Snorkeling in Southern Carribiean ports

[MtNative]

We are taking a Celebrity Summit cruise the end of March. Are really excited to do some snorkeling but may want to just do it off the shore on one of the beaches. We will be in St. Thomas, St. Maarten, Antiqua, St.Lucia and Berbados. Any recommendations where to snorkel and where to get decent equipment?

[Putterdude]

St. Thomas try Coki Beach, they have rentals there, once in the water go to the right toward the white building...had a great time there last week. Barbados, went to Folkstone Beach, the water was a bit rough the day I was there and it wasn't great, they have rentals.

[CRUISERTN]

We just returned from the same itinerary on the Summit last week...had a wonderful time...I agree about Coki for St. Thomas...go early in the morning as it starts getting really crowded between 11AM and noon....you can do it yourslef by taking a taxi for about $9 per person each way.....if you stand on the beach and look out at the water, the best snorkeling is to your right out around the rocks.....enjoy!!

 

Payne's Bay beach in Barbados is where the turtles are....some people are strong swimmers and take a taxi there and swim out to where the boats take the people on the excursions.....I recommend taking an excursion out there if you want to see turtles....we did not go as we had just returned from Akumal, MX and snorkeled with turtles there, but those who went said it was great and the pictures they showed me from their underwater cameras showed good visibility....they said sometimes the visibility is so-so, but I would take a chance and try....

 

In St. Lucia we did a snorkel tour through the ship that is called the Marine Park snorkel....you sail for about an hour to a marine park area and enter the water from the boat....the snorkel area is an easy 40-50 ft. swim from the boat and we enjoyed the snorkeling there. I would go back there again and would recommend it. Hope this info helps...enjoy the Summit!!:)

[theboxerlodge]

Been to Coki Point twice and always went left to the end of the beach by the rocks... The first time snorkling was amazing and the second time even better - never seen so many fish snorkling before. In March 2010, we were snorkling with 8-10 feet tarpin (sp), it was awesome. Next time I'll have to try going right....

 

Enjoy!

[parasailor]

Coki is excellent--but Sapphire Beach on St T and nearby Trunk Bay on St Johns may be even better. But buy equipment and bring it--much cheaper than renting and no need to worry about germs.

[AlbertaCruisers]

St. Thomas - We haven't been to Coki, but we have been to Sapphire a few times. It was pretty easy to do and the snorkeling is ok, but not great. The snorkeling at Secret Harbour was great and the beach was pretty quite. It is pretty far from the ship, but on the way to the ferry to St. John, so our cab driver had a cab full of people going to St. John, dropped them off at the ferry and then went back a little ways to drop us off. We have our own stuff so I'm not sure if they rent. You could try to call the dive shop that is there and they could tell you, we rented our beach chairs from them.

 

St. Lucia - I highly recommend the day at Ti Kay with Island Divers. If you search Ti Kay resort you can read about it. It includes rental equipment, kayaks, and beach chairs and umbrellas and lunch. The beach was a black sand beach, but it was nice. They picked us up right at the ship, in a relatively large and nice boat and cruised right to the resort and we hung out there for the day. The snorkeling is all over at the one side, but it was great, lots of squid, eels, file fish, trumpet fish, and the other usuals. It was a great day.

 

Sue