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Most of these shops sell similar packages. In fact, during slow times of the year, different companies will combine their groups to fill a boat. For about $80 to $90 Belize ($40 and $45 U.S.), travelers get a full day of snorkeling to Hol Chan Marine Reserve, Shark & Ray Alley, and Coral Gardens. The trip comes with lunch, snacks, water, and two guides.

In 1961, Hurricane Hattie created a deep well at "the split" between the Northeast point of the island and the mainland. Today, boats coast through the inlet that connects the 20-mile Bay between the island and Belize City to the Carribbean Sea. Sunbathers lounging on the public beach at the split watch with jealousy as those returning from a day at the reef pass through.

We chose one of the better-known companies on the island, Raggamuffin Tours. The trip departed at 10 a.m. We set out with about 15 other travelers in a somewhat crowded sailboat, including other backpackers and an enthusiastic and incredibly kind family from Colorado, all wearing matching wetsuits.

We left shore under an already bright sun. The tiny ship, named Ragga Gal, sliced through the teal water, pushed by a light breeze. Our guide, Rafael, pointed out other cayes and geographic sights as we sailed past. About an hour in, he threw in an anchor and handed us our masks. We jumped into the water and inspected the endless coral fields lining the Coral Gardens park. Schools of small fish and barracuda swam past. The white, stone coral formed in tight, hilly piles. It lacked the vibrancy one would expect from a living reef. Perhaps bleaching due to global warming has harmed the animals.

After Coral Gardens, we stopped at Shark & Ray Alley. Our guide threw chum into the water and several sharks leapt to the surface and devoured the fish with a fast, sucking sound. The noise of the animals feeding gave them the name nurse sharks. "Jump in," he said. We all sat warily on the side of the boat, waiting for the first brave soul. One guy dove in, and once we all realized he wasn't going to be eaten, we joined him. The skittish sharks swam off as soon as people joined them in the water. The curious stingrays, however, swam all around us, their enormous fans undulating with the motion of the waves.

Next, we stopped in Hol Chan Marine Reserve, the hub of marine life of Caye Caulker's coast. We swam along the reef wall, spotting enormous barracudas, electric eels, and sea turtles. Unfortunately, several other groups had docked at the same time, and the waterway felt sort of like an underwater traffic jam of visitors. Perhaps the endless stream of visitors, of which I was one, only adds to the growing obstacles this delicate ecosystem faces.

At the end of the day, our guide pulled a conch out of the water, hacked its enormous shell, and pulled out the animal inside. He offered me a bite of its clear, tubular spine. It tasted like unflavored Jell-o. He chopped up the rest of the shellfish, added it to some vegetables, and we feasted on fresh conch salsa with rum punch as we headed back to shore.

Raggamuffin also offers sunset cruises for about $20 U.S. per person and three- to four-day tours to the famed diving site, the Blue Hole. Another option for visitors with extra time on their hands is a three-day, two-night trip to Placencia (the only site in the region with decent beaches). For about $250 including meals and gear, travelers visit the best snorkel site and stop to camp and snorkel along the way.

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