Snorkeling-St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados and/or Aruba?

[kaapt]

:) We are headed on a Southern Caribbean cruise with the ports being St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados and Aruba, which ones are the musts for snorkeling if you had to pick?

[KaC-Cruiser]

It's been a few years, but we did Folkestone Marine Park on Barbados, Coki Beach and Magens Bay on St. Thomas, and took the ferry from St. Thomas over to St. John's to snorkel at Trunk Bay. Of them all, Trunk is the most memorable for the beauty of the area. Coki was just okay, Magens was very scenic but more for swimming. (Named one of the top 10 beaches in the world a few years ago.)

 

Trunk Bay has a snorkeling trail of underwater markers to follow. I've also read up on, but not visited a number of other sites on St. John's ... it really seems to be geared to snorkeling. I believe Folkestone was also quite nice, but doesn't stick in my memory like Trunk.

 

Haven't been there, but have heard that Aruba is great as well.

 

Kathy

[BurBunny]

Of those islands, I'd absolutely put Dominica at the top of the list. In addition to the unique "champagne snorkeling" experience (where you snorkel through bubbles created by the venting of volcanic gasses), the sea life there is by far the best of the islands you will be visiting. It is one of my favorite islands.

 

Next I'd put St. Thomas, especially if you go out boat snorkeling. While the shore snorkeling at Coki and Trunk Bay is decent, so many people go there that the coral and such isn't in the best condition. A number of companies go out by boat to shallow areas where you get even more beauty.

 

Barbados has some interesting shallow shipwrecks which can be fun, or turtle excursions. Aruba I'm told is acceptable as well.

[kaapt]

thanks for your input, I'm going to look into the "champagne snorkeling" a little more it sound interesting. Most people have said the beauty of Dominica is the rainforest so you surprised me with that one. Thanks for the tip. Do you know of anyone who does privat tours to these ares or just on the ship tours? --Karen:)

[BurBunny]

There are two primary dive/snorkel shops in Dominica - likely one will be the ship's vendor for you. They are Dive Dominica and Nature Island Divers. Both terrific shops.

 

Yes, the rainforest is amazing. This has to be my favorite overall island both topside and in the water. It's still mostly unaffected by tourism, very little developed and in a fairly pristine state. No question I'd happily spend a week there both underwater and above.

[SoleSister]

For St Thomas snorkel trip to St John, you might want to check with Interline.

Their website is http://www.interlinesail.com

 

We used them in June when we were in St Thomas on the Triumph- I'm just getting around to writing up the review, but I can tell you we loved them and the trip, and would use them again. A fun day!