Tag Archives: Snorkeling

Best Places for Snorkeling in Dominica

April 19, 2023

Dominica is known as the Caribbean’s Nature Island. Lush rainforests cover 60 percent of the island, some 360 rivers cascade from emerald slopes, and its shores are ringed by colorful coral reefs. All snorkeling in Dominica takes place on the island’s western shores, which are washed in clear Caribbean waters that are sheltered from the prevailing winds and waves that strike the eastern side of the island. Here, the underwater terrain mirrors the island’s volcanic slopes, dropping from shallow shelves into the depths close to shore. As compared to islands with expansive near-shore shallows such as the Bahamas and the Turk & Caicos, Dominica’s snorkel sites are more limited in size. That said, there’s still plenty to explore, and some sites add the excitement of dramatic seascapes where reefs drop precipitously into the depths.

Many of Dominica’s best snorkeling sites lie within a trio of marine preserves. To the south, the Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve encompasses the profiles of a submerged volcanic crater. The walls of this ancient formation are now decorated with multi-hued corals and sponges, and riddled with caverns and canyons that create marine life havens. Mid Island Salisbury Marine Reserve includes three coral reefs that begin just a few fin kicks from shore. Farther to the north, reefs within Cabrits Marine Reserve run close to shore, giving snorkelers hours of exploration on slopes covered in sea fans and giant barrel sponges. Here are six of Dominica’s must-do snorkeling sites.

Champagne Reef

The island’s most famous snorkeling site is named for the gasses that well up from volcanic thermal springs under the seabed to immerse swimmers in champagne-like bubble clouds. This protected area lies within the Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve, and its shallow areas are populated with a lively cast of characters that includes hawksbill turtles, octopus, rays, trumpet fish, multi-hued parrotfish, toothy eels, camouflaged frogfish, wing-finned flying gurnards and delicate seahorses. Because this site is a popular cruise ship excursion, it’s best to go when there’s no ship in port.

Gas bubbles from an undersea volcanic vent fill the waters of Champagne Reef. Photo: Discover Dominica Authority

Scott’s Head Beach

The waters of Soufriere Bay are sheltered from wind and waves by Scott’s Head Peninsula, which is an above-water extension of the area’s massive underwater volcanic crater. Snorkelers can wade into calm waters right from the beach, and there is a designated snorkeling area free of boat traffic. This site has something for everyone, as the near-shore shallows are ideal for youngsters and less-accomplished snorkelers. Venture a bit farther from shore, however, and the seafloor abruptly drops off the edge of an underwater cliff. Here on the edge of blue water, snorkelers can take in views of coral-covered cliffs, sponge gardens, and underwater pinnacles. There’s also a chance for encounters with big fish, sea turtles, and dolphins. The beach is just a short walk from the quiet waterfront villages of Scotts Head and Soufriere where snorkelers can enjoy lunch or rent equipment from one of the area’s local dive shops.

The Scott’s Head Peninsula is the visible remains of a submerged volcanic crater. This spit of land shelters snorkelers from prevailing wind and waves. Photo: Discover Dominica Authority

Solomon Reef

Sitting just to the north of the Soufriere-Scotts Head Marine Reserve, Solomon Reef is a collection of huge coral-covered rock formations scattered across a sand bottom. In addition to healthy hard corals, formations are adorned in multi-colored sea fans, sponges, anemones, and crinoids. This is one of the island’s best places to find sea turtles, and all manner of both juvenile and adult reef fish gather in the shelter of the rocks. Closer looks among the crevices reveal eels and squid on the hunt. The sand seabed provides a habitat for numerous species of shrimp, crabs, and colorful sea slugs.

Hawksbill turtles are often seen cruising the shallow coral formations at Solomon Reef. Photo: Walt Stearns

Salisbury Beach

Located within its namesake mid-island marine reserve, this site is a bit off the beaten path, but well worth the effort to find. This tranquil palm-lined beach is low on crowds while having the needed amenities for a day in the water, including a nearby dive center and a funky beach bar for post-snorkel libations. There are three good snorkeling reefs in this area, two of which are best visited by boat, and a third that’s close to shore and easy to reach.

The waters of the Salisbury Marine Reserve are a good place to look for one of Dominica’s most unusual fish, the flying gurnard. Photo: Walt Stearns

Secret Bay

Despite the name, this site isn’t a well-kept secret, though it will take a bit of doing to get to this less- visited snorkel site. Steep coastal bluffs and dense vegetation hinder shore access to this coral reef, leaving boat trips as the best option for most snorkelers. Access is much easier for guests of Secret Bay Resort, which is an eco-luxe property perched atop the bluffs. Guests are provided with complimentary snorkel gear and kayaks and can also join guided snorkel tours — including night snorkeling adventures. In addition to snorkeling the reefs, Secret Bay has sea caves and an Instagram-worthy setting that was featured in the original Pirates of The Caribbean film.

