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Which ports listed offer amazing snorkeling??


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I know this is subjective!! I'm a serial snorkeler and to me, the best snorkeling has always been in Hawaii hands down! I know though that cruising has something for everyone so if going with others who aren't into it, it may be the next best thing. I've gone to Roatan, Belize, Nassau, and Grand Caymen. Did not live up to the experiences that I have regularly had in Hawaii.

 

Are these good, so so, or skip?

Half Moon Cay

St. Thomas

San Juan

Amber Cove

St. Thomas

Grand Turks

Bay Islands

Harvest Caye

Costa May

Cozumel

Tortola

St. Thomas

Great Stirrup Cay

Key West

Philipsburg

Basse Terre

Labadee

Montego Bay

Falmouth

Cap Cana

Barbados

St. Lucia

Saint Kitts

St. Maarten

Princess Cays

Mahogany Bay

Santo Tomas de Castilla

Castries

Bridgetown

Willemstad

Kralendijk

Bonaire

Oranjestad

Roseau

St. CroiX

Progreso

La Romana

Curacao

Aruba

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I've snorkeled a number of places:

Nassau, The Bahamas (three stops including the sharks)

Grand Turk-twice (both from shore-pier near Jack's shack - one cut short due to the coast guard)

St. John (from shore-Trunk Bay)

Cozumel (Carnival excursion - it was just south of the cruise port)

Grand Cayman (three stops including stingray city)

Aruba (from shore-Arashi Beach - but didn't count - was after a tropical storm - the water was murky)

 

Have not snorkeled Hawaii, so I cannot compare - but of those, Cozumel was the best - lots of different types of fish

though the best experience was St. John - Trunk Bay is a little slice of heaven.

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Have not snorkeled Hawaii, so I cannot compare - but of those, Cozumel was the best - lots of different types of fish

though the best experience was St. John - Trunk Bay is a little slice of heaven.

It's funny how one person's heaven can be another person's hell! To me, Trunk Bay = crowds, dead coral, and no large fish.

 

Bonaire should be at the top of your list, but what do I know... I think Roatan, Belize, and Grand Cayman should be up there too!

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Trunk Bay = crowds, dead coral, and no large fish.
I totally agree! And that was when I was there 20 years ago. Their 'snorkel trail' was a joke.

 

We were in Curacao and Bonaire Feb 2016 and experienced really good snorkeling, and only because I think the cruise ships were just starting to stop there regularly. Give it a few years and unfortunately it will be ruined like the rest of them. In general, IMO, I've found the snorkeling to be pretty lacking in any of the well-traveled ports. I don't even bring my gear anymore. (No offense to the newbies who think those swarms of black and yellow sergent majors is 'great snorkeling'. ;p)

 

I agree - its hard to match anything to Hawaii - until we went to Fiji! omg. Best snorkeling and most gorgeous types of coral I've ever seen. <3

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I know this is subjective!! I'm a serial snorkeler and to me, the best snorkeling has always been in Hawaii hands down! I know though that cruising has something for everyone so if going with others who aren't into it, it may be the next best thing. I've gone to Roatan, Belize, Nassau, and Grand Caymen. Did not live up to the experiences that I have regularly had in Hawaii.

From your list ... these were our snorkeling favorites:

Tortola

Bonaire

St. CroiX

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I've snorkeled the Great Barrier reef and have not found anything that compares to that. I've never snorkeled in Hawaii. St. Thomas has good snorkeling from the beach as does Bermuda. Labadee does not have snorkeling/reefs as everything has been over fished. Grand Cayman snorkeling from shore was average. Castaway Cay in the Bahamas had average snorkeling as well, although you had to stay in a designated area. In the Caribbean, so far, St. Thomas has been my favorite with Bermuda a close second.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Serial Snorkeler here as well. I have hit most of the places on your list and snorkel in Hawaii a couple times a year. My top would be

St John

Virgin Gorda

Roatan

Maybe Costa Maya

 

Most of the rest of the list - sure I'd get in the water but don't expect to see too much

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Bonaire along the island reef across from the cruise port has good snorkeling. You can get in and drift with the current along way. There is alo good snorkeling right off shore down from the cruise ships.

 

The Blue Cave is an excellent place to snorkel in Curacao and there are a few beaches that offer good off shore spots as well.

 

Snorkeled Grand Caymen a few times, once out on the barrier reef, once at Stingray City and a couple times at Eden Rock. The barrier reef was very good, lots of stingrays to swing with. Stingray City is basically a sand bar that is waist deep where you can handle/pet the rays. Not really snorkeling, though you can. Eden Rock was good once, not so much another time. It suffered some ship damage a year or so ago. It was okay last February when I went.

 

Labadee-used to be better 20-30 years ago. Pretty average now

 

Cozumel-If you do a three reef snorkel you can see some stuff. Drift snorkeling is good in the right place.

 

I did snorkel on Kona in Hawaii at a public park just off shore. There were lots of turtles to swim with.

 

I've probably snorkeled most of the other places on the list but can't remember anything spectacular. Bonaire and Curucao were our favorite places.

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