Best snorkeling in the Carribean?
 

Hi all. I've been snorkeling around Nassau, Maui, Oahu, Key West, Puerto Rico, and Cancoon. Believe it or not, the best snorkeling was in Nassau in front of my old Marriot hotel in 1999, a 2 minute boat ride off of shore. It surprised me because I found Nassau to be polluted. The water wasn't very clear. Since then, I've been looking for equivalent or better snorkeling. I'm a marine biology undergrad and want to see a myriad of colors and different species. I was soooo disappointed in Hawaii. What do you recommend from a scientific perspective for snorkeling? Who has the most living coral and different species of fish in shallow water? I'm having a difficult time finding an unbiased opinion without the influence of advertising etc... The snorkeling and clear beautiful water is all that I care about.
Please help! Happy New Year!

The United States Virgin Islands. Come and be part of the on-going studies and conservation efforts of one of the most reknowned snorkeling destinations. Also, Belize. The world's second largest barrier reef.

Most folks will tell you that Bonaire, Grand Cayman, certain out islands of the Bahamas, and the US/BVI offer the most pristine snorkeling.

I was impressed with the snorkeling at the base of the Pitons in St. Lucia--vibrant and colorful, but the water gets pretty deep there pretty fast, and I'm not sure what you mean by shallow water snorkeling.

I was in the BVI this summer and while the from shore snorkeling on Tortola was nice, the best snorkeling I saw was on a daysail at Cooper Island. There the corals and sea fans were healthy and colorful--the fish life was similar at all of the places I snorkeled, but Cooper Island had the added vibrancy of coral and plant life.

The Baths on Virgin Gorda are also a very fun snorkeling spot--not as much variety as the other spots, but swimming amongst the boulders and seeing the dappled sunshafts in the water was pretty magical.

Anegada and Virgin Gorda are highly rated for snorkeling, as is St. John in the USVI--St. John is also arguably the most popular island right now on this board, so there is a load of information about it here by doing a quick search.

Also popular right now is an area on Grace Bay Beach in front of the Coral Gardens hotel on Providenciales in the Turks & Caicos--you can find many posts about that particular spot on this forum.

Tobago Cays

hi. i have snorkeled st. thomas, bvi's and provo. st.t was nice but the water was not always clear. bvi's had better variety. i liked provo best.
on provo the water has always been clear except for once when there was a large storm. the water was way too choppy to snorkel and the dive boats stayed in. coral gardens has some good fish as ejcrowe mentioned, but if you go to provo you must also snorkel at smiths bay reef. a much larger area with larger fish and the corals,etc are beautiful and undamaged! boats will take you to the reef which rims grace bay beach for more variety. this would be about a 4 min boat ride??
my fake niece has her degree in marine psych, has taken a job with mystic aquarium. she just returned from a trip they sent her on to roatan and she says that is very very good for snorkel and dive.

Hi, Virgina. Your post mentions two things that intrigue me, but you can tell me to mind my own bidness if you like. Why is your niece fake, and what is a marine psychologist? Does she work with just marine mammals, or all kinds of animals? Sounds fascinating!

Er, make that "does she work with just marine mammals or all kinds of MARINE animals?"

Hi Virginia, where is roatan?
Also, Vinceygirl, can you compare the Tobago Kays to St. John and Turks and Caicos? I haven't heard much about Tobago.

ejcrowe, are you a divemaster? You've been to a ton of places. I'm impressed. I appreciate all of you taking the time to email me. :)

michealedugan:
Tobago Cays are in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. They are absolutely gorgeous! Similar to St. John in Virgin Islands.
Best snorkeling (In my opinion)
1. Belize
2. Cozumel
3. Provo (Turks and Caicos)
4. St. John, Peter Island, and Virgin Gorda
5. Cayman Islands
6. Buck Island in St. Croix
I have not been to Bonaire, but that's probably what you are looking for.

well i'm just laughing hard. jamie is indeed not a fake girl. rather my best friends daughter and thus not officially my niece. she would prefer to work only with dolphins but is just starting her career and is happy to have the mystic job at all.
roatan is off the northern coast of honduras. it lies at the southern end of the chankanaab reef that runs the caribbean coast of mexico.
ejcrown a more specific description of marine psych:
Marine mammal scientists try to understand these animals' genetic, systematic, and evolutionary relationships; population structure; community dynamics; anatomy and physiology; behavior and sensory abilities; parasites and diseases; geographic and microhabitat distributions; ecology; management; and conservation.