The bluffs above Secret Bay provide a dramatic backdrop for snorkelers and swimmers. This isolated beach is often visited by kayak. Photo: Secret Bay

Douglas Bay

Just north of Cabrits National Park, the waters of Douglas Bay are a favorite with snorkelers staying in the Portsmouth area. The best coral formations start a couple of hundred feet from shore, which won’t phase accomplished swimmers as they ply the typically calm waters. More casual snorkelers can opt for a boat trip from one of the nearby tour operators. The reefs in this area are made up of large boulders now heavily encrusted in corals. Searching the cracks and crevices of this big rock pile yields a wealth of unique marine life finds.

At Douglas Bay, huge boulders covered in corals become home to an intriguing assortment of marine life. Photo: Discover Dominica Authority

Cancun, Mexico, Play, Playa del Carmen

Cenote Swimming and Snorkeling Adventures

November 10, 2014

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Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula is home to some of the prettiest beaches in the world, with powder-white sand meeting turquoise waters. And just behind the beach, the land holds another aquatic delight: underground rivers that emerge from the limestone substrate to create sparkling pools of fresh water. These are the cenotes, and there are thousands of them scattered along the Riviera Maya coastline and hidden in the jungles just behind. Some remain wild, but others have been developed into popular eco destinations, with options ranging from sand-lined coastal lagoons to azure pools surrounded by overhanging cliffs. Here are five of our favorites, all located along the coast between Playa Del Carmen and Tulum, and within a two-hour or less drive from Cancun.

Casa Cenote

Casa Cenote is formed when an underground river emerges into a coastal mangrove lagoon. This provides swimmers and snorkelers with the best of both worlds, as they can explore the clear fresh waters of the lagoon, where there is a chance of a manatee sighting, then cross the road and walk just a few yards to the beach. There are changing facilities and an equipment rental concession on site, and when hunger sets in, the adjacent open-air restaurant at the Casa Cenote resort serves up a savory mix of local and Tex-Mex cuisines and plenty of cool libations.

Mangrove thickets line the shore of Casa Cenote, the warm waters of this lagoon provide a refuge for West Indian Manatees. The beach and the Caribbean Sea are just steps away. Photo: S. Prada/ iStock

Xelhá

This expansive coastal lagoon was the Yucatan’s original water-themed eco park, and it remains one of the most popular. Fortunately, it is large enough to accommodate the crowds that arrive on cruise ship days, and those willing to fin their way farther from the entry points can loose themselves in a network of small rock outcroppings undercut by ledges and hidden tunnels. Because the waters are a mix of fresh and salt, they hold a range of colorful tropical fish. In recent years, the park’s original emphasis on swimming and snorkeling has been expanded to include animal encounters and introductory diving experiences.

Xcaret ParkX

In addition to immersing themselves in the various land-based natural and cultural programs offered by Mexico’s most popular eco-theme park, guests can don swim trunks and use flotation devices and snorkel gear to drift through a trio of underground streams. Don’t think dark and dangerous, because park designers have skillfully molded the natural waterways into safe passages with vaulted air spaces above, and frequent openings in the tunnel roofs that allow sunlight to stream in. In fact, at points all across the park, visitors who remain dry may catch glimpses of swimmers passing below.

At Xcaret, guests can drift along a subterranean river that runs through the park. Sunlight filters through foliage and skylights cut into the underground sections of the waterway. Photo: Xcaret

Grand Cenote

Away from the coast, cenotes transition from lagoons to holes in the ground. Literally. Grand Cenote is a large circular basin surrounded by limestone cliffs, and the water is accessed by sets of wooden staircases reminiscent of a scene from an Indiana Jones film. The walls of the cenote are overhung, allowing snorkelers to swim safely into shadow-filled caverns decorated with bone-white stalagmites and stalagmites. The view back into the sunlight from the darker corners of the caverns is dramatic. This site is also popular with divers, and you may see some carrying powerful lights as they follow guidelines into a cave system that stretches below the jungle for miles.

Grand Cenote is a popular destination for swimmers and snorkelers, and the entrance into a vast network of underwater tunnels that challenge the world’s best cave divers. Photo: Dave Mantel/iStock

Cenote Dos Ojos

Though the entrance to this linked pair of subterranean pools doesn’t look all that impressive from the parking lot, it soon opens into an expansive, partially flooded cavern and cave system. This provides snorkelers and scuba divers with a safe yet awe-inspiring glimpse at the Yucatan’s flooded underworld. A guided tour is the best way to experience the labyrinth of passageways and swim-throughs that skirt the shadowed recesses of the cavers. Much of this route will be lit by filtered daylight, but a hand held light will bring out the details of the intricate rock formations. Some tours also lead into an additional cavern known as the Bat Cave, which is fully underground, but brightened by overhead electric lighting.

The water