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Which port for a boat snorkel


Chrystine5
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In January we are going on a Journeys cruise with ports of Aruba, Curaçao, St. Martin, St.Thomas, Dominican Republic, and St. Kitts. We’re on a budget so we only plan on doing one boat snorkel, all the other ports will be cheaper tours or beach snorkel stops for us. Any advice on which of these would be the best choice? Also if you have used a specific company that was good. We don’t drink, so open bar isn’t a draw for us, though I realize most offer it.

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  • 4 weeks later...

Mi Dushi on Aruba is fun. They usually hire out to the ships, so you may not be able to get on privately. 3 stops, one a deeper water shipwreck, one extremely shallow. We saw big starfish, huge long trumpet fish that almost looked like snakes (they're not! Snakes are striped.) Nice lunch. They have a water swing at the last stop. Try Eagle Beach for shore snorkel on your own--easy/cheap bus goes straight there too.

 

Mambo Beach for shore snorkel on Curacao. 

 

Capt Alan is great on St Martin (French side). Very small speedboat, 10 people max. 3 stops, 2 at marine preserves, one shallow where you can see turtles. We  saw octopus too! Be prepared for some bumpy travel at high speeds, but exciting.  This is a private tour, not a ship shorex.

 

With all my heart, I beg you NOT to do Buck Island* from St Thomas. A bunch of boats, you will get kicked in the face from the gazillion other snorkelers. Was great years ago but not now. And beware of any tour that says Honeymoon Beach or Christmas!  A scam even though caters to the cruise ships. The real Honeymoon Beach is on St John, this one is renamed, is on Water island the OTHER end of St Thomas. Commercial, crass, no snorkeling. The real Christmas Cove isn't even a real island, but it's a reef halfway to St John. They don't go there but to a fake/renamed site. We forced Holland to give us our money back. Do NOT get on a "pirate" schooner either. If St John is open, go. And take a catamaran, not the ferry from Red Hook. A champagne catamaran cruise & snorkel will be small, quiet, but a lil pricey. Trunk Bay is very famous, has an underwater snorkel trail with signs.

*There's another Buck Island at St Croix, a spectacular marine preserve. Go there if your next cruise takes you to St Croix.

 

On your own shore snorkel, if you possibly can: Secret Sands on St Thomas. Aka Lindquist Bay. Gorgeous, practically deserted. A lovely pristine reef just out past the seagrass, tons of fish. There's some fire coral too, so don't get on top of it. On the other/north side of the island, you cross over the mountain in the middle. You can take  a bus almost all the way; there's a stables nearby that brings horses down to the beach, so that may be the bus stop (but walkable from there)--do your research.

Dom. Republic had hardly any coral at one reef they took us to, very dead. Sergeant majors were the sole fish. They did take us to another reef a miles off shore but again very ordinary and strong current. Everyone got back on board very shortly.

 

 

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Have not been to Coki because it sounds pretty crowded--seems to be the most popular beach plus a Sea World or something there. Magen's By is supposed to be good--heard there are tons of fish! Again, head to the rocks. Have not been there either, lol--I'm sure other folks in this thread can tell you more.

 

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  • 3 months later...

St. John is best for Virgin Islands snorkeling.  Trunk Bay, one of the national

park beaches, get there as early as possible; and Honeymoon beach which is accessible by the trail at the top of the hill to the north of Cruz bay or more quickly by hiring a water taxi.  I never did the water taxi when we were there for two weeks Feb 2018, but saw several small boats arriving while we were at Honeymoon beach.  We hiked it, down hill to get there, about 20 min, and uphill to get out.  Take food and water, no facilities at the beach. the snorkeling is great, to the left of the beach.

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