Snorkeling in Placencia

Akeem the Dream! Great trip with Akeem (sp?). Snorkeling trip out to Laughing Bird. Dolphins on the way out then the... read moreGreat trip with Akeem (sp?). Snorkeling trip out to Laughing Bird. Dolphins on the way out then the beautiful reef around Laughing Bird. Paradise!. Akeem was a great guide and pointed out a lot of things we would not have seen and added interesting facts we would not have known. Truly a great day in Belize.
Thanks read less - 8/20/2021 

BOAT RIDE FROM HELL DO NOT BOOK HERE!!! Our lives were in danger. We got there and Conrad barely said two words to us,... read moreDO NOT BOOK HERE!!! Our lives were in danger. We got there and Conrad barely said two words to us, and then the guide Elon showed up in a tiny fiberglass boat. We should have just passed right then. We didn't have life jackets, and no helpful info about snorkeling tips or how to put on gear. We got in the boat and almost immediately out of the lagoon the boat was going super fast and slamming down hard over waves so much that I started crying and screaming. I kept saying "I don't want to do this" and "NO! I want to go back!" And he ignored it completely and kept going!!!

Captain 101 - if a guest is screaming and terrified and saying OH MY GOD each time their body is slammed to the water on a fiberglass boat that seems like it's about to Crack, YOU STOP! I almost passed out from the sheer terror I felt. I couldn't tell the man how absolutely angry and furious I was because my life was in his hands and we eventually would have to go back. Elon just wanted his money, and I honestly was just happy to be alive after an hour of this pain and terror.

So I did a half Snorkel after getting stung by a baby jelly (with no instruction other than what I could remember when I was 16 snorkeling in Key West) so I quickly told my husband to swim horizontally and do not touch the coral. No respect for the reef either as he kept disturbing their habitat and lifting out sea creatures to show us which I had no interest in. Elon's response when I said I think I was stung and I see jellyfish was "its not jellyfish season, no jellies out here." I decided to take charge of my safety and be done. I separated from them after he didn't seem to care I said I wanted to go back because my leg started burning.

At shore, two men working at Moho Caye found me a cup of vinegar to pour on my leg and agreed it was from the baby jellies I was seeing. After, Elon and my husband were found standing in a bed of seaweed and he didn't instruct him how to walk in his flippers so my husband felt stuck. He recently hurt his knee so he was not sure how to go forward and almost walked into red coral!! I had to guide him out and show him how to point his feet. Conrad his boss just took some money off since he eventually came to the Caye too. Again I didn't feel comfortable expressing my true feelings and putting my life in danger in a foreign country so I let my husband do the talking which they responded to better anyway.

The other boat guide from another company reassured us the way back would be smooth
now that the caps weren't so huge coming from the east. Not our own guide of course. Just
despicable. Horrendous and a nightmare. Didn't
even get to see the Turtles because the caye we
had to stop at to get off the ride from hell didn't
have them. Just a sad bleached reef and a few
fish. My back is bruised even two days later (picture included) from slamming so hard on the wood bar of their fiberglass boat and I have severe muscular and spinal pain. Shame on Conrad for not calling this off with the high wind and shame on Elon for not turning around when a woman is screaming and crying for dear life. Such a traumatic experience and waste of a day since I just wanted to see a sea turtle, not be tortured. Should have known when our resort said they had never heard of them.. Take your money elsewhere. DO NOT BOOK HERE! read less - 8/10/2021 

Fishing and snorkeling! Jamie and Orlando picked us up from our dock and we rode to beautiful Laughing Bird Caye. On the way... read moreJamie and Orlando picked us up from our dock and we rode to beautiful Laughing Bird Caye. On the way we fished and caught several Mackrel. Once we arrived at Laughing Bird we explored some and enjoyed watching the pelicans fly in close and dive for fish. The guides prepared a delicious lunch of fish, barbecued chicken, potatoes and slaw. After lunch we went for a guided snorkel. The fish weren’t real plentiful but the different kinds of corals were beautiful and we saw some lobsters, starfish, a stingray, urchins, and such. The boat ride was a little rough (waters choppy) and I would have enjoyed more time snorkeling and perhaps just to snorkel on our own ( maybe since it is a National Park only guided snorkeling is allowed?) But, overall we had a great day — Orlando and Jamie were so friendly and great guides! read less - 8/04/2021 

