Snorkeling - Ocho Rios, Jamaica

[AlbertaCruisers]

So, we love snorkeling and usually do not get off the ship unless there is somewhere good to snorkel. We are good with either paying for a good boat excursion or just taking a cab to a good beach. We have found that both can be great depending on the island, etc. For Ocho Rios, we have only been there once before and the last time we did the falls.

 

I don't want to do the falls again and I have been having a very difficult time finding any snorkeling tours. Any suggestions? Thanks in advance for any help.

[Capt_BJ]

it is darn near impossible to find a diving or snorkel tour in Ocho .... think about it .... why would this be?

 

perhaps despite this being a tropical island, the waters around here just aren't very good for those sports.

 

I've been to Ocho many times and have SCUBA'd there several times. I was there with my ship for R&R and needed 'something' to do to kill a day. I'd never take a vacation there for diving.

 

there's a good reason DRF has been so popular over the years .... the same reason ... not much else to do water sport wise.

[AlbertaCruisers]

Thanks, just wanted to make sure I wasn't missing anything.

[kcdancerkc]

Some of the best snorkeling in Jamaica is offered in Montego Bay. Doctor's Cave Beach features one of the most accessible spots, and is a beautiful place to explore the crystal clear waters where warm mineral spring water meets the ocean.

Ocho Rios is another excellent spot because of the abundance of marine life.

FROMMERS: Snorkeling

The shoreline east of Ocho Rios to Galina Point is fringed by a coral reef of rainbow-hued marine life. Most resorts provide snorkeling equipment, but the activity isn't very well organized.

 

 

 

For other beaches with exceptional snorkeling, begin on the northern end of Jamaica on the beach of Ocho Rios. Moving east from Ocho Rios to the Galina Point, a coral reef attracts a plethora of sea life. From most points along this stretch, swimmers snorkel directly from the shore and guests can reach the reefs without a boat

If you are in the area of Runaway Bay, check out Puerto Seco Beach, which looks out on Discovery Bay. Its name means "dry port," and it was purportedly so named by Christopher Columbus, who came to the island in search of fresh water but found none.

The waters around Runaway Bay Jamaica are packed with tropical fish, coral reefs, and other interesting features. Because the reefs are close to shore, snorkeling here is excellent.

Find a guide on Tripadvisor.com or call up our favorite

Kenny Salmon

Cell (876) 384-1371

kennyjamaica@gmail.com

[AlbertaCruisers]

Some of the best snorkeling in Jamaica is offered in Montego Bay. Doctor's Cave Beach features one of the most accessible spots, and is a beautiful place to explore the crystal clear waters where warm mineral spring water meets the ocean.

Ocho Rios is another excellent spot because of the abundance of marine life.

FROMMERS: Snorkeling

The shoreline east of Ocho Rios to Galina Point is fringed by a coral reef of rainbow-hued marine life. Most resorts provide snorkeling equipment, but the activity isn't very well organized.

 

 

 

For other beaches with exceptional snorkeling, begin on the northern end of Jamaica on the beach of Ocho Rios. Moving east from Ocho Rios to the Galina Point, a coral reef attracts a plethora of sea life. From most points along this stretch, swimmers snorkel directly from the shore and guests can reach the reefs without a boat

If you are in the area of Runaway Bay, check out Puerto Seco Beach, which looks out on Discovery Bay. Its name means "dry port," and it was purportedly so named by Christopher Columbus, who came to the island in search of fresh water but found none.

The waters around Runaway Bay Jamaica are packed with tropical fish, coral reefs, and other interesting features. Because the reefs are close to shore, snorkeling here is excellent.

Find a guide on Tripadvisor.com or call up our favorite

Kenny Salmon

Cell (876) 384-1371

kennyjamaica@gmail.com

 

Thanks for the information!

[jtonra]

I did a snorkel tour in Jamaica on my first trip there. I would not do one again and I LOVE to snorkel / dive. The reef area near Ocho is in very bad shape. There are plenty of other interesting things to do in Jamaica. My recommendation (for what it's worth) would be to snorkel elsewhere and find something else to do in Ocho.

[Capt_BJ]

the advertising for my cruise said I'd enjoy my spacious cabin too!

 

There are parts of JA where the (under)waters are nice but Ocho isn't on that list.

 

Head out to Port Antonio and we'll have a different set of conditions, but still no dive operators to speak of.

 

JA allowed the use of fish traps WAY longer than most other islands - fish traps are not selective and the result was harm to their fish population near major population sites that has yet to recover.