Shark-Ray Alley

Shark-Ray Alley sits within the Hol Chan Marine Reserve near Ambergris Caye, off the coast of Belize's mainland barrier reef. It is a shallow site, generally in the range of 3 to 6 metres, made famous by nurse sharks and southern stingrays that gathered there after years of fishermen cleaning their catch nearby, which drew the animals into close, regular contact with divers and snorkelers. Because of the shallow depth and calm conditions, it is considered an easy dive and is popular with snorkelers as well as divers, often combined with a stop at the nearby Hol Chan cut. Visitors should expect close encounters with the nurse sharks and stingrays rather than a dramatic reef structure, as the site's reputation rests on the marine life interaction rather than topography.

Confirmed by our research team, reported by independent divers, or observed nearby via iNaturalist — each entry is labelled with its source.

• Nurse SharkGinglymostoma cirratumReported here · unconfirmed
• Southern StingrayHypanus americanusReported here · unconfirmed
• Horse-eye JackCaranx latusReported here · unconfirmed
• Atlantic Blue TangAcanthurus coeruleusReported here · unconfirmed
• Bluestriped GruntHaemulon sciurusReported here · unconfirmed
• Dog SnapperLutjanus jocuReported here · unconfirmed
• Caribbean Bluehead WrasseThalassoma bifasciatumReported here · unconfirmed
• Schoolmaster SnapperLutjanus apodusReported here · unconfirmed
• Gray SnapperLutjanus griseusReported here · unconfirmed
• Atlantic Sergeant MajorAbudefduf saxatilisReported here · unconfirmed