Grand Cayman is great for snorkeling from shore, with lots of choices/locations to pick from.

Belize had great snorkeling, but it's all by boat, and very limited from shore.

Thought St Thomas was average at best.

St Lucia was decent, but again, the boat snorkeling was best.

Buck Island off St Croix was very nice.

We're headed to St John for our first trip in the fall based on the fabulous snorkeling (from shore) that we've read so much about.

As a future marine biologist, you may want to get hooked up with Reef Environmental Education Foundation (REEF) out of Key Largo, FL. The have diving ops which sponsor REEF survey activities. One is in Nassau, called Custom Aquatics (242-362-1492) and the other is on Cat Island, called Dive Cat Island at Hawk's Nest Resort (800-688-4752). I've found a number of excellent snorkeling spots in shallow waters throughout the FL. keys and Bahamian out islands. There are so many!! To help you out, and other interested Fodor's members who enjoy shallow snorkeling and/or scuba dives, here's from my master list of the Florida Keys:
1. Christ of the Abyss Statue
Depth: 25 feet
Experience Level:Novice
The Christ Statue was cast in Italy and donated to the Underwater Society of America by Egidi Cressi, an Italian industrialist and diving equipment manufacturer. It is a 9 foot tall bronze duplicate of the Christ of the Abysses statue, which stands in 50 feet of water off Genoa, Italy. Set in a beautiful reef area known for its outstanding brain corals, the figure of Christ stands silhouetted against the blue waters of the ocean, His arms upraised to the surface. This dramatic and memorable picture is one that most diving visitors to the Keys shouldn't miss.

The 4,000 pound, 9 foot bronze statue stands in about 25 feet of water in the FL keys. It was placed there in 1965, after being donated to the Underwater Society of America by an Italian diving group.

We arrived here early to try and beat the normal crowds that the statue attracts. As we approached the statue we were the only divers around. This allowed us a reverent atmosphere to observe and reflect upon this beautiful statue.

Because of the shallow area where it rests, there was plenty of light streaming down, giving an ethereal quality to the pictures that we took.

As snorkelers began approaching there were shadows cast upon us and we swam away to explore the coral in the surrounding area. It just wasn't the same with the teeming masses gathering above us, obscuring the light.

It is definitely a good idea to get to this area early to beat the crowds. We saw lots of moorings surrounding the statue and were told it normally got very crowded.

Lots of Nice Coral. We saw a lot of brain coral and quite a bit of elkhorn coral, as well. There was a lot more color here than we had seen in Key West, but we also had bright sunshine which helped, as well. Since we were in a marine preserve area (John Pennekamp Park) we were trying to be especially careful not to bump into any coral. I had double-checked my BC pockets to ensure my weights were firmly in place this time.

(2) Looe Key Reef dives
Depth Range: 5-35 feet.
One of the loveliest and most prolific reefs in the Keys. The frigate, H.M.S. Looe, accidently ran hard aground in 1744; remains of the ship lie between two fingers of coral near the eastern end of the reef although only the ballast and anchor remain visible to the trained eye. Totally unlike any of the reefs in the Keys, containing a variety of corals, monastera, sea fans and innumerable fish species this makes for an exceptional diving experience. Looe Key is a designated marine sanctuary. This was the first place that I have ever seen a jewfish, and I saw at least 5 on this trip. There were also lots of tarpon, sharks, blue parrotfish, midnight parrotfish, and lobster. There were also a few sting rays and spotted eagle rays, as well as one green moray and one turtle. The visibility was in the 60 ft range most days and the water temperature was mid 80s. Most of the dives were very shallow - less than 30 feet.
(3) The Aquarium:A small patch reef, but it's packed with more fish than most bigger reefs! It is appropriately named because we usually see schools of everything from French Grunts to Parrotfish. Adults and many juveniles reside here. There are also Green and Spotted Moray Eels on this reef. Great for snorkeling or diving with a depth of about 25 feet.

