Where have you experienced the best snorkeling? I love it and the best I have seen is in Cozumel. But I have a trip planned to the Virgin Islands and I hope that it will be even better. But I am looking for other options for later trips. Thanks!

Look into St John USVI's we saw starfish,stingrays,seaturtles,coral reefs, and a ton of fish.

That's where are going! Along with one night in St. Thomas and five in Peter Island in the bvi's. Thanks!

Lauren: you will love PIR, I spent a week there in October. The snorkeling on the main (Deadman’s) beach is good, but on the other side of the island-White bay is incredible. Go to the far side of White Bay beach and directly off shore and to the right, you will see some great stuff, comparable or even better then I've seen at Caneel.

St. John is our favorite place for snorkling. Have seen great marine life in the Grenadines too.

According to readers of Caribbean Travel and Life magazine, Cayman has the best beaches, snorkelling and diving, and is the best all around destination... well, that's what they say

One of the best snorkel experiences I've had was in Great Bay (I think that's the name) on Peter Island. I thought it was going to be pretty boring, but out of the distance I saw something gliding towards me like out of a dream. It was a large eagle ray with a 7-8 foot wing span. It swam with us for nearly 15 minutes. I guess we were in its territory. We also saw huge southern sting rays and large schools of iridescent squid. Little Lameshur, Waterlemon Cay and Haulover Bay on St. John are also wonderful. Also try the island just off of Cinnamon Bay. Have a wonderful time!

Cozumel is the best I have ever experienced. We took a Panga to Isla Contoy from Isla Mujeres one year and stopped somewhere in between on a reef and had the most incredible snorkeling experience ever! But that would be considered off the beaten track. If you get a chance to snorkel the Indians off of Norman Island in the BVIs....that is an excellent option in the VI. While down that way, one must hit the Bight at Norman Island for a drink or two at Willy T's. It is an old tallship moored in the Bight with floating docks to tie your boat up to. Ask the bartender how to win a free tee-shirt (ladies only)!

Cozumel is also the best I have ever experienced.

Some runners-up:

Mahoe Bay, Virgin Gorda
Provo, Turks and Caicos
various, sites, St Lucia

Of the Islands we've been to:

Cozumel, Grand Cayman, St. John/BVI in that order.

Actually, CaymanTom (aka Reef Mgr), St. John was voted best all-around destination. The island graced the cover of the latest edition. I don't have the issue with me at the moment, so I cannot verify the other two claims.

CaribbeanSoul... I don't have that issue on my desk, I was just at the presentation when they gave the awards to our Minister of Tourism... then covered it in the newspapers afterwards... oh, the article is right here :

http://www.caycompass.com/cgi-bin/CF...cgi?ID=1002776

Also, yes, I run The Reef Resort, I don't hide that, but neither did I plug my resort in my response in this thread... snorkelling is great in Cayman, I just suggested the poster consider Cayman for that reason.

I have the May 2005 CT&L Reader's Choice Awards in front of me. #1 All Around Destination is STJ with the Caymans #2, T&C #3 and Jamaica #4. Best Snorkeling Destination: STJ #1 and Caymans #2. Cayman did capture #1 Dive and #1 Beach (7 Mile Beach). Maybe the article which you have provided the link to has been misquoted....but all one needs to do is pick up the May copy. Hey...you hit half of them, anyway! Probably pre-Ivan, of course.

I just read the link CaymanTom posted and it is extremely inaccurate from the May 2005 CT&L magazine that published the winners of the catgories. Hmmmmm. I understand, now TC, where you got your misinformation from. The question is why would the magazine "award" CI with "winning" several categories, when in fact it only "won" two of them and finished in the top 4 in the others. The Hyatt placed 4th, according to the issue, not first. Anyone else have any thoughts on this?

Yes, I have a few thoughts....

1) This post was asking for top snorkeling islands, but Mr CaribbeanSoul has decided to turn it into a pissing contest with Tom...give it a rest huh?

2) I just read another post by Mr CaribbeanSoul on a thread asking for Cayman suggestions, and his reply was about how he'd much rather go to Jamaica.

3) I don't get it Mr CaribbeanSoul, did you wake up on the wrong side of the bed, just looking for a fight? It sure appears that way...try some meds...

4) I haven't been to St John (yet), but have heard it's one of the best for snorkeling. I have been to Grand Cayman, and the snorkeling & diving there is in fact world class for sure.

Sorry Scott….was feeling a little surly last night. The misinformation was ticking me off. I am stickler for accuracies in representations. I certainly wouldn’t want to get into it with a fellow Red Sox/Pats fan. Please accept my apologies.

Perhaps the confusion arose from previous issues of CT&L giving the first place award to Cayman, not the most current issue. Clearly there's good snorkeling in both the VI and the Caymans.

No problem mon....didn't seem like a typical post from you anyway...

Sox/Pats rock!

CaribbeanSoul... no harm done

Why did the magazine do that... maybe seeking advertising ?

CaymanTom: When the pickney gets a little older, in a couple of years, we’ll take a serious look at Cayman and specifically the Reef. The $300-400/night rates on the 7MB are a turnoff to me. We love to travel to the islands in June/July. Off season rates and before the hurricane season really gets going. Plus the weather here in the PacNW doesn’t really kick into summer gear until mid July. So it still feels like we are “escaping” the weather.