San Pedro, Ambergris Caye, Belize

Hol Chan Marine Reserve

Hol Chan, Mayan for 'little channel', is a narrow cut through the Belize Barrier Reef just south of Ambergris Caye, declared Belize's first marine protected area in 1987. The dive is centred on the channel itself, roughly 10 to 12 metres deep, with steep walls of coral on both sides. Strong tidal currents through the cut concentrate fish life into a dense, constantly moving cloud. The site holds one of the highest fish biomass concentrations documented on the barrier reef. Resident schools of permits, big mutton and dog snappers, black grouper, schoolmasters, large midnight parrotfish, French and queen angelfish, and swarms of grunts hover in the channel. Green moray eels, spotted morays, lobsters and king crabs hide in the wall crevices. Hawksbill and green turtles are common, and the resident Goliath grouper has been a fixture for years. Currents range from mild to strong depending on tide. The shallow average depth makes it accessible to open water divers; long bottom times and excellent macro and wide-angle photography opportunities.