Snorkling off the beach
 

Does anyone know of any places in the caribbean where you can go snorkling right off the beach at the resort? I know you can do that in Negril, not in Cancun/Riviera Maya. How about Aruba? Thanks for the help.

There are quite a few places in the Caribbean for this. The best I've found:

Cozumel, Mexico
Akumal, Mexico
The Baths, Virgin Gorda
Mahoe Bay, Virgin Gorda
Smuggler's Cove, Tortola
Providenciales, T&C

Aruba has snorkeling at Baby Beach and at the small island that is a short ferry ride (maybe 2 minues!) on the way to Baby Beach. I can't think of the name of the island, but these are 2 areas that offer just VERY average just off the beach snorkeling.

If you want great snorkeling from the beach, my favorite so far is 7 Mile Beach in Cayman. It has very great snorkeling right off the beach!

If you go to Cancun, try the small bay at Xcaret. Lots of sealife there too.

mgbozarth...I've heard that Hotel Presidente Intercontinental in Cozumel, Coral Gardens on Provo, and Caneel Bay on St. John have what you're looking for. After looking at everything I've decided on Caneel Bay. There are 7 beaches that the hotel resides on, all of which have good-great snorkeling. The island also has several other beaches nearby that have great snorkeling.

Snorkeling right off the beach is my favorite thing in the world to do.

St. Johns, USVI, has great snorkeling from numerous beaches. My husband and I spent a week there, and snorkeled from a different beach every day, all day. We'd get up early, explore the water all morning, take a break for lunch and return for the afternoon. Every bay seemed to have different things to see too. Often we were the only people there.

We're off to Eleuthera next week for more snorkeling from the beach. Good luck!

There is snorkeling and there is aquariums!!! I have been from Zihuatanejo to Barbados. Some of the easiest and best snorkeling I have seen RIGHT off the beach was Annse Chastnet/St Lucia..Water at the beach is or was a national park. I also agree with St.Johns, too a national park. In Cozumel I saw my first sea turtle but that was diving and not from beach.

There is excellent snorkeling in the Cayman Islands right off the beautiful beaches.

Anguilla has several beaches from which you can snorkel. Stunning place. There were also a couple of places on St Martin where it was possible.

Could someone please tell me where on Seven Mile Beach on Grand Cayman there is good snorkeling? I've been to the Hyatt and there wasn't any good snorkeling off of the beach there. I'm looking for a hotel with a reef off its beach which is why I chose Caneel in St. John. I know there's one at "The Reef" but that's far from 7MB. Thanks!

From Villas of the Galleon North there is good snorkeling on 7MB

This is a great website as it rates the snorkeling in front of each property.
http://www.caymanvacations.com/

Thanks guys!

There is no greater snorkeling right off the beach than in Bonaire. The entire coastal water of the island is a preserve. Virtually every resort has snorkeling from shore and there are dozens of marked spots along the west coast that you can jeep to in minutes. Each day we were there, we would drive up the coast and snorkel at 5-6 different sites. Because the snorkeling is so great close to shore, night snorkeling is very popular. Right off some of the resort docks you can view incredible things that are never visible during the day.