Great time with the ‘dream team’ Our family of four (adult kids 22 & 19yo) had such a fun time with Akeem and Orlando. We went... read moreOur family of four (adult kids 22 & 19yo) had such a fun time with Akeem and Orlando. We went fishing first and caught 9 mackerel! All four of us had luck and it was no doubt because Orlando knows what he is doing when it comes to finding the right spots to drop a line. Akeem is an awesome boat driver. The two of them together are the dream team!

After fishing we stopped at Moho Caye where they cleaned and cooked our fish for an amazing lunch.

After lunch we went snorkeling and although the waters weren’t flush with fish, Orlando was in the water with us and pointed out all kinds of things we wouldn’t have seen otherwise.

The whole day was great. Lots of laughs and genuine good times. read less - 7/01/2021 

Best Tour Guides!! We set out to try to snorkel with whale sharks, but sadly a couple people in our group didn't do... read moreWe set out to try to snorkel with whale sharks, but sadly a couple people in our group didn't do well on the boat by the time we got to the whale shark spot, so we had to change our plans. Our captain (Garreth) and guides (Mervin and Kieren [sp?]) couldn't be more understanding and accommodating! Despite missing the opportunity to swim with whale sharks, we still had an AMAZING time! Our group got to swim with turtles, sting rays, nurse sharks and tropical fish. A pod of dolphins even swam around our boat for a while. We enjoyed a delicious lunch on Silk Caye and beverages at the resort on Ray Caye. All in all, a wonderful day we will never forget! read less - 5/02/2021 

Snorkel tour The guys at Placencia Wildside Adventures are outstanding and professional. They put you at ease and are top notch. We... read moreThe guys at Placencia Wildside Adventures are outstanding and professional. They put you at ease and are top notch. We had quite a group with very different experience levels and they made sure everyone was comfortable. They were also willing to adjust our plans on the fly. When I go back, I'm booking more excursions with them. Gareth can also take you to chase permit and snorkel when the bite is off. Just book with these guys and you won't regret it. read less - 5/02/2021 

Great day at sea We went out on a combo trip with a little fishing, shore lunch, and snorkeling with Captain Kenroy. Everything was... read moreWe went out on a combo trip with a little fishing, shore lunch, and snorkeling with Captain Kenroy. Everything was great. Lunch was barbecued fish, chicken, pasta salad, green salad, watermelon, chips and salsa and drinks. We saw lots of fish and Kenroy was a wealth of local historical knowledge about the reef and Cayes. Right now is a great time to take a trip. We never had another boat within miles of us all day. We will definitely be back to take more trips with these guys in the future. read less - 2/26/2021 

The snorkeling trip you're looking for We could not have hoped for a better experience! Orlando and Jamie were incredible guides that brought us to... read moreWe could not have hoped for a better experience! Orlando and Jamie were incredible guides that brought us to the best snorkeling spots of our entire trip. Swimming with sea turtles, Nurse sharks, and rays was a bucket list adventure we will never forget! We had a blast and would highly recommend Placencia Wildside Adventures. read less - 12/29/2020 

Great place, we will surely visit again, welcoming local people, great restaurants, plenty of fun and things to do. - 2/02/2020 

Snorkeling We had a fabulous day snorkeling with the crew of Wildside Adventures... we set it up prior to our arrival... read moreWe had a fabulous day snorkeling with the crew of Wildside Adventures... we set it up prior to our arrival in Belize. Conrad was very responsive and scheduling was very easy... In Belize we were picked up at the beach in front our lodging... and they tailored the day to our needs... spent all day snorkeling and it was fantastic to have a guide in the water with us showing us the plants and sea life.... followed by wonderful home cooked meal on a beach. The advantage of a private snorkeling trip is that it was tailored to our family of four... highly highly recommend. Would book again with them on our next trip! read less - 1/12/2020 

