calmest/most gorgeous snorkling reef in belize

[musicmansmom]

i am an avid swimmer but have never snorkled. while in belize can anyone recommend a calm colerful reef for my first time doing it. how about a private tour or one from the ship ( carnival legand ). i will be there next april.

 

thanks alot for any help.

[CVL105]

In Belize I got off the boat and went to a little hut on the pier. They brought us to Goff Caye where you could get off the boat right away and enjoy the little island and swim, etc or stay on the boat where they took us out snorkeling. The snorkeling was awesome. Beautiful corals and fish. It was very relaxing too, because they brought us to a place where the current just carried us, so we didn't even have to swim. After we snorkeled for what I would say was an hour, maybe a little less, we got back on the boat and they brought us back to the island to relax/swim/snorkel for a little bit. The island was like being on paradise. My bf and I said we felt like we were in a Corona commercial.

[musicmansmom]

In Belize I got off the boat and went to a little hut on the pier. They brought us to Goff Caye where you could get off the boat right away and enjoy the little island and swim, etc or stay on the boat where they took us out snorkeling. The snorkeling was awesome. Beautiful corals and fish. It was very relaxing too, because they brought us to a place where the current just carried us, so we didn't even have to swim. After we snorkeled for what I would say was an hour, maybe a little less, we got back on the boat and they brought us back to the island to relax/swim/snorkel for a little bit. The island was like being on paradise. My bf and I said we felt like we were in a Corona commercial.

 

wow, it sounds fantastic. did you take your own snorkel gear??. i have decided to see the ruins instead of snorkeling in belize. i will only be able to see the ruins once and i can snorkel at other ports. thanks for the great info though. it sounds like you had alot of fun. :)

[CVL105]

I did use my own snorkel and mask, but used their fins...I scuba dive and bring my equipment with me. Plus I like using my own snorkel, rather than the ones that everyone uses. But my boyfriend used their equipment. Most companies are pretty good about sanitizing them.

 

Some members of my family did the ruins. We were a big group (18) so we covered alot of ground in each port. haha...

 

If you are doing the western caribbean itinerary and have any questions let me know. We were on it last summer and loved it! Definately snorkel in Cozumel if you are stopping there. It's been, by far, the best scuba diving I've ever seen and my family snorkeled there and said it was fabulous!

[musicmansmom]

I did use my own snorkel and mask, but used their fins...I scuba dive and bring my equipment with me. Plus I like using my own snorkel, rather than the ones that everyone uses. But my boyfriend used their equipment. Most companies are pretty good about sanitizing them.

 

Some members of my family did the ruins. We were a big group (18) so we covered alot of ground in each port. haha...

 

If you are doing the western caribbean itinerary and have any questions let me know. We were on it last summer and loved it! Definately snorkel in Cozumel if you are stopping there. It's been, by far, the best scuba diving I've ever seen and my family snorkeled there and said it was fabulous!

 

thanks for the great help about snorkeling for me in the future. it was a tough choice but i can snorkel at other spots but the ruins are on this cruise are only in belize :) . some day i hope to do more of the western caribbean cruises. but that will have to be a few years from now.

[CVL105]

Just in case you wanted to see a couple pictures of Goff Caye, or if anyone else who checks this post does...here ya go!

 

 

 

ENJOY!

[musicmansmom]

all i can say is WOW. that is gorgeous. thanks so much for the pix. :)

[TexasSmiles]

Chelsea,

Thank you for the preview of what we may experience on our first cruise. I am so anxious I can hardly contain myself. I have read so many great ideas on these boards and I appreciate all the tips and advise from past cruisers.

My DH and I cruise in August on the Miracle. We have all our snorkeling equip. ready and wonder if you have any suggestions on the best spots in Belize, Costa Maya and Cozumel? It looks like Edens Rock in the Caymans is one of the best. We would like to plan our snorkeling without a tour since we would be able to snorkel longer but it looks like we may have to go with a tour in order to find the best sites. Any feedback you or anyone else could supply would be greatly appreciated.

