Sunny Side Tours
Sunny Side Tours
5
Scuba & SnorkellingBoat ToursEco ToursPrivate ToursDay Trips
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Full view
About
Sunny Side Tours offers adventurous travelers an opportunity to experience the natural and cultural wonders of Belize. We specialize in small customized marine adventures and can arrange any tour you may want to undertake on your vacation in Southern Belize. We offer full PADI scuba certifications up to Dive Master, discover scuba diving, reef diving and snorkeling, fishing and more.
Placencia, Belize
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Suggest edits to improve what we show.
Improve this listingSimilar Experiences
Travellers talk about
Contribute
Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.
Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as waiting time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.
Popular mentions
We perform checks on reviews.
Tripadvisor’s approach to reviews
Before posting, each Tripadvisor review goes through an automated tracking system, which collects information, answering the following questions: how, what, where and when. If the system detects something that potentially contradicts our community guidelines, the review is not published.
When the system detects a problem, a review may be automatically rejected, sent to the reviewer for validation, or manually reviewed by our team of content specialists, who work 24/7 to maintain the quality of the reviews on our site.
Our team checks each review posted on the site disputed by our community as not meeting our community guidelines.
Learn more about our review moderation.
5.0
136 reviews
Excellent
130
Very good
5
Average
0
Poor
0
Terrible
1
David m
3 contributions
Jan 2020
My wife and I went snorkeling on January 9, 2020, with a C.E.L.A. group tour to Laughing Bird Caye. Our Sunny Side guide for the day was Mo and she and her crew provided an absolutely wonderful experience. Mo led 7 of us through the coral reefs pointing out one wonderful thing after another: Queen conch, coral squid, barracuda and ray, as well as other beautiful plants and fish. After the snorkeling, they provided towels and a great, freshly cooked lunch. This caye had bathrooms, covered picnic area and even chaise lounges. On the return ride, we stopped to see manatees, one of which surfaced right next to the boat. Mo also gave us an impromptu lesson in Creole. We recommend Sunny Side to anyone looking for a memorable experience.
Written 17 January 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
SabraNY
New York City, NY8 contributions
May 2023 • Friends
Our group a wonderful day snorkeling at Laughing Bird Caye. Mo was an amazing snorkeling guide who found fish hiding in coral nooks we never would have seen. Also brought up a donkey dung sea cucumber for us to handle (very leathery). Orie and Hakeem were also very helpful and barbecued a great lunch. Mo had great stories about the area and we watched gulls landing on the heads of pelicans trying to steal their catches. Their masks and other equipment were high quality.
Written 14 May 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Marcie
1 contribution
Jan 2023
Our family group of 7 went snorkeling on 2 different days with snorkeling guide Mo and Captain Hakeem. Both are excellent at their jobs which made our days with them an unforgettable experience. Our second day out we went to the Silk Cayes. The day began with snorkeling around the south key watching the fish in the coral. After lunch (delicous) we went farther out from the island where we were able to see larger sea life, that I never thought I'd see snorkeling. There were sea turtles, sharks, stingrays and even a spotted eagle ray.
In addition to being a great guide who makes you feel safe and well cared for, Mo shared historical, ecological and cultural information about Belize, and the Cayes. which added to the experience. If I could I'd give Sunny Side Tours six stars.
In addition to being a great guide who makes you feel safe and well cared for, Mo shared historical, ecological and cultural information about Belize, and the Cayes. which added to the experience. If I could I'd give Sunny Side Tours six stars.
Written 13 January 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Frances Mannix
5 contributions
Feb 2021 • Family
I am 12 years old and I would have never gone near the coral and animals I saw with them today and yesterday, let alone go in the water. Mo made me feel comfortable the entire time and was always checking on me to make sure I was okay. The boat ride was really fun and we went to see a lot of cool things. Lenox was a great driver and really funny, and helped make the tour as amazing as it was. Thank you!
Written 18 February 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Shirley C
1 contribution
Mar 2022
I see Sunny Side Tours , does not need my endorsement, as I see they have 5 stars rating, but I would feel my holiday is complete with writing this review.
I went on this trip with my son, who is a man with Downs Syndrome and after a few minutes in the water, Mo, our tour guide in the water, had my full confidence to manage the situation. Not only did she help my son, she also assisted me, a reluctant swimmer.
