Snorkeling is part of the all-inclusive packages at Kanantik Reef and Jungle Resort in Belize, and no better place for it is the Southern Belize barrier reef, one of the world’s largest barrier reefs, a 45-minute ride from Kanantik aboard the resort’s 42-foot Newton.
It is a fabulous snorkel in aquamarine waters in an area sometimes called “the rain forest of the sea,” home to more than 450 species of fish, numerous corals and sponges, sea fans, anemones, sea urchins and other wildlife of the not-so-deep.
On our snorkeling soiree one sunny day, we spotted all manner of Buddha fish and other colorful species, and even saw a lazy sea turtle keeping his distance far below us, as if challenging us to dive and try to keep up to him. We also saw a school of reef squid foraging for food in perfect formation in a precise, slanting row.
At the end of the snorkeling trip, we took a side journey to South Water Key, a very isolated, privately owned coral island with a smattering of small, humble cottages and huts available for rent. It is a beautiful little island and a great place to walk around and explore the mangroves, beaches, rocky shoreline and tidal seagrass flats. Also located here is the International Zoological Expeditions marine biology station and lodge. In 1996, the United Nations Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) added South Water Caye to its World Heritage list of protected sites of “universal value to humanity.”
On the boat ride back to Kanantik, you’ll likely spot the Smithsonian Institute of Marine Research on Carrie Bow Caye, where the marine environment in Belize has been studied and documented. Take note of the area between Carrie Bow and Wee Wee Caye, called the sand bores. These rise from the sea floor 30 to 40 feet and break the surface in many locations, the exposed bores used by sooty terns for nesting, and the depths between them home to barracuda and sting rays.
And sometimes there are unexpected treats; on our boat ride, we were accompanied by a duo of very curious, delighted and delightful dolphins, keeping just ahead of our bow as if leading the way before they headed off to play elsewhere.
Description:
Address: Kanantik Reef and Jungle Resort, Dangriga, Belize
Phone: 877-759-8834
Website: www.kanantik.com
Cost: None to Kanantik guests