(4) Hens & Chickens:
Depth Range: 20-22 feet. A group of patch reefs whose coral formations from the air appear to radiate outwards from the center like a mother hen surrounded by chickens. A shallow inshore site this reef displays a remarkable proliferation of fish and corals. An inside reef, but very cool! Shallow at about 20 feet so it's great for snorkeling. Divers also have a great time because of the prolific coral heads that rise from the bottom to almost the surface. Fan Coral and Brain Coral are prevalent. You may even see a Barracuda or two. This location is a sanctuary so the fish and creatures are just abundant everywhere. When the weather is good, this is a "must-see" location!

(5) Davey Crocker:
This a great patch reef. It runs from 30 feet to 60 feet. This reef is known for its variety of fish and coral. There are several nice ledges to look under for Nurse Sharks and Lobsters. Lots of schooling fish like French Grunts, Spanish Grunts and Sergeants Majors. You can also find Moray Eels and Sea Turtles.

(6) The Maze: A shallow patch reef that is about 25 to 30 feet deep. It is called the maze because of the reef's jumbled layout. This is a great location for new divers. Many times we head out to this reef when divers are training because it's a nice easy dive that usually has no challenging conditions. Lots of schooling fish on this reef.

(7) Rocky Top: This reef gets it name from its rocky areas. This is a shallow patch reef that sits in about 25 feet of water. Rocky Top is spread out and has a variety of coral and fish. At certain times of the year this reef will have lots of juvenile schooling fish. You can also find Moray Eels and an occasional Sea Turtle. Because it is an inner shallow reef it is another favorite training site.

(8) Arnos: This is a middle reef located in 30 to 35 feet of water. The reef is laid out in a rectangular shape making for easy navigation. There is lots of activity on this reef. You will find Fairy Basslet, Branded Buterflyfish, Spotfin Buterflyfish, Blueheads, Yellowtail Snappers and Nurse Sharks.

(9) Alligator Reef:
Depth Range: 25-30 feet, named after the USS Alligator, a schooner which ran aground here in 1825 and whose remains are still visible in the open waters southeast of its famous light tower. The reef displays spurs and grooves coursing down a moderate slope as well as more isolated coral heads. It is especially noted for its size, its deep ravines and intricately patterned coral crevices.After she was salvaged, the crew blew her up to prevent pirates from profiting from her demise. This reef is over 1/2 mile long! Alligator Reef is one of the largest reefs in the Keys. This reef averages 40 feet deep. Spur and groove formations populate its descending slope, with numerous isolated coral heads as well. Divers will find all kinds of hard and soft corals, as well as a lot of sponges. Grunts, Parrotfish, Trunkfish, and many different schooling fish are common inhabitants.

(10) Davis Reef:Depth Shallow to 80 feet. A popular outer reef on the edge of a flat shallow bank. Hugh schools of fish have made this reef famous along with four green morays who are permanent residents here. Another attraction adorning this reef is a statue of a Buddha that sits on a concrete block in the middle of a sand plain. This reef is in about 25 feet of water with a maximum depth of 30 feet. Davis is known for its large schools and variety of fish that inhabit the reef. You will find large schools of Bluestriped Grunts, Spanish Grunts, and Cottonwicks. Schools of Yellow Goatfish, French Grunts, and Porkfish mix with other schools for better protection from predators.

KEY LARGO DIVE SITES
(11) TURTLE REEF
Depth Range: 25 feet. Located at the northernmost site of the Key Largo Marine Sanctuary, most reef species are represented here. Site is relatively shallow, visibility usually good as it's location protects it from the strong currents lying beyond but it is influenced by tidal currents passing through Hawk Channel.