Mo, certainly made my holiday a tremendous success as the snorkeling was the high-light of the trip.
Her knowledge of the marine life is incredible.
Thanks Mo.
Shirley C
I went on this trip with my son, who is a man with Downs Syndrome and after a few minutes in the water, Mo, our tour guide in the water, had my full confidence to manage the situation. Not only did she help my son, she also assisted me, a reluctant swimmer.
Mo, certainly made my holiday a tremendous success as the snorkeling was the high-light of the trip.
Her knowledge of the marine life is incredible.
Thanks Mo.
Shirley C
Written 24 April 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Brian T
Portland, Oregon3 contributions
Jun 2021 • Family
We booked a private half-day snorkeling trip with Sunny Side, and it was amazing. Mo and Lennox picked us up right at our private dock at the house we were renting, and took us to Laughing Bird Caye. Mo dropped a ton of knowledge on us about all the islands we passed on the way, and answered all of our questions. The turquoise water surrounding Laughing Bird Caye is even more beautiful than in the pictures, and the snorkeling is outstanding. Mo was our guide, and she did a great job of accommodating all the different skill levels in our group. She made sure to stop and point out all the marine life we passed (crabs, lobsters, a million kinds of fish) and she even picked up a sea cucumber and let my daughter hold it. After snorkeling, they had snacks and water for us, and we got to hear more interesting facts about Belize and life here. Then another smooth boat ride back to our dock. It was four great hours and worth every Penny. And Martin answered every question we had and was super responsive as we worked to get everything booked. If you are looking for a great snorkeling experience, or any excursion for that matter, do yourself a favor and go with Sunny Side. You will be glad you did.
Written 29 June 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Mary Jo C
Colorado Springs, CO3 contributions
Jan 2024 • Couples
We had not booked any snorkeling tour in advance, but Mo & Louis had a cancelation and took us on a Private Tour to Silk Caye & Ray Caye. It was a windy, bumpy ride to Silk Caye, but they helped us sit on the correct side of the boat to lessen the impact of the waves. We were provided wetsuits which helped tremendously given the cloudy day and cooler conditions. Mo helped us navigate around the island, pointing out lots of marine life & keeping us away from the coral. Her knowledge of the reef and efforts to preserve this phenomenal place was vast.
Louis prepared a wonderful hot lunch of scalloped potatoes, chicken, rice & fruit. We were getting colder in the breeze on the island, so went to Ray Caye where we were able to relax have a warm drink and get out of our wetsuits. We probably should have kept them on, as the ride back to Placencia took us through a rainstorm & our only protection was seat cushions folded up on us. Imagine riding a motorcycle through a hurricane, without a helmet. Some back-up ponchos would have helped preserve our body heat. I get cold easily and full Raynaud's kicked in as my core temp dropped and my hands were white, blue and prune-ish. Not a fun way to end the day, but we survived a crazy adventure.
Louis prepared a wonderful hot lunch of scalloped potatoes, chicken, rice & fruit. We were getting colder in the breeze on the island, so went to Ray Caye where we were able to relax have a warm drink and get out of our wetsuits. We probably should have kept them on, as the ride back to Placencia took us through a rainstorm & our only protection was seat cushions folded up on us. Imagine riding a motorcycle through a hurricane, without a helmet. Some back-up ponchos would have helped preserve our body heat. I get cold easily and full Raynaud's kicked in as my core temp dropped and my hands were white, blue and prune-ish. Not a fun way to end the day, but we survived a crazy adventure.
Written 8 January 2024
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Melanie S
3 contributions
Feb 2020
Six of us went snorkeling and scuba diving for the day at Laughing Bird Caye with four amazing guides. The crew was. thought and accommodating to our different levels of scuba and snorkeling experience. It was an unforgettable experience made even better by the personal touch of the crew. I definitely would recommend Sunny Side Tours.
Written 3 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Hi Melanie,
It was our pleasure meeting you all. We are glad to hear you enjoyed your experience with us. We would be happy to see you all again in the near future. Thanks you so much for choosing Sunny Side Tours!!
