Paradise Beach or Chankanaab Park????

[PMGNJ04]

Looking into both of these trying to decide wich one might be better. We will be there in August with our 2 children ages 11 and 9.

 

Any thoughts would be great.

[bruce-r]

Do you want to snorkel from shore? If you do, then the easy choice is Chankanaab. The park has a rock shoreline which means the snorkeling will be considerably better than a sandy beach where the sand goes out into the water like at PB.

 

If you have active boys who'd like to play on the water toys that PB offers, you'd have a great time there.

 

[ILUVCRUZEN]

Do you want to snorkel from shore? If you do, then the easy choice is Chankanaab. The park has a rock shoreline which means the snorkeling will be considerably better than a sandy beach where the sand goes out into the water like at PB.

 

If you have active boys who'd like to play on the water toys that PB offers, you'd have a great time there.

 

 

 

Both are great but there are very different. Chankanaab has snorkeling, pool, dolphin, manatee and sea lion encounters. Paradise has big water toys. My daughter who is 8 is still too young to swim out that far to the water toys. Plus they get kind of rowdy on that iceberg:D at Paradise Beach so we enjoy Chankanaab better. I think you will have a great time at which ever you choose.

[MamaParrotHead]

Both are great but there are very different. Chankanaab has snorkeling, pool, dolphin, manatee and sea lion encounters. Paradise has big water toys. My daughter who is 8 is still too young to swim out that far to the water toys. Plus they get kind of rowdy on that iceberg:D at Paradise Beach so we enjoy Chankanaab better. I think you will have a great time at which ever you choose.

 

I totally agree with all of the above.

[LHP]

Here are pictures of Paradise Beach.

 

http://community.webshots.com/album/575051377pFpDJO

 

I can not think of a better beach for kids....especially since it is a free beach resort. (no entrance fees or charges for the chairs, umbrellas, CLEAN restrooms... etc).

 

I do caution children that are climbing on the iceberg not to climb UNDER someone else who is climbing it.....because it is difficult and if someone was to fall...you would not want them to fall on you.

 

That is just common sense. But there is soooo much more to do than just the iceberg.

 

I can't see paying $100 or more just to get into a place and spend a day at the beach.

 

Now if you are an expert snorkel person, than the snorkeling off the beach isn't the best. However, Paradise Beach is an excellent place to introduce children to snorkeling because the waters are calm and does not require being a strong swimmer.

[CMM]

What is nice about both of these options is no reservations are needed and you just grab a cheap cab to both locations. You can get up in the morning and describe both options to your family and deciede then.

 

I was torn too and presented both these options. We ended up at Chankanaab as that is more along the lines of our interests, but had we been in a different mood that day we might have choosen Paradise Beach.

 

Have fun.

[nvrdunn]

could you do both? Like the park in the am and the beach in the afternoon? We want to do manatees in teh am but play on the beach with our 7 month old and 6 year old later in the day.

[Ashpalo]

could you do both? Like the park in the am and the beach in the afternoon? We want to do manatees in teh am but play on the beach with our 7 month old and 6 year old later in the day.

 

You'd be better off staying at Chankanaab all day. They have a swimming area set up specifically for little ones and a great little playscape. I've never been to Paradise Beach, but from what I understand and see in pictures, there's not much for a 7 month old or 6 year old. I think the water toys at PB would be too dificult for a 6 yr old.

 

Chankanaab is wonderful and beautiful, but this year we're going to try PB - my girls will be 9, 10, & 12, so they shoul be able to handle the bigger water toys.

 

You'll have a great time at Chankanaab!

 

Ashley :)

[Ashpalo]

Here are a couple of pics of the playscape and the swim area for younger kids...

 

Ashley :)

[jackdiamond]

Thank you Ashley. By the way, the last time we were there the swimming area was rather rocky. Has it changed?

[Ashpalo]

Thank you Ashley. By the way, the last time we were there the swimming area was rather rocky. Has it changed?

 

 

My girls and I did not go in the water section in the picture. We went snorkeling, so we had to go down the stairs on the other side of the building (restaurant) in the picture. So - unfortunately, I can't answer your question. I would suggest getting those water shoes - not sure of their exact name, but we call them "river shoes".

 

Ashley :)