Boat snorkeling suggestions?

[Bahbert]

My wife and I will be visiting Roatan in January for the first time. I want to take a boat snorkeling excursion and it looks like there are a lot of options. I want something that includes transportation from Mahogany Bay. Beach time is nice but not necessary; the same goes for food and drink options.

 

So here are some questions:

• How does the snorkeling compare on different sides of the island? Is one side preferable to another?
  
• Have you used any of the shore excursioneer site's snorkel options, and if so, which one? Would you recommend it?
  
• I'm considering this three-site snorkel excursion on the south side of the island. Has anyone taken this trip or visited the locations (French Cay marine park, Coco view reef wall, Prince Albert shipwreck or Big French Cay)? If so, what'd you think?
  

[flacousa]

My wife and I will be visiting Roatan in January for the first time. I want to take a boat snorkeling excursion and it looks like there are a lot of options. I want something that includes transportation from Mahogany Bay. Beach time is nice but not necessary; the same goes for food and drink options.

 

 

 

So here are some questions:

 

• 
   
  
• How does the snorkeling compare on different sides of the island? Is one side preferable to another?
   
  
• Have you used any of the shore excursioneer site's snorkel options, and if so, which one? Would you recommend it?
   
  
• I'm considering this three-site snorkel excursion on the south side of the island. Has anyone taken this trip or visited the locations (French Cay marine park, Coco view reef wall, Prince Albert shipwreck or Big French Cay)? If so, what'd you think?
   
  

 

 

 

Best snorkeling I've done in Roatan is on the West End, right of the beach there is a nice reef, and it is FREE just swim out and you will be amazed just took a taxi there and back, here is a video someone posted on YouTube to give you an idea of what is there.

 

 

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[Guest 2000]

Best snorkeling I've done in Roatan is on the West End, right of the beach there is a nice reef, and it is FREE just swim out and you will be amazed just took a taxi there and back, here is a video someone posted on YouTube to give you an idea of what is there.

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Do you mean West End's Half Moon Bay or do you mean West Bay? Far to many Wests makes the whole of the thing confusing. :0)

 

This thread has maps and pics of snorkeling West Bay. https://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1469343

 

I truly believe the best snorkeling is within the Roatan Marine Park, which is of the opposite side of the island from Cocoview. The Cocoview side is also the windward side, one is often fighting wind and open water, the Marine Park is on the leeward side which is mostly bathtub calm due to the lagoon nature of that side of the island..unless a northern storm is about.

[Bahbert]

Thanks all. My original plan was to go to West Bay and snorkel off the shore, but I was concerned about the distance one might have to snorkel to get out to the best views and thought a boat might make it easier.

 

Would you say that snorkeling from the beach in West Bay (between Infinity Bay and the wall) is fairly doable for someone in moderate physical shape?

[flacousa]

Thanks all. My original plan was to go to West Bay and snorkel off the shore, but I was concerned about the distance one might have to snorkel to get out to the best views and thought a boat might make it easier.

 

As far as a boat making it easier is debatable and I'll give you two examples, couple years ago I went snorkeling at Goff Cay in Belize, the place was almost in the open Gulf with just a small island, the boat dropped us off one one side of the island and we drifted with current for about a quarter mile and the boat moved there to picked us up and it made for an effortless swim. Last month I went snorkeling at Christ of the Abyss in key largo, the boat tied up to the furthest mooring ball about 100 yards, we swam with the current toward the statue and the swim back to the boat against the current was not easy.

 

Would you say that snorkeling from the beach in West Bay (between Infinity Bay and the wall) is fairly doable for someone in moderate physical shape?

 

 

Is hard to say, it depends how far out you go and sea conditions at that time.

 

 

 

 

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[mickeyhereicome]

My wife and I will be visiting Roatan in January for the first time. I want to take a boat snorkeling excursion and it looks like there are a lot of options. I want something that includes transportation from Mahogany Bay. Beach time is nice but not necessary; the same goes for food and drink options.

 

So here are some questions:

• How does the snorkeling compare on different sides of the island? Is one side preferable to another?
  
• Have you used any of the shore excursioneer site's snorkel options, and if so, which one? Would you recommend it?
  
• I'm considering this three-site snorkel excursion on the south side of the island. Has anyone taken this trip or visited the locations (French Cay marine park, Coco view reef wall, Prince Albert shipwreck or Big French Cay)? If so, what'd you think?
  

 

Can you tell me what you picked? Snorkel boat tour or West Bay? Trying to pick for our April cruise.