Written 4 February 2020
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Michele E
1 contribution
Nov 2023 • Friends
We had a group of nine and we all loved it! The weather was very uncooperative; it rained all day every day of our week in Belize - except one day when the rain let up for a few hours. Our trip had been postponed once and we were warned about the conditions on the second attempt but requested to go anyway. It was windy and choppy but the captain did a great job of handling the waves and we made it to Laughing Bird Caye feeling very adventurous. Mo and the guys were extremely informative and helpful. We had some newbies to snorkeling but it was no problem. We saw big lobsters, a five-foot stingray, sea cucumbers, a small shark, lots of colorful fish and coral, big hermit crabs, and many birds. Lunch was much better than we expected. Basically, it was a fabulous experience - 11 out of 10. We will call on Sunny Side again next year.
Written 10 November 2023
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Alanna H
Guelph, Canada15 contributions
Feb 2020
We thoroughly enjoyed our snorkelling trip with Sunny Side. The guides were very attentive and showed us a lot while we were in the water. The BBQ lunch was out of this world. The timing and amount of snorkelling vs. beach time vs. lunch time was perfect. The water was significantly choppy the day we went so we went to Laughing Bird Caye instead of Silk Caye. The captain of the boat was amazing and gave us one wild fast ride through the waves! We were lucky to see some dolphins on the boat ride back. Highly recommend the full day snorkel tour!
Written 22 February 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
Does anyone know how to get a hold of Sunny Side Tours? I’ve tried the online form and email several times but can’t get a response. I think it’s probably a technology problem. Are they still in business?
Written 16 July 2022
Hello
We are a group of 6 Canadians who will be visiting Placencia soon and looking for activities to do. We will be PADI certified in Caye Caulker before coming to Placencia so we may or may not be looking for more scuba diving. We will certainly be looking for snorkeling and any other activities you could recommend.
Do you have price list you can send to us?
Thank you
Written 5 November 2015
Email them directly. They will get back to you pretty fast and help you book your space on the boat.
Written 5 November 2015
I'm traveling here end of Nov. 2015 with a friend who is not certified to dive. Do you provide one of those quicky half day instructions so she can dive?
Written 24 October 2015
Hi, we can certainly accommodate that program for non certified divers. This program is called discover scuba diving and is a three part experience which includes instructions using a flip chart, shallow water skill practice and an actual dive to a maximum depth of 40feet on the reef. Thanks for inquiring with us.
Regards,
Warren Garbutt
Written 26 October 2015
we are medium experienced snorkelers and are planning an April trip to Placencia and want to take a whale shark tour. Do you have any dos and don'ts to share besides urging us to use Sunny Side? thanks much. we've been to placencia before and went out to one of the cayes and had a good snorkel experience but seeing a whale shark would be awesome
thanks
Written 1 September 2015
Hi Maryann, sorry for the really late response. The whale shark season has become really unpredictable and seems to be better during the months of May and June. While we will be going out in April, I would suggest doing so at least three days after the full moon to around the last quarter. April is also quite busy in Placencia and booking a space on the whale shark tour should be done at least a few months in advance. While some snorkeling experience is required, the groups are controlled at not more than 12 guest on each boat with the boat in close proximity to the snorkeling area. All activities in the whale shark zone are led by experienced and licensed whale shark tour guides.
Thanks and feel to contact us for any further details on the whale shark tour or any other tour while in Placencia.
Best,
Warren
Written 14 September 2015
What kind of tours are the best in Placencia? We will have a car.
Written 20 December 2014
We are coming to Belize the first week of February. We would like to take a snorkeling tour or go on a jungle tour. Any ideas?
Written 20 December 2014
Hi, I am so sorry for such a late response. This inquiry somehow slipped by me.
Great that you are coming to Placencia and I'm sure you will have a great time here.
My favorite snorkeling tour out of Placencia is the Silk Caye snorkel. This island is right on the main reef and offers excellent reefs and a beautiful white sandy beach. There is an added attraction where snorkelers gets the opportunity to swim with stingrays, nurse sharks and sea turtles.
For jungle there are two areas. The Monkey River and the Cockscomb jaguar preserve. You do get to see a lot more wildlife on the Monkey River and some prestige jungle as well. On the cockscomb tour the jungle is great but not as much wildlife.
I hope this is of some assistance to you and hope you make it to Placencia and have a unforgettable vacation here.
Best,
Warren Garbutt
Owner
Sunny Side Tours
Placencia, Belize
Written 13 January 2015
Showing results 1-6 of 6
*Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.