(12) CARYSFORT REEF
Depth Range: 35-70 feet. Because of its distance from the more central dive sites, comparatively few divers visit this reef although it is of exceptional interest and beauty offering a variety of dive options from shallow to deep dives. The shallow upper section of the reef abounds with marine life and is perfect for snorkelers.

(13) CARYSFORT SOUTH
Depth Range: 20 feet. A natural extension of Carysfort Reef, similar in its configuration and displays a double reef structure. It's famous elkhorn coral gardens make this reef a highly attractive location. South of the reef lies the remains of the H.M.S. Winchester, a 933 ton British man-of-war that sank in 1695 after running aground on the reef.

(14) THE ELBOW
Depth Range: 12-35 feet. Named for the angular shape of the reef, it is a classic example of spurs and grooves meandering down the slope of the reef. The coral fingers are extremely well-defined and are separated by level passages of clean sand; some of the spurs are high enough to be considered miniwalls. Corals and fish abound here but wrecks hold the secret to the appeal of this site. The Civil War Wreck, a 752 ton steamer sunk in 1866 has lovely fingers of elkhorn coral situated at depths of 6-18 feet...great for snorkeiling!!! The remains of two more wrecks, probably a tug and a barge are also scattered in this area.

(15) KEY LARGO DRY ROCKS
Depth Range: Shallow to 25 feet. By far the most famous dive in the Key Largo Marine Sanctuary. The Statue of Christ of the Abyss (also known as Christ of the Deep), rests on a concrete base located within a short canyon. This area is also celebrated for its marvelous specimens of brain coral and the eastern side of the reef displays classic coral fingers which are rich in marine life. Smoky, the celebrated barracuda, is a regular here. This area also includes Grecian Rocks an extremely popular reef among snorkelers.

(16) GRECIAN ROCKS
Depth Range: Shallow to 25 feet. An exceptionally popular reef for snorkelers. The grass and sand on the back side provide good anchorage, and the shallow reef buffers the waves so the waters are very calm even on windy days. It is very easy for snorkelers to swim from the boat up to the reefline where the corals and brightly colored fish abound. In Top 10 for species richness, according to REEF website: Grecian Rocks, Key Largo (235) Mid Beach/Shallow Reefs, S Davenport - Point Lobos Reserve (55)


(17) MOLASSES REEF...everyone's heard of this one. Shallow up to 40 feet. The reef comprises a classic spur and groove system which begins near the surface and falls of gradually to a depth of 55 ft. It is washed by the Gulf Stream, so visibility is usually excellent. Impressive concentrations of marine flora and fauna cover just about the entire tropical reef spectrum. In top 10 of species richness, according to REEF field reef fish surveys.

ISLAMORADA DIVE SITES
(18) PICKLES REEF
Depth Range: 10-25 feet. An elongated reef with familiar spurs and grooves configurations. The combination of shallow reef and sandy seafloor is full of possibilities for excellent macro photography.

(19) LITTLE CONCH REEF
Depth Range: 30 feet. A level, comparatively long reef full of coral heads, rocks, low profile spurs and grooves, crisscrossed by ledges especially in its western section. Tube sponges and seafan colonies grace the area.

(20) THE SAN JOSE AND THE INFANTE
Depth Range: 12-15 feet. Two galleons belonging to the famous Silver Plate Fleet of 1733 were lost in a hurricane off the Keys and went down within a mile of one another. Not much is left of the Infante except some timber planking originally from the ship's deck and ballast stones of all shapes and sizes scattered over roughly an acre. The San Jose collided with the sand flats, her stern section disintegrated and became detached from the main hull which sank another 200 yards awsay with its ballast stones.

MARATHON DIVE SITES
(21) SOMBRERO REEF
Depth Range: 6-25 feet. By Sombrero Light, this beautiful reef features well-defined spurs or fingers of reef building corals separated by wide channels of gleaming white sand. Brilliant colors and diverse marine life make this a most popular dive site along with a eight feet high natural coral bridge known as "The Arch".

