Snorkeling Anse Chastanet versus Peter Island
 

My fiance and I were planning on getting married at Peter Island Resort this December. He has one reservation. He loved the snorkeling we experienced at Anse Chastanet (St. Lucia) because they had a great reef right off of their private beach. Is the snorkeling off of Peter Island just as good or comparable? For some reason snorkeling is his thing so we have to find a resort that has great offshore snorkeling!!

There is plenty of good to great snorkeling off Peter Island. Additionally, there are many small boat operators who know the area well and can take you to the other Virgin Islands, British and U.S. which are close by for snorkeling destinations. I had one of my best snorkeling experiences in White Bay on Peter Island. Just when I thought things were a bit too placid, a huge eagle ray came by and entertained me for about 15 minutes.

You can have both a romantic resort and incredible wade-in snorkeling at Caneel Bay on St. John. There are SEVEN tree-shaded white sand beaches, sparsely populated. Caneel is in the National Park on 170 acres, so sprawling that you can nearly get lost, with views of water and islands and no development to be seen anywhere.
Caneel is paradise on earth.

We visited Anse Ch and their snorkel beach in Feb 07. Not really that great, relatively speaking. Great shore snorkeling in St. John USVI, Anguilla, Barbados, Hawaii. St. Lucia is tough in this category. Congratulations! My husband and I (married 15 years) wish we had married at hour honeymoon destination, rather than that traditional church thing. Enjoy!

Having been to both there is NO DOUBT Peter Isl;and wins for snorkeling. I must agree though that Caneel has the best snorkeling in the Caribbean with B.V.I. second,and then the Grenadines.

teressa: great shore snorkelingin Anguilla??? I've been avoiding that island because I've heard the snorkeling there is mediocre. Tell me it ain't so!

Indeed, I would also welcome info on great shore snorkeling from Anguilla, as that is one reason I've not visited there yet. I had also not considered a return visit to Barbados for the same reason, but I am willing to be convinced otherwise. :D

Anyone who says Anguilla has "great snorkeling" is exagerating or just has not been to other island that offer truly great snorkeling sites. There's a decent snorkeling reef off Shoal Bay but it is a relatively small reef (you'll see everything there is to see in about 45 minutes). There's also some snorkeling at Little Bay but nothing to write home about - small fish around the rocks and cliffs but not much coral. Silly Cay has only turtle grass with tiny fish and dead conch shells - not worth even bring your equipment to the cay. The only other snorkeling of note is on the reef near Prickly Pear Island but you have to take a boat tour to get there.

The island does have fantastic beaches but is far from being a snorkeler's paradise.

Tell your finance "not to worry". We snorkeled at Anse Chastanet last May. We actually liked the snorkeling at Jalouise beach better. We have also stayed on Peter Island, and our experience is that PI is by far superior to AC. We had White Bay to ourselves for two entire days. We also had the great pleasure of viewing the same ray as tuxedocat!! Have a great wedding on PI. Owa