion fish, an invasive species in the area. So we took up spearfishing and cleared out a few. The days were beautiful, the staff was friendly and attentive, the diving was spectacular and the lion fish… delicious! Thanks to all the staff at Splash Dive Center. We highly recommend you!chrissye2017
April 2021
My husband and I had the BEST time snorkeling at Silk Caye! The staff at Splash were incredible and made us feel so safe even as things start to open back up after the pandemic. They were so nice and knowledgeable and answered the many questions I had as a first time snorkeler! I will never forge...
My husband and I had the BEST time snorkeling at Silk Caye! The staff at Splash were incredible and made us feel so safe even as things start to open back up after the pandemic. They were so nice and knowledgeable and answered the many questions I had as a first time snorkeler! I will never forget this experience - I have never seen water that blue in my entire life. I am already trying to find a way to get back and do another trip with them. Thank you, Splash, for the unforgettable memories!Morgan_O
February 2021
We were disappointed that we booked and paid for a trip to Silk Caye but ended up at Laughing Bird Caye (a $25 per person difference) with no explanation as to why it was switched. That being said, the island was beautiful, the marine life we saw was ok - there wasn't much to see. The crew was wo...
We were disappointed that we booked and paid for a trip to Silk Caye but ended up at Laughing Bird Caye (a $25 per person difference) with no explanation as to why it was switched. That being said, the island was beautiful, the marine life we saw was ok - there wasn't much to see. The crew was wonderful and lunch was delicious. Had we gone where we were supposed to, this would be a 5 star review.