(22) DELTA SHOAL
Depth Range: 6-25 feet. Another popular dive site eastward of Sombrero Light, features massive coral fingers and broad expanses of sandy bottom that separate the spurs that form this reef. Two interesting wrecks lie in this area - the Delta Shoals Barge behind the east end features typical shallow water soft corals and an abundance of fish life, perfect for snorkeling. The other is the Ivory Coast Wreck, a sunken slave ship lost in 1853, although little is recognizable any more.
The list is endless!! I could go on, but this probably gives you and other snorkeling lovers a great place to go off the keys. Robert

Hi Robert. Thanks for all of the info about the Keys! Very sweet. I've snorkeled most of the sites that you mentioned. Maybe it's better if you dive it? I was very disappointed in the snorkeling all down the keys. Also, I'm sorry I was misleading,I'm not a marine biologist. I got my degree in that about 11 years ago which I why I'm a little picky about my snorkeling. I sell software actually. So it appears from the below that the best places are Provo(Turks and Caicos), Tobago Kays, and St. John area. As a cheap backup, I could always go to Grand Cayman and use the Marriot points. It sound like you all don't think that much of Grand Cayman though? I'm certified but I haven't dove in forever. Such a pain to put on all of the gear etc..

Virginia, thanks for the explanations. Marine psych sounds fascinating.

And Michele, I snorted coffee when I read your question. I am absolutely flattered that you thought I sounded competent enough to be a dive master, but I've never gone diving in my life. And I've only really been snorkeling during my trips to the caribbean for the last 4 years, so I really consider myself a novice.

good luck finding the perfect place for yuou.

My husband and I like to go to islands w/ good offshore snorkeling and have found Bonaire and St. John to be our favorites. There were a lot of fish off the beach in Grand Cayman & Mexico but I wasn't too impressed w/ the coral which I also enjoy. Maybe we weren't in the right location for the colorful coral. I have never been to Hawaii or the Bahamas but have visited a lot of the Caribbean islands as well as Belize & Costa Rica. The snorkeling in Belize was great but you had to take a boat for a short ride to the good spots. We swam with a group of spotted rays one day that let us get really close Same for the BVI's. Although Bonaire would not appeal to everyone, I thought it was beautiful in its own way with the cactus fences & Flamingo sanctuary. The people there were very nice and when we were there (10 years ago) it was very much geared towards divers. I have heard good things about the Honduran Bay Islands which we may try next year, but they are difficult to get to from the Midwest. We are going back to St. John in February and I hope it is as wonderful as I remember. Lori

I'm a little surprised that you were disappointed in the snorkeling on Maui as there are some excellent spots with either bright hard corals (Honolua Bay) or plentitude of fish species (Aquarium or Fishbowl). Oahu, I can sympathize...Hanauma Bay is way overrated. But if snorkeling is a primary activity for a marine biology enthusiast such as yourself, how did you not go to the Big Island? Kealakekua Bay (Capt Cook) and Honaunau Bay are considered the premiere snorkel spots in all of Hawaii.

In any case, you will most definitely find decent "snorkeling and clear beautiful water" at Provo, Turks and Caicos on top of one of the world's most beautiful white sand beaches, Grace Bay. However, there's only two easily accessible spots (Coral Gardens and Smith's Reef) which may be very limiting. But the scuba diving would be fabulous there, with plenty of choices.

I agree with the above posters and would shoot for either St John (many shore snorkel spots), Bonaire (widely considered the best shore diving island in the Carib) and Belize (the Blue Hole and Ambergis Caye always perked by my interest).

By the way, if you really want to find pristine marine environments for wonderful snorkeling with abundant living hard (and soft) coral and flora and wide-varying sea life, the plain, simple advice is to keep an ear out for those relatively unheard of places OR seek out far, remote destinations.

I'm afraid that the wonderful, well-known, easily-accessible snorkel spots we all hear about will soon be extensively damaged (if not already) by the ever-increasing number of ignorant tourists. It's no fun seeing the damaged reefs in popular Pacific destinations (Oahu, Maui and even Bora Bora and Moorea) and wonder how much better the underwater environment must've been several decades ago.