Originally Belizean! Great guides! - 1/08/2020 

Akeem was super friendly and knew all sorts of great facts about the area and the animals. He took... read moreAkeem was super friendly and knew all sorts of great facts about the area and the animals. He took us on a private snorkeling tour to Gladden Spit/Silk Caye. I had some anxiety/panic about snorkeling, and he was very patient and helpful and checked on me. I was grateful for that. Akeem dove down and retrieved some ocean critters for us to observe and hold, like a conch and a sea urchin. He made us a delicious, fresh lunch of stewed chicken, herbed potatoes, fresh watermelon and salad. We don’t drink, so he brought a variety of sodas and waters for us. Then we went to a different location and swam with nurse sharks, rays, and sea turtles! We had a nice chat on the way back and learned a lot about life in Belize! read less - 1/02/2020 

We enjoyed a great trip with these guys. I was new to snorkeling but was given extra tlc until... read moreWe enjoyed a great trip with these guys. I was new to snorkeling but was given extra tlc until I could go independently. Views of underwater, awesome. Caught lunch, cooked on island- best! Would use again. read less - 1/01/2020 

Snorkeling An absolutely incredible day with Von and Jamie! We cannot say enough about Conrad and his team! Appreciated... read moreAn absolutely incredible day with Von and Jamie! We cannot say enough about Conrad and his team! Appreciated the communication prior to arrival.

Family of 5 with kids ages 18, 16 and 11 loved every second. Snorkeled at laughing bird caye, had a wonderful lunch including a fresh crab caught on way by our awesome captain Jamie in 10 minutes after jumping in water! We then chose to check out a pirate themed island which was a little cruise ish but fun for a few hours and we’re able to enjoy the kayaks and ocean swings and see a pool with nurse sharks! Great place to take young kids and to spend a few hours chilling out! Grateful to have found this awesome excursion! Worth every penny!!!!!! read less - 12/29/2019 

Fishing/ Snorkeling I set everything up with Conrad. It was raining on the morning of our trip and Conrad text me early... read moreI set everything up with Conrad. It was raining on the morning of our trip and Conrad text me early to see what I would like to do. We decided to wait a couple hours and see how the weather was. It cleared up a bit so we went ahead with the trip. TuLu was our guide and he was so amazing! I was comfortable through the entire day. Conrad and his crew are VERY Accommodating and if we come back again we will definitely be booking tours with them. read less - 12/06/2019 

Monkey River Tour I enjoyed this tour, although if you are expecting a commercial tour, this is not for you. This was... read moreI enjoyed this tour, although if you are expecting a commercial tour, this is not for you. This was rugged, and definitely adventuresome. The boat picked us up, it took 5-6 hours. We went across water to a river, and picked up another guide. We toured a river, saw wildlife, and florals which were pointed out and described in depth. The stop where we walked a couple of miles around the jungle behind a man with a machete was just what we wanted and needed, but if you are not prepared for that, it could have been unnerving. We found our guide Raymond to be extremely knowledgable, and entertaining. We were warned to wear lots of bug spray and they are not kidding! The trip back and lunch at a restaurant on shore was delightful! Recommend this tour but know ahead of time what you are getting yourself into! read less - 11/26/2019 

My friends and I did a tour several weeks ago and it was absolutely amazing. Will contact them for future... read moreMy friends and I did a tour several weeks ago and it was absolutely amazing. Will contact them for future adventures without a doubt. Coming to pick our group up at our Airbnb rental was also a nice added bonus. read less - 9/21/2019 

Incredible experience I had so much fun on this tour. The guides are hands down the best. Really accommodating to the group... read moreI had so much fun on this tour. The guides are hands down the best. Really accommodating to the group if they are having trouble. For example, my dad wanted to snorkel, but had a hard time swimming so one of the guides carried him the whole way and still pointed out coral, fishes, and other aquatic life to other members of the group. Additionally they were all really fun and made great conversation. I highly recommend read less - 7/28/2019 

