Snorkeling in Belize City or Roatan - which would you choose?

[mom_n_mi]

We are going in December 2014 on NCL Jewel on our first cruise. We have only snorkled once and it was at Disney. It will be my DH, DS 11, DS 5 and myself.

 

If you can only pick one - would you snorkle in Roatan or Belize City areas?

 

I would prefer we do this from a boat and not beach snorkling.

 

Any recommendations?

 

Thanks,

Jackie

[Armedaneian]

We have only snorkled once and it was at Disney.

 

I would prefer we do this from a boat and not beach snorkling.

 

I find this baffling! :confused: I'm an experienced diver, and prefer the ease of entering from shore, rather than dealing with the difficulties boats provide. As far as I see it, the ONLY reason to use a boat is to find prime areas, which are usually far from shore. To satisfy my curiosity, why do you prefer snorkeling from a boat?

 

Regardless, both places you're considering have world class reefs with plenty of sea life to enjoy. In Belize, the reef is much farther away. There, you need a boat to find decent snorkeling. If you don't mind that 45 minute boat ride, go there. If you'd rather spend less time in a boat, go to Roatan, which has it's world class reef much closer to shore. In fact, there's top-notch snorkeling right from the beach... and plenty of boats offering to take you elsewhere. :cool: Check it out:

 

[mom_n_mi]

thanks.

[mom_n_mi]

I have been reading several people's reviews. It seems like you don't see as many fish / coral from the shore. I figured if we are coming to one of the best places to snorkel, I want to get the best experience. Plus I worry that if we pick a beach, we pick the wrong one and won't see anything. I was only planning on snorkeling one day - which is why I wondered which one would be better. They both sound beautiful!

 

I worry a lot :o; mostly since this is still so new to me. :)

 

Thanks.

[Armedaneian]

It seems like you don't see as many fish / coral from the shore.

 

In that picture of "West Bay Beach", the stuff in the water is all coral. It's filled with fish, so if you snorkel from the beach there, you'll see both. :cool:

[jimw]

Belize is a 4 mile trip to shore by tender. There, I would and have used the ship trip. We went near Cay Caulker for snorkeling and were picked up and returned to the ship. On Roatan, snorkeling is nearby and easy to get to.........take a taxi to someplace on West Bay.

[Host Star]

roatan was amazing.. right from shore...I was not that impressed with Belize

[sharks48]

We've done both and enjoyed both. We usually do snorkeling from the beach, but you can't do that in Belize.

 

I'm wondering about a 5yo on a boat snorkel. I wouldn't try it, but YMMV.

 

If you decide on Belize, you may want to book a ship excursion that will pick you up right at the ship and return you there, in order to avoid the long tender in and out and the boat ride out and back to the reef. We took a ship's excursion to Goff's Caye [on Carnival] and loved it, but it seems I read that they've discontinued using that vendor due to safety issues and an accident [got to watch out for the rear of those boats!].

 

We snorkeled at West End [at the very right-hand end of that beach in the picture] and it was terrific! We had told our driver that we were concerned about the safety of snorkeling further to the left in that picture, as someone was run over not long before we were visiting there and killed. He took us to the end of the beach [there's little shade on that beach, but we found some at the end!] and said that was a great spot. He was right! We booked with Rony [see the Roatan board] for the ziplining and snorkeling and got his father, who had been a long-time Carnival employee, and had a great time doing both. Would book with them again in a heartbeat.

[Armedaneian]

We snorkeled at West End [at the very right-hand end of that beach in the picture] and it was terrific! We had told our driver that we were concerned about the safety of snorkeling further to the left in that picture, as someone was run over not long before we were visiting there and killed. He took us to the end of the beach [there's little shade on that beach, but we found some at the end!] and said that was a great spot. He was right!

 

I've snorkeled at West End too, from Half Moon Bay. As long as you go outside the Bay, it's not bad at all. It's a bit of a swim though and most people don't make it out there. :eek:

 

Are you sure you don't mean West Bay Beach? West End and West Bay are two very different places. If your snorkeling spot is in the picture above, it was on West Bay Beach, not West End. :cool:

 

If you snorkeled at West End, you'd see that spot in this picture:

 

 

[sharks48]

Sorry for the mix-up! Yes, it was West Bay Beach on Roatan [i didn't say "Roatan" in my original post - sorry!]

[mitsugirly]

If you want more information about West Bay (Roatan), you might find this thread helpful. There is plenty of information about it and we all included a bunch of "maps" and pictures to help you out.

 

Roatan is by far my favorite port, especially for snorkeling. West Bay has been top notch to everyone that goes there and I loved Maya Key as well. There is absolutely no reason to pay for a snorkeling boat trip in Roatan when all you have to do is grab and cab and go.

 

When you say that there's not as much fish from the shore, that will only hold true if it's a sandy bottom. You will still find a "few" fish with a sandy bottom, but all of the others you will find where ever you find coral or iron shore...which can be found many places right from shore (like in Roatan, Cozumel, St Thomas and so on). Some of my favorite snorkeling experiences have by far been right from the beach/shore area. :)