Swallow Caye Wildlife Sanctuary

Captain Chocolate is a local legend in the trade; he was the first guide to take people on trips to a nearby caye to see manatees, and was instrumental in the creation of this sanctuary in July 2002. The protected area is comprised of approximately 7,500 acres of sea and mangrove around the Northern Drowned Cayes and Swallow Caye, just a few miles east of Belize City.

The sanctuary is co-managed by Friends of Swallow Caye and the Government of Belize’s Department of Natural Resources. The numerous manatees who live here now enjoy limited motorboat and anchor traffic—now they need only put up with curious, photo-taking tourists, and they sometimes swim right up to your boat to “pose.”