Good Snorkeling Ports in the Caribbean

[miss_rach]

Our last trip was to the caymans and cozumel. Snorkeling in the caymans was awsome. Looking at starting to setup our next one and want to see what good ports in the Caribbean offer good snorkeling. We live in FL so looking to go out of one of the 4 FL ports for a 5 - 7 day cruise.

 

Cheers!

[CruiserBruce]

Many, if not most, ports in the Caribbean have good snorkeling.

 

Tops in our experience, and we have snorkeled in MANY ports in the Caribbean, is probably Grand Turk. We also had good snorkeling at an advanced level in Costa Maya.

[Hlitner]

We have had excellent snorkeling on the island of Bonaire. The best snorkel excursions on this island are what is called "drift snorkeling" where a dive boat drops you at a location......you drift with the current.....and the boat stays ahead so you do not have to swim back against the current. There is a boat called the Woodwind....which is operated by a lady (Dee) that offers an amazing trip.

 

Another fascinating and unique snorkel experience is on Champagne Reef located on Dominica. The cruise lines offer tours to this place or its possible to just go there via taxi or bus and swim out to the reef. Hot gases vent up from the sea floor helping warm the water and creating lots of small bubbles....hence its called "Champagne."

 

Hank

[AZ Ocean Lover]

We thought Roatan had some of the best snorkeling ever. We took our equipment to a "beach party" excursion not expecting much but were incredibly surprised at the quality just walking in off the beach. We were very disappointed, however, with St. Martin. Even the guys on the snorkel boat said that every since the last hurricane there wasn't much to see. But, even poor snorkeling is better than no snorkeling in my book.

[OCruisers]

Roatan, Bonaire, & Belize have been our favorites to snorkel ... but some others have also been good. :)

 

LuLu

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[Krazy Kruizers]

Have you checked out the Ports of Call?

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/forumdisplay.php?f=587

[cruzeluver]

Agree with Hlitner about drift snorkeling and about Bonaire. Absolutely gorgeous and water so clear its almost unreal. We also found exceptional snorkeling in Antigua. Pretty much anywhere you go in the Caribbean you can find something halfway decent.

[Hlitner]

Would agree with the so-so snorkeling on St Maarten. Last Jan we spent 2 weeks on the island and explored a majority of the beaches and snorkeling locations. To be blunt, we were not impressed with the snorkeling anywhere (but loved the beaches). I should add that we were recently in the South Pacific and did love the snorkeling on Moorea and Bora Bora....but that is a whole different story.

 

Hank

[dorisis]

Roatan, Bonaire, & Belize have been our favorites to snorkel ... but some others have also been good. :)

 

LuLu

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Belize ranks 2nd to Australia in the size of it/s reef.

[OCruisers]

Belize ranks 2nd to Australia in the size of it/s reef.

 

Agree! :D

That barrier reef (2nd only to the Great Barrier Reef in Australia) can be easily reached from both Roatan and Belize!

Totally Awesome! :)

 

LuLu

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[slidergirl]

St. Thomas, USVI. Take the ferry over to St. Johns. DO NOT go with the herd to Trunk Bay. See if the National Park Service is doing it's " 'round St. Johns snorkelling trip". They pick out the best spots around the island for that day. Got to snorkel at an old underwater lab, another very small island... If not doing the trip that day, just take a "truck taxi" over to Cinnamon Bay. It's part of the National Park also, with a very cool campground (spent a week camping there). The beach and bay are very nice and not nearly as crowded as Trunk Bay.

 

I also loved Grand Cayman. Did snorkeling out of Governor's reef with a group of divers (I can't dive - athsma issues). But the snorkeling was just fine for me.

 

Puerto Rico. Took a boat out of Fajardo and got to snorkel off the boat at one spot and then over to a small island to snorkel off the shore. Had the best of both worlds - the Atlantic and the Caribbean on the same trip.

[cruiseapril]

Bonaire- as has been mentioned and Curacao.