We had the best time snorkeling with Placencia Wildside Adventures! Our boat captain and snorkel guide made us feel safe... read moreWe had the best time snorkeling with Placencia Wildside Adventures! Our boat captain and snorkel guide made us feel safe even when the waters were rough. We saw sea turtles, Ray's, nurse sharks, and all different beautiful fish at Silk Caye. The water was clear and beautiful; like swimming in an exotic fish tank! Would recommend 100% read less - 7/04/2019 

Snorkeling at Silk Cayes On June 14th we had a private snorkeling charter for our family of four with Placencia Wildside Adventures. The... read moreOn June 14th we had a private snorkeling charter for our family of four with Placencia Wildside Adventures. The water was a bit rough due to the weather and the crew gave us the choice of going on a shorter trip. After a short ride on the water we decided to go on the longer trip. The crew did everything to make the boat ride smooth and safe. They were very helpful with our snorkeling and pointed out many fish and coral. We had a great lunch at the Silk Cayes that they provided. The lunch was traditional Belizean fare. After lunch we went slightly farther out to snorkel with the sharks. The crew knew exactly where to take us to snorkel with sharks and we were able to see several small and large sharks. It was not at all scary. I would highly recommend this company for tours. The crew was great, friendly, knowledgeable about the area and helpful with the snorkeling. read less - 6/25/2019 

Unforgettable adventure Junior was our captain and Toolou was our guide. These guys were incredible! They were very knowledgeable and gave us... read moreJunior was our captain and Toolou was our guide. These guys were incredible! They were very knowledgeable and gave us a great time on the water. The ride out the the reef was smooth thanks to junior. Toolou was easygoing and entertaining. While Toolou took us out and had a beautiful and informative snorkel trip on the reef, junior had lunch waiting for us when we returned. Hands down, it was the best meal I had in Belize. Laughing bird key was worth every mile traveled to get there. Wild side is the only charter experience for snorkeling and fishing I will consider next time I go! Thanks wildside for an unforgettable experience. read less - 6/07/2019 

Private charter for fishing and snorkeling at Silk Keys Amazing experience having a personal charter for our family of 4. We spent 8 hours on the boat and... read moreAmazing experience having a personal charter for our family of 4. We spent 8 hours on the boat and experienced fishing, snorkeling at Silk Keys, an amazing provided lunch and swimming with the nurse sharks. They even filleted our caught fish so that we could take it with to prepare later. Our guides Tulu and Junior were amazing...especially taking a lot of time with our kids (9 and 5 years old) to help them learn how to snorkel and become comfortable in the water. Without Tulu's attention to their fears, they would never have overcome them and had an amazing experience snorkeling with the nurse sharks. It will be a memory they have forever! Highly recommend this company! read less - 6/03/2019 

Best. Day. Ever. Best day ever! This was repeated many times by my boys (ages 6&7) after our day with Placencia Wildside... read moreBest day ever! This was repeated many times by my boys (ages 6&7) after our day with Placencia Wildside Adventures! Our captain, Junior, and snorkel guide, Tulu were amazing. We arrived a few minutes before schedule and they were already ready to go. We headed out for our hour boat ride to Silks Caye. Tulu and junior pointed out so many things and even stopped once to watch some dolphins play. We were the first boat to arrive at Silks Caye and we had the whole place to ourselves! Tulu was in the water with us the whole time, pointing out all of the coral and fish. He was so patient and accommodating with our kiddos for their first time snorkeling. They were fascinated by all the creatures he was pointing out (christmas tree worms, sea urchin, fish and coral) After our snorkel, Junior had our lunch prepped and waiting for us. The food was delicious! We really had the chance to see all the other excursions that were there. The personal attention that we received by our private group was head and shoulders above what I observed...in my opinion! Next up was turtle alley. Upon arriving, we only had to wait a few minutes before we were surrounded by nurse sharks, eagle rays and sting rays. It’s was absolutely amazing! My kids had the time of their lives and claimed this the best day ever. On the ride home, we even stopped at a private resort island for some shade and tropical beverages! It was a fantastic way to relax after all that swimming! Wildside Adventure...you did an outstanding job today! Big thanks to Tulu and Junior! read less - 3/19/2019