I'm sure we've all seen our share of novice snorkelers standing on top of coral or chasing protected animals such as sea turtles. It's only going to get worse! Degradation will continue, only possibly slowed by tremendous educational efforts and strict environmental conservation efforts, which would be a dual-edged sword for the knowledgeable enthusiasts. In Hawaii, there are plenty of serious efforts afoot to significantly reduce access to protected marine environments like Kealakekua Bay (which will mean you'll have to pay dearly for an expensive vendor-provided excursion just for the privilege of experiencing something that used to be free to all). SORRY FOR THE LONG SOAP BOX MOMENT.

If you're like me, you'll want to visit the well-known spots before they become too popular. That's why I'm planning for a trip to St John in Dec 06.

Since this thread is fairly long (as you'd have to a be a knowledgeable snorkeling enthusiast to want to read this far down), I think it's safe to share some of my hoped-for future, pristine snorkeling destinations (mostly in the South Pacific and Indian Ocean): the outer islands of Fiji for the incredible array of soft corals, the gorgeous rock islands of Palau, the incredible lagoon (second only to Bora Bora) of Aitutaki in the Cook Islands, Micronesia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea (practically virgin underwater paradise). The Maldives also seem extremely enticing with their blinding, white sand beaches, turqoise waters and recuperating corals, but it's already very popular with Europeans.

In the Caribbean, these lesser-known destinations are ones I hope remain undeveloped by the time I visit:
Bay Islands of Honduras, Out Islands of Bahamas (Long Island and Bimini), Dominica (a "naturalist's heaven"), Tobago and Saba.

Other Caribbean destinations to consider: Buck Island (St Croix), Anegada (BVI), St Vincent and The Grenadines, and Curacao.

I agree with most of the recommendations. Having visited all those places 1-3 times over the years I must tell you the snorkeling off Grand Cayman is no longer very good. The diving is excellent as it is in Bonaire and other places. Tobago Caye is excellent and maybe one of the best but after a grueling trip to get to a base island to take you there you might only take a snorkel outing 2 times and that is a lot of travel for that amount of snorkeling. Instead spring for St. John it is, in my opinion, better than the T&C's with 8-10 excellent shallow reefs to take 4-5 half day outings at $50-60/person.
A lovely island ignored by many with excellent snorkeling is Curacao. It has several reasonably priced accommodations, excellent dining (a bit expensive) and on the WEST END of the island has 6-7 lovely bays with great snorkeling. It is not a night life mecca though.But you cannot elp but relax.
Roatan in the Bay Islands of Honduras is also excellent and at a resort called Anthony's Key they take you out 2 times a day for about 90 minutes to different spots. Belize has better snorkeling but not in as small an area but the reef of 100 miles or more is teeming with fish and corals but you need to go on a live-aboard with divers for 3-5 days but then you often find yourself in waters that are too deep for ideal diving.
Look into renting a small villa in and around Cruz Bay on St. John or spring for the Westin (I was there 4 years ago and it may be re-named). You have a wide-range of places to eat at all price-points.

Last Feb, we snorkeled all around the island of Culebra, Puerto Rico and thought it was pretty impressive even though the sea was pretty rough the whole time we were there. You can snorkel from shore in most places, but because it was rough, we rented a boat and that made it much easier. The coral in most places was really pristine and so many varieties of fish! Incredible! We thought it was about as good as St John except with a lot less people. You can see some underwater pics at www.pbase.com/peterb - just scroll down til you see the Culebra gallery.

Thanks for all of the great responses. I love this site. I really think that I'll probably go to St. John. My friend pulled the following info. Thought some of u may be interested?
Airfare to St. John in April is only $346/person via American Airlines.
(www.orbitz.com)
There are only 3 hotels, so we'd need to rent a condo. Those range from
$130 - $225/night. (www.vrbo.com)

The travel dates I used were for April 7 - 11 & April 21 - 25 (Friday -
Tuesday travel).

So my guesstimate for airfare + lodging would be about $476 - $641 /
person. Not bad for a 5 day/4night trip, no?