If you’re travelling to Caye Caulker, swimming with floating sea potatoes, otherwise known as manatees, has to be on your list of things to do.
Swimming with manatees is one of the most incredible experiences you can have in Caye Caulker. These peaceful marine mammals, also referred to as sea cows due to their chunky appeareance and herbivore diet, can be found in the warm, shallow waters around the island of Caye Caulker.
Caye Caulker tour operators offer a responsible and eco-friendly way to interact with these endangered creatures, and see them in the wild, just going about their day.
Although never 100% guaranteed (they are wild animals afterall), your chances of seeing a manatee, and being able to observe it in it’s natural habitat, in Caye Caulker are very high. It’s a rare and special opportunity that shouldn’t be missed.
The Manatees in Caye Caulker
The manatees found in Caye Caulker are West Indian Manatees (Trichechus manatus), specifically the Antillean subspecies.
The population in Belize is quite large, estimated to be between 700 and 1,000, however this number has been declining due to threats such as habitat loss, poaching, and boat strikes.
These gentle giants are known for their…
- Large, round, potato shaped bodies, reaching sizes of up to 13 feet in length and weighing 1,300 pounds.
- Gray, wrinkled skin with tiny hair-like whiskers.
- Large paddle-shaped tails that help them glide effortlessly.
- Slow-moving nature. They can swim at about 5 mph when they feel like it.
- Calm and Peaceful disposition. They’re very chilled, and when they’re not on the move they really like to just hang, and sort of float about. They spend most of their time eating, resting, and floating gently to the surfacing for air every few minutes. Sounds like the ideal life really.
- Curiosity & Playfulness. They like to nuzzle each other from time to time when together, and some manatees even like to interact with snorkelers (but don’t touch them!).
- Appetite! They consume upto 9% of their bosy weight in food every day, feeding on seagrass and aquatic plants.
Eco-Tourism & Responsible Manatee Encounters
Despite the relative abundance of manatees in Belize, they are an endangered species, facing existential threat as a result of rapidly increasing coastal development.
Human-related manatee deaths are on the rise. Previously this was largely due to poaching, however poaching has now been replaced by boat kills and destruction of habitat as the leading causes of human-related manatee deaths.
The Belize government has taken steps to safeguard manatees and help ensure their long-term survival, with conservation efforts including:
- Establishing sanctuaries. The Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary, near Caye Caulker, is a protected manatee habitat where these beautiful creatures thrive. This eco-friendly reserve ensures that human interaction is low-impact and respectful.
- Introducing Speed Reduction and No-Wake Zones in the waters off Belize City.
- Decreasing Poaching. Research and awareness efforts have decreased poaching incidents in the country, and in 2010, for the first time ever, someone was prosecuted for killing a manatee in Belize.
So given the clear human impact on manatees is it ethical to swim with them?
The answer is yes, as long as you act responsibly and choose the right tour operator. Tour operators in Belize, and Caye Caulker, follow strict eco-friendly guidelines to prevent stress or harm, and as long as you do the same as a tourist, then the eco-tourism actually helps.
It supports local communities, providing them with an alternative and more eco-friendly source of income, as opposed to ones more harmful to manatees, such as certain fishing practices for example, whereby the manatees are more prone to being hit by boats or caught in nets. It also helps to educate people on marine conservation, both tourists and locals.
Not least of all, I challenge anyone to swim with a manatee and then come away from the experience not caring a little bit more about marine life!
How to Swim with Manatees in an Eco-Friendly Way
- No Touching, manatees are wild animals, touching them can disrupt their natural behavior.
- Be like the manatee. Be calm. Lots of splashing and shouting can scare away these, ultimately, quite shy creatures, driving them from their natural feeding and mating spots.
- Keep a Safe Distance. At least 10 feet away to avoid disturbing them.
- Use Reef-Safe Sunscreen, to avoid polluting the water and protect their habitat from harmful chemicals.
- Listen to Your Guide. They know what’s best, for both you and the manatee. Follow their instructions for a responsible experience.
How to Book a Manatee Snorkeling Tour
Several tour operators on Caye Caulker offer half-day and full-day excursions to Swallow Caye and other manatee hotspots.
The best time to see the manatees is during the dry season from November to April. This time of year the waters are calmer and visibility is better. This is also high season for tourism though, the rainy season still offers the chance to see manatees with fewer tourists around, but the waters will be murkier.
Top Manatee Tour Operators in Caye Caulker
Raggamuffin Tours – Full-day trips with snorkeling & marine conservation focus.
Anda de Wata Tours – Personalized, small-group tours to Swallow Caye.
Salt Life Eco Tours – Sustainable tourism company with expert local guides.
Caveman Snorkeling Tours – One of the best for responsible marine encounters.
Tour Pricing
Half-Day Tour – $60–$90 USD (includes snorkeling gear, guide, and park fees).
Full-Day Tour – $100–$150 USD (includes multiple snorkeling spots, lunch, and drinks).
Private Tour – Available for a more intimate experience (~$200+ per person).
Top Tips for Booking a Tour
- When visiting different tour operators they all give the exact same spiel, that all other tour operators leave at 10am but they leave at 9am, beating the crowd and getting to the manatees first. This is obviously not true, they all leave at 9am. There will likely be several other boats at the manatee spot when you arrive. If you really want to get there first I would recommend a private tour and leaving by 8:30 latest.
- Make sure to check whether photos and videos are included, some tour operators provide them, some provide them at a premium, and some don’t at all!
- Also double check that the operator is using certified Eco-Tour Guides.