Best Beaches for walk in snorkeling?

[HAULNTA]

Best Beaches for walk in snorkeling?

 

Our CCL itinerary changed and we are now going to St. Martin instead of Antigua.

We want to go to a nice beach with great walk in snorkeling. Any info would help. Bars or Restaurants? Restrooms? How far? How to get there? Bus or taxi far each way? Scenery? Other things to see while there or on the way or way back?

[HAULNTA]

Thinking about Pinel island. Has anyone snorkeled there?

[L_T]

First of all, I don't think snorkeling is all that great on St. Martin. However, if you love to snorkel then you will enjoy it anyways. For walk in snorkeling I've heard Dawn Beach is decent, but have never tried it.

 

We have taken the ferry out to Pinel and snorkeled on the back side beach where there were a lot of small fish and typical sea fans, etc. Be aware that it a natural beach with rarely anyone around, but it is not unusual to find folks sunning without clothes. Some snorkel excurisions use the area to the right of where the ferry lands on Pinel.

 

My favorite walk in area is on Orient Beach directly offshore from the Club Orient beach sign. Lots of friendly small fish and once in a while some large ones along a rock reef. Because it is in the Club Orient area there will be lots of skin showing, and it would not be unusual to see others snorkeling who are doing so while bare. Wear what you want, no one will care either way.

[Karysa]

I have found that the beach snorkeling is just ok in both St. Martin and Antigua as well. In St. Martin I saw interesting fish at Mullet Bay Beach by the rocks, by Pelican Point and around the rocks at the Grand Case Beach Resort.

[HAULNTA]

Great info, thank you :)

Anyone else?

[thatbloominplace]

we generally go to dawn beach for the day when we are in st marten. there is a great beach bar there, chaise and umbrella rentals, beautiful beach and view. it tends to be less crowded than the more popular beaches. as far as the snorkeling goes, there is no great snorkeling on the island. however, there is something to see here, though it is mostly fish as the coral has been really beaten up. the rolling waves make for a great time at the beach, but limited viewing snorkeling. so...dawn beach is a great day at the beach with a fair rated snorkeling time as a bonus.

 

steve