Snorkeling in St Maarten? Please help with suggestions.

[PhinsAndGills]

See, I want to do the Tiki Hut. I like that it's come and go at your leisure. I wonder if you can book it on your own.

 

Our other concern (and I just started a thread on this) is that we're there pretty late. We dock at 2:30 and sunset will be roughly 5:30, making it silly to spend TOO much money snorkling because we won't get much.

 

My biggest "wonder" at this point is if the local shops stay open a little later than 6:00 if there's a cruise ship in port.

[JHealy28S]

Thanks Hoagie....sounds pretty reasonable.

[wow what a ship]

Did I see someone mentioned a Zip Line? Is it in St. Maartin? cost? and is it worth it?

Thanks:eek:

[flvol77]

It's listed in the book as SM72-Tiki Hut Snorkel Park

Their web page is www.snorkelstmaarten.com.

Good Luck

 

from what I gather from research the Tiki Hut Snorkel is near little divi -

 

as you are looking out on the beach it would be to your left - I wonder if you could snorkel out there or around that area from little divi?

 

I am sure it would be kinda far but if you have a vest on I guess one could try it....I have been known to snorkel for hours and hours at one time - I will let you know when I get back in two weeks what I find.

[gtaylor]

Hey all.

We just got back from a southern caribbean cruise which included St Maarten. We took an excursion to the Tiki Hut Snorkel Park. It was the highlight of the cruise. <snip>

 

What were the other islands that your cruise visited for this excursion to be the highlight?

 

gary

[lazygal]

Regarding the Tiki Hut Snorkle; From the description it IS at little Divi Bay.

 

We swam to it from the beach, on our own. ($8 rt cabride) I wondered what a dock was doing out there in the middle of nowhere with no road access. A snorkle and dive boat did pull up while we were out there. You can't see it from the beach, just swim to the left around the reef and you'll find it.

 

You will need fins and a vest - I take a noodle. It wraps easily and protects the snorkle gear in travels.

 

Google little divi bay images and there is a great aerial shot of the Tiki Hut dock.

[lazygal]

The aerial shot is at webshots. Search Little Divi Bay. If this link works it will show the dock from the beach. You can rent snorkle equipment at little divi beach.

 

[lawtyger]

Thanks a ton for the location information. Next time, we will hit this spot via the 4 wheelers for some snorkeling!

[seababe]

lazygal

Thanks for all the info I've checking the best snorkel spots and my eyes are crossed have till Sept

Is the tiki hut snorkel park private ?

was Little Divi bay better have you snorkeled in Tahiti and comparison:confused: Seababe

[lazygal]

Hey, thanks for the thanks - and you're welcome!! About that webshot link: It's showing as a thumbnail, but if you log out then return to the thread, the thumbnail will show. Double click on it and it will take you to webshots. You'll be able to see the Tiki Hut dock then.

 

You can see where the buoy rope is around it. It is all open to explore for anyone. We had no idea what the dock was, other than a dive shop operation, so we did not attempt to board the dock. I suppose if you took some money with you, they would not turn you away. There were no signs of the umbrellas and tables and chairs as posted in their website. I was not even aware of the saltwater pool on the deck. It has to be just a netted hole in the deck and is actually the ocean. The whole deck is not that large.

 

It is really an easy calm swim out there with fins and vest. Enjoy!! The sunken sub is directly in front of the dock.

 

The water was a little cloudy and the snorkling was better at both Sapphire Beach in St. Thomas and Princess Cays. The day at Divi had the best weather. Unfortunately, I can't compare it to Tahiti, but I have enjoyed snorking all over the Yucatan. On a scale of 1-10, I would give it a 5. Sapphire Beach a 9 and Princess Cays an 8.

 

I did read before going that Divi Bay was the best snorkling St. Maarten had.

 

For the person who wanted to know about the zip-line: It is about an hour's drive away at Loterie farms. Our ship had a hiking shore trip there. I love zip-ining but had read that this one is more of an obstacle course zip-line combination. My conclusion was to beach it in St. Maarten and save the zip-lining for the pros (Costa Rica).

[roach12]

We also just returned from a cruise on the Navigator of the Seas (returned on April 15th). We rented a 4 wheeler and hit various beaches on St. Maaten where we snorkeled (the best being Dawn Beach).

 

I in your second picture there was land in the background. Where on the island were you snorkeling, or I guess the better question is, where was the Tiki Hut snorkel Park on St. Maarteen. If possible, on our next trip there we would love to rent to 4 wheelers again and add a stop to the area you snorkeled.

 

Where did you rent the 4 wheeler? Is there many places to rent 4 wheelers once off the ship?

[PretenderFishing]

Thanks for all the info I've checking the best snorkel spots and my eyes are crossed have till Sept

 

Seababe, Looks like we'll be on the same cruise, RC 9/16/07. I'm planning on renting a car and driving to Cupecoy (to see the formations), Friar's Bay (to walk to Happy Bay, and to Dawn Beach (to snorkel). I am very excited to finally return to the reef at Dawn beach, it has been a while. Hope that you figure something out.