[CVL105]

Belize

 

I really enjoyed Goff Caye. The snorkeling was beautiful. And it was very peaceful cause you could just float with the current. Most tours take you out to the cayes, or islands, to go snorkeling. The port itself is very poor and it is advised that you do not wonder off the pier by yourself. So I would probably recommend going with a tour there. And don't book through the ship. You will be brought out with multiple times more people than if you do it through a company. We didn't book ahead of time, rather got off the tender and the pier and just walked down the pier where there are a dozen different tour booths. The one we decided on was a little shack right on the pier. I don't remember the price, but it was probably half if not more of the cruise excursion.

 

Costa Maya

 

Here we didn't do anything but walk around the shopping area. So I really can't give any feedback on this port. There is a beach right off the pier, but it's rocky and probably tough to get into the water. I'm sure there are some better posts on here that you can reference. Just search "Costa Maya" in the search thread area at the top of the page. I don't rememer seeing tour companies waiting at the dock at this port, but we weren't looking, so I may just not have noticed.

 

Cozumel

 

Now, onto what will probably be the best snorkeling of your trip. I am a scuba diver and have found Cozumel to be the best diving I've experienced thus far. The colors are brilliant and the variety of ocean life is amazing. I went scuba diving in this port, but had family that went snorkeling and they said that they were just bombarded by fish at the location they were brought. Again, here we got off the ship and there were tons of tour companies with signs at the end of the pier. Shop around and find the best price. I feel that no matter where they take you in Cozumel, you will be happy. Just thinking about it makes me excited! hehe :p I know that many people have posted good things about a beach in Cozumel, maybe Paradise Beach. I don't know about the snorkeling there though.

 

Grand Cayman

 

I know that you said the Eden's Rock was the best in GC, but I just wanted to put in my two cents that the Stingray City was pretty cool. I don't know anything about Eden's Rock, so if you're looking for just snorkeing and aren't interested in Sting Ray City, that may be your best bet. I don't know if you've been here before, but when we were here we went out with Captain Marvin's (www.captainmarvins.com). It was $40/person and they bring you out snorkeling and then they bring you to Sting Ray City to feed and hold the stingrays. Personally, I could have done without the stingrays cause I was scared. I was "that girl" screaming! haha Oh well, at least I tried it right?! Anyways, the company was great and it's only a short walk from the pier.

 

Anyways, I hope I was able to help. Enjoy your trip and let me know if you have any questions, regarding snorkeling or not! :D

 

~Chelsea

[quiltsnh]

We did Western for the 3rd time last year and this is where snorkeled:

In Belize we took a charter out to the barrier reef(second largest in the world) It was incredible large coral head lots of colorful fish. Just a great spot.

In Costa Maya we did not snorkel we went to the fishing village and vegged out on some chairs and swam... also a great day was so glad we left the port area to experience this place

In Cozumel we went to Paradise Beach and there is little snorkeling here. I understand they now have a charter boat that leaves from their pier to go to the reef in the afternoon. Our friends went on a charter that took them to the reef and a beach club and they said it was really good and you drifted along withthe current.

In Cayman we went to Eden Rock and it was fabulous... huge fish near the stairs lots of colorful fish and it doesn't hurt they feed them there!! Further out coral just a great walk into the water and snorkel place. We had our own gear but rented vests.

Any ??? feel free to ask

[musicmansmom]

thanks to all for the snorkeling info for belize. i have decided this is what i want to do . now all i have to do is go through all the post and decide which tour co ( or ship tour ) i want to use. i am wondering if i need to buy my own mask. i do not plan on doing alot of snorkeling except a few times on a cruise. does anyone have any opinions on the ones that they let you use on a tour. good or bad? thanks alot.

[quiltsnh]

We used Belize Rays to take us to the barrier reef...

http://www.belizerays.com/angel_ray.html

They provided equipment and were in the water with you... we also went to a private island. They provided soda, beer and water...

Very good experience

If you need to see the ruins I have heard lots of good things about David in Costa Maya... friends raved about him check out the Costa Maya board

[musicmansmom]

We used Belize Rays to take us to the barrier reef...

www.belizerays.com/angel_ray.html

They provided equipment and were in the water with you... we also went to a private island. They provided soda, beer and water...

Very good experience

If you need to see the ruins I have heard lots of good things about David in Costa Maya... friends raved about him check out the Costa Maya board

 

thanks, i will check them out :)