Snorkeling in Curacao and Aruba

[skyward]

We are on a cruise next week and fortunately spending the week after diving on Little Cayman. The cruise stops at Curacao and Aruba and we are planning to do some snorkeling so I'm wondering if anyone has suggestions for the best snorkeling on these islands. We are going to rent cars so transportation is no problem.

I know we could dive instead of snorkel but we want to do some sightseeing too so snorkeling will take less time and we are spending the next week diving.

Doug

 

[caribbean soul]

In Curacao you will find some excellent snorkeling at Playa Lagun. In case you change your mind about diving, there is a dive shop across the road.

 

[diversteve]

One of the cruise lines dropped about 100 snorkelers on our heads at the Tugboat site one morning. It's one of the better "dive" sites but the boat itself only sits in 20' - the dive is better on the wall around the point. Should you be tempted, there's a diveop onsite. It's a little east of town so you could be there and back to your ship in the harbor easily by noon. The Sea Aquarium complex is also just north of there - it's not SeaWorld but may be worth a look. You can snorkel with Dolphins there also.

 

[Dave C]

Maybe I shouldn't reply because I haven't been there, but I am going to Curacao next month on a snorkeling trip and have done extensive research on-line. The place I see mentioned the most as having great snorkeling is Lagun Bay, so this agrees with what the other reply said. However, this is near the west end of the island a long way from the cruise docks, so unless you rent a car it could be tough to get to. I also am very excited about going to the tugboat in Caracasbaai (sp?). I have seen pictures of this wreck for the last 20 years and it looks fantastic. In general, there are few wrecks available to snorkelers (probably because they are so shallow they don't last through many storms), so I am hoping this will be a rare treat. It's closer to the cruise ship docks, so you could probably take an taxi there and back. It's disconcerting to hear about the 100 snorkelers dumped there. I hope this doesn't happen to coincide with when I am there!

I have found a lot of info about snorkeling and Curacao in general at the Curacao Tripadvisor site: Curacao Forum, Travel Discussion for Curacao - TripAdvisor

 

[Bryan.]

Hey Skyward!

There have been some great suggustions so far!! Tugboat, Directors Bay, Lagun... all good sites without a doubt!

But for the best snorkeling and sightseeing... getting to places that your fellow cruiseshippers will be jealous of when you come back showing them your pictures... then you need to head WEST!! Everything from Playa Porto Marie to Playa Kalki is amazing... stay on the south shore and just pick places... you will come across Lagun aswell.

Need additional information, please just PM me or email me... always happy to help!!

See you soon!!

 

[diversteve]

It's disconcerting to hear about the 100 snorkelers dumped there. I hope this doesn't happen to coincide with when I am there!

What's even more disconcerting is that we didn't start to count immediately. :shocked2: We were onshore when the boat moored - dropped two sets of stairs into the water and people were jumping off for several minutes. Maybe 100 is an exaggeration but possible. Around 10AM IIRC. My friends were still down there and surprised to see them all.

Easiest way to the Tugboat: Get directions to Caracasbeiweig. (Caracas Bay Road?) Go east on it to the Tugboat. It's off the beach at the Baya Bay Duikschool (diveschool) a green building on the water.

 

[jackplum]

In Aruba, I would suggest Boca Catalina and Malmok Beacg north of the high rises. Easy shore snorkeling and plenty to see. Two years ago I spent 20 minutes swimming with a feeding turtle just south of Boca Catalina. I yelled for my daughters to join me and they both had their own turtles to hang out with. Apparently, in that area the turtles are used to swimmers.

Water is shallow and being on the leeward side of the island, wave action is little.

The larger tours do moor off of Boca Catalina at about 10:30 in the morning. Earlier is a great time if your ship arrival allows for it. Expect about 150 people in the water! However, just north and south of there are great spots as well.

Most online Aruba maps show the directions.

 

[alansalton]

here you have some intresting information about Aruba Scuba Diving Aruba Scuba Diving

 

[alansalton]

more information about aruba snorkeling Aruba Snorkeling

 

[Stichus III]

In Aruba there is calm and easy snorkeling at Boca Catalina (swim along the coast in a Northern direction). There's lots of tropical fish, lots of eels and even some turtles. There is very little coral though.

The best snorkeling in Aruba is at Mangel Halto, but outside the barrier island (and therefore outside the bay). The coral reef starts in about 5 feet of water and slopes down to 100+ feet. The snorkeling (as well as the scuba diving) is really good out there, but the water can be quite choppy (because you will be outside the bay). Therefore this is only for the advanced snorkeler. The snorkeling inside the bay is ok in some spots, but nothing spectacular.