Snorkeling from beach bets place?

Looking for a place to relax and snorkel while in Grand Cayman. How is the Marriott or Royal Palms? How about Tiki Beach? Thanks for any info

The snorkelling is mediocre anywhere along Seven Mile Beach.

Your best shore snorkelling is going to be at Eden Rock, just to the right of the port area in town.

For more info on beaches, read the second post in this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2299895

I second that reply!

What you won't have is beach, but it is a good trade off for the fish that you will see.

Get off the ship, walk straight through the terminal and when you hit the street (S. Church Street), turn right. Walk around the curve, past the Paradise Restaurant and on to Eden Rock Diving Center. They have lockers and rentals if you don't have your own equipment. Essentially, once you are in the water head toward the ship. The reef is several yards offshore and is pretty massive. You will know you have gone to far when you see the drop off at the wall.

We have snorkeled Cemetery Beach and Eden Rock. ER is the better of the two. When and if we have another stop on Grand Cayman we will go past Eden Rock to Smith Cove. I have seen good reviews and pictures online. To be honest, the best snorkeling that we have had was in Belize or Roatan.

I second what the others have said... Cemetery Beach and Eden Rock.

Look into Smith Cove. It is at the end of the Seven Mile Beach.

Somebeech - Would you recommend Smith Cove for a nice beach day as well? (Over other parts of 7 mile beach) We will be traveling with a toddler so the most important thing for her is shade and sand. An added bonus would be snorkeling for DH. Cemetery Beach has that but too remote with a toddler with no facilities and definitely no beach at Eden Rock.

Somebeech - Would you recommend Smith Cove for a nice beach day as well? (Over other parts of 7 mile beach) We will be traveling with a toddler so the most important thing for her is shade and sand. An added bonus would be snorkeling for DH. Cemetery Beach has that but too remote with a toddler with no facilities and definitely no beach at Eden Rock.

From video I have seen it is a smaller beach with no facilities.

Somebeech - Would you recommend Smith Cove for a nice beach day as well? (Over other parts of 7 mile beach) We will be traveling with a toddler so the most important thing for her is shade and sand. An added bonus would be snorkeling for DH. Cemetery Beach has that but too remote with a toddler with no facilities and definitely no beach at Eden Rock.

Smith's Cove is amazing! It's a small but beautiful beach. There are plenty of trees for shade as well as good beach playing areas. There ** are ** bathrooms there. The snorkeling is very good. Just a short ways from the beach there are some small rock formations with plenty of fish there. It was our favorite beach on the island after trying many many others (eight day trip there this summer).

Having said that, we also loved Rum Point. It is much farther and very popular. But we found good snorkeling there, shade, tables, chairs, gift shop, snake shop, dakari shop... overall lots to do. But very busy on cruise port days.

I agree about the positives of Smith's Cove. It's not on Seven Mile Beach, though. It's to the right from the docks, whereas SMB is to the left. It's about a 20 or so minute walk, maybe longer---can't remember, not always with sidewalks, so you may want to take a taxi if you're going with a toddler.

Thanks all! I think we may try to check out Smiths Cove for a bit after a trip to the Turtle Farm.

Jaga- are you sure you are referring to Smiths Cove? They both look like they are left of the port area when I've looked at google maps.

 

Jaga- are you sure you are referring to Smiths Cove? They both look like they are left of the port area when I've looked at google maps.

I'm very sure that there is a Smith's Cove, more recently called Smith's Barcadere, that is to the right. I've been there 4 or 5 times and it fits the description by JillL. Near the Grand Old House restaurant. I just looked at a map to see what you may be looking at, or if there's also a Smith's Cove somewhere else on the island, but can't figure it out. On the map you're looking at, are there other things near Smith's Cove?

Thanks all! I think we may try to check out Smiths Cove for a bit after a trip to the Turtle Farm.

 

 

 

Jaga- are you sure you are referring to Smiths Cove? They both look like they are left of the port area when I've looked at google maps.

Smith's Cove is definitely to the right of the main port area downtown. (Make sure you're looking for the main port on google maps, not the bad weather alternate port area in Spotts.). Smith's is NOT part of Seven Mile Beach. It is also not near or convenient to the Turtle Farm.

Sunset House is about 3/4 mile .... Smith's about 1.5 .....

Seven Mile Beach ends north of the tender landing areas

the shore south of the tender landing are up to Smith's is "iron shore" ... the coral runs right up and forms the dry land. Smith's is pretty much the first "sand beach" you find, south of the tender area.

{Iron Shore at Sunset ... it was becoming a blustery day ...}

At Smith's there are a couple of picnic tables and a small simple (public access) bathroom with a shower (last time I checked) ... no vendors, no bar, no food ....... (unless a local decides to set up shop tempor' or the ice cream guy comes by.) But a nice lil beach many folks staying at Sunset House will walk down to .....

The snorkelling is mediocre anywhere along Seven Mile Beach.

Your best shore snorkelling is going to be at Eden Rock, just to the right of the port area in town.For more info on beaches, read the second post in this thread:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=2299895

Not a beach but probably the best snorkeling from shore.

The Paradise Restaurant/Bar is there as well. :D

No one has mentioned cemetery beach. The beach is very isolated but cemetary reef is a short swim out and is amazing. We took a cab and arranged for the driver to pick us up but there is a bus stop right there if you're so inclined. Lots of shade but absolutely no facilities.

No one has mentioned cemetery beach. The beach is very isolated but cemetary reef is a short swim out and is amazing. We took a cab and arranged for the driver to pick us up but there is a bus stop right there if you're so inclined. Lots of shade but absolutely no facilities.

Cemetary Reef is still what my DH would deem "mediocre" snorkelling...okay, but nowhere near the best the island has to offer.

Thanks all for the additional info on Smiths Cove. I am not sure what I was looking at before but this help!