West End or West Bay Beach

[heathero]

Hi,

We are doing an island tour and want to visit a beach at the end for a snorkel and cool off. The tour guide has suggested ‘West Bay Beach’

Which is the best beach to snorkel from, I am not a strong swimmer and have a doggy Knee?

 

We will only be there for a couple of hours and want to hire snorkel gear, chairs, have a light lunch and maybe a few drinks.

Any suggestions and details of costs would be appreciated

Thanks

[Guest 2000]

Hi,

We are doing an island tour and want to visit a beach at the end for a snorkel and cool off. The tour guide has suggested ‘West Bay Beach’

Which is the best beach to snorkel from, I am not a strong swimmer and have a doggy Knee?

 

We will only be there for a couple of hours and want to hire snorkel gear, chairs, have a light lunch and maybe a few drinks.

Any suggestions and details of costs would be appreciated

Thanks

 

 

 

 

Half Moon Bay in West End would suit. Sundowners is right on the beach and can offer you all the things you are looking for. Snorkeling in the Bay is easy enough it you stay on the edges.

 

Bananarama on West Bay Beach can as well, along with several other resorts. This thread is chock a block full of info about snorkeling West Bay.

 

By the by ~ I believe everyone visiting the island should at least see West Bay Beach.

[eandj]

If you are doing a tour, ask them where they drop their customers. Some will drop at Fosters, some Bananarama. Both of those beach clubs are on West Bay. You need to ask and then find out if the chair rental and snorkel equip are included or what additional charge there is. Generally 5$-10 will get you snorkel equip and the same for a chair. Reasonable.

 

West Bay Beach is about a mile stretch of beach. Anywhere on that stretch is a good place to be and you can walk easily to the snorkel spot, which is near Infinity Bay Resort and Tabyana.

 

Read the threads here and you can get your bearings.:)

[heathero]

Hi

That thread looks great, have read a lot of it, but get distracted by the great pictures -one to add to my subscription list.

 

I not seen anywhere where they say how deep it is. I would like to know if you can put your feet down on the sand by the ‘3’ so I can rest between fish snapping?

 

Looking forward to asking the tour operator to drop us a Tabyana (unless he has strong opinions otherwise). On Thursday's in December and so far I have found one NCL (our ship) and two Carnival Cruises in port that day, ouch. Carnival depart at 3pm, so hope to get to the beach about 1pm for a dip and lunch before leaving for Coxen hole

[Guest 2000]

Hi

That thread looks great, have read a lot of it, but get distracted by the great pictures -one to add to my subscription list.

 

I not seen anywhere where they say how deep it is. I would like to know if you can put your feet down on the sand by the ‘3’ so I can rest between fish snapping?

 

Looking forward to asking the tour operator to drop us a Tabyana (unless he has strong opinions otherwise). On Thursday's in December and so far I have found one NCL (our ship) and two Carnival Cruises in port that day, ouch. Carnival depart at 3pm, so hope to get to the beach about 1pm for a dip and lunch before leaving for Coxen hole

 

 

NO, the water is deeper near the "3" than putting your feet down. The snorkeling in "put you feet down" water is not great. For the good stuff ya have to go out past the 1st reef wall. The water being salt will not allow you to sink, you could add inflatable life vests then all one has to do is take their face out of the water and float.

 

Dec is smack in the middle of rainy season so this may all be for naught being the rain run off mucks up the water so visibility is poor.

 

I still do not know if you can get in to the Tabyana section of West Bay beach from the road as a independent. Could give it a go, then let us know. If not the only public access know to West Bay Beach is the road next to Bananarama.

[eandj]

 

I still do not know if you can get in to the Tabyana section of West Bay beach from the road as a independent. Could give it a go, then let us know. If not the only public access know to West Bay Beach is the road next to Bananarama.

 

This is true. When we stayed at Inf. Bay resort I made a note to watch what happens at Tab. And from what I observed and what I was told, unless you had the cruise ship excursion you weren't allowed in the area where the chairs are lined up and where food is served. Of course the beach along the water there is open to the public. They can't rope off access into the water.

 

 

For the OP, don't ask your guide to go to Tabyana. Just ask to be taken to West Bay Beach. He'll drop you somewhere along the one mile stretch of sand where you can walk to any spot you'd like. You can rent chairs and snorkel equip from another beach area vendor. Not Tabyana.

[heathero]

Thanks for all quick responses and great advice, shame to hear that we will be there in the rainy season (have enough of it all day today in England)

Heather

[banditoo]

 

Dec is smack in the middle of rainy season so this may all be for naught being the rain run off mucks up the water so visibility is poor.

 

Is there next to no chance of having decent snorkeling early December? We had planned to book a Western Caribbean cruise for first week December to break up our winter primarily because I want warm weather and great snorkeling and haven't been to the Western Caribbean ports before. It would be very disappointing if I couldn't' get any decent snorkeling.

[Guest 2000]

Is there next to no chance of having decent snorkeling early December? We had planned to book a Western Caribbean cruise for first week December to break up our winter primarily because I want warm weather and great snorkeling and haven't been to the Western Caribbean ports before. It would be very disappointing if I couldn't' get any decent snorkeling.

 

 

If I could predict the weather.... :)

 

 

Rainy season has been said to start some time in Oct an end sometime in Jan but I have been on the island in March were we had so much rain in a three day period the owner of the accommodation came to make sure I was ok.

 

Mother nature she is a wily one. :D