Best Snorkeling excursion?

[SDCfirsttimeer]

Looking for good snorkeling excursions in Aruba --- or is it better to do something else in this port?

[Arubalisa]

Mi Dushi vs Jolly Pirate. Opinions please!!!

 

Private Snokeling, Capt. Rene?

 

 

Beach and Snorkel Excursion with Kini Kini a great variety of snorkeling as well as well as seeing a bit of the island

Tranquilo they are moored a short walk from the ship. It would be a full day of relaxation including as much sailing as snorkeling, but I find it to be one of the best excursions on the island.

 

Jolly Pirates for something more "lively", but not over the top party

 

For truly "private"

Strea Charters

 

Morning Star

[tinybabynurse]

TBN hubby here,

 

We went with Tranquillo week before last. Wife hated it. I thought the snorkeling was above average and might do it again. There were others on that trip that, I am certain, greatly enjoyed the parts of the trip that they can remember.

 

 

 

The Good:

 

Check in was easy and it is close to the ship. Would take a credit card but preferred cash. We had the cash so no problem.

 

The boat was reasonably comfortable. Showing a little wear and age but nothing serious. Adequate room to spread out on the deck.

 

Captain was friendly and seemed to have a safe operation

 

Snorkeling was broken into two parts. An approx 20-minute snorkel from a wooden platform. Seemed mostly designed to weed out the folks that were not going to be comfortable on the 'open water snorkel'. Decent, but not spectacular. Shallow waters with some reef and also ample sand bottom to stand on if there was a problem.

 

This was followed by a open-water 'drift snorkel' that was over a very healthy reef area with lots to see and lots of 'color'. Those that wanted to do this were loaded into a zodiac-type boat and taken up-current. Captain stayed with us and was available if there was a problem. This reef was from 4 to about 15 feet deep and was excellent.

 

Water visibility was very good even in rather rough, windy conditions.

 

Lunch was adequate. Soup good. Two types of sandwiches. Fresh fruit.

 

Drinks were good.

 

Trip back was under sail and COULD have been very pleasant.

 

 

 

The Bad:

 

The trip out to the anchorage was almost directly into the prevailing winds so, although the sail was up for appearance sake, the trip was under power.

 

If you do not snorkel you are, virtually, trapped on the boat since there is no available beach.

 

The location is not very scenic above water.

 

 

the Ugly:

 

Sailing to the anchorage point was through the channel formed by the main island and the surrounding reef. Unfortunately, this is an industrialized area and includes very unpleasant (to us) views including oil terminals, factories (active and abandoned) and the smoking/burning island landfill.

 

The return sail: This particular cruise turned into a 'booze cruise' with about 4 or 5 of a group of about 8 friends and family, that were staying on Aruba, getting very drunk and very loud. I found out later, that while we were drift snorkeling with the Captain, they were smoking pot and drinking. They continued to drink non-stop to the point that 2 could barely stand. One pretty, young 20-something decided that she should show her boobs -- sounded good to me, but even the other drunks discouraged that. They became so loud that normal conversation was not possible and Ms Boobs could not tolerate any conversation where she was not the center of attention. So we abandoned our attempts to chat with a nice couple that I had snorkeled with and whose company we were enjoying.

 

 

Summary:

 

I might go again because I enjoyed the snorkeling experience and the price was reasonable for that alone... and I am apparently more tolerant of drunks than my DW, particularly young, pretty female drunks. :D

 

Wife would never go again because she didn't like the lean of boat while sailing (her problem and she knows that), hates loud, obnoxious drunks (your mileage may differ), and doesn't snorkel.

 

Note: It was our lack of research that led us to believe that there was a nearby beach that she could enjoy while I snorkeled. That misunderstanding was not Tranquillo's fault, at all.

[Arubalisa]

That is quite an experience for sure. Sorry your dw was disappointed. :(

 

We have been very fortunate in all of our sails, whether on Strea, Jolly Pirates or Tranquilo that there have never been any drunk fests. I can see how easily it could go one way or the other. :( Sad when one or two ruin the experience for everyone else though it sounds like you made the best of it ;)

[tinybabynurse]

That is quite an experience for sure. Sorry your dw was disappointed. :(

 

We have been very fortunate in all of our sails, whether on Strea, Jolly Pirates or Tranquilo that there have never been any drunk fests. I can see how easily it could go one way or the other. :( Sad when one or two ruin the experience for everyone else though it sounds like you made the best of it ;)

 

Well, our port stop was still enjoyable. As I said, I really enjoyed the snorkeling. Also, we didn't have to leave until 8:00pm so we returned to the ship, dropped off snorkel stuff and caught the bus to the Mambo (sp) Beach and Restaurant, where we go from time to time. That was pleasant, as always, and we stayed until the clouds obscured the sun and it became clear the sunset would NOT be up to it normal, spectacular display.

 

 

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On a completely different topic (sorry about the hijack): It sounds like you might live there. If so, please tell me about the Bus line smart-card. We noticed last October the prices had about doubled for cash fares, sometime last year (still cheap, 'tho). This is when they instituted the Smart Card, and it seems the smart card prices are the same as before and certainly more convenient. We are there once or twice a year. Would it pay to buy a smart card for those cruise days? Specifically, 1)do they have a 'time limit' 2)may we use ONE card to pay for TWO fares, and 3)what is the minimum purchace of the smart card?

 

Thanks...

[Lsimon]

We did the Tranquilo last March and we really did not enjoy it. The boat ride out was terrible - inside of the barrier islands and along a coastline that was mostly industrial and past a huge smoking garbage landfill area that smelled bad. Not the tranquil Caribbean scenery we had expected.

 

The Tranquilo itself was Ok but I'd rank it towards the bottom of the private day sail excursion boats we've sailed on. The first snorkeling stop was mediocre and the captain was discouraging people from doing the drift snorkel. Perhaps he was trying to weed out poor swimmers and perhaps he knew that everyone couldn't fit on the dinghy he used for the drift snorkel. My wife and some of our friends decided to stay back and then the drift snorkel ended up being not difficult and very nice. I wish they had all come along.

 

The ride back was more enjoyable as we sailed outside of the barrier islands.

 

Bottom line is that I don't think we'll repeat this excursion.

 

With that said, I'd love to find an excursion which did a similar drift snorkel but which sailed out on a nicer boat and/or a nicer path (i.e. - not past the burning garbage dump). I did like the drift snorkel.

[Arubalisa]

A current is required for a drift snorkel and that area along the coastline at Mangel Halto, outside of the barrier island is the best spot.

 

I believe Aqua Windies will do a drift snorkel, however it is in the same area where Tranquilo goes, Mangel Halto.

 

http://www.morningstararuba.com/ They recommend Spanish Lagoon (Mangel Halto), but will go where you like

 

http://streacharters.com/ Will go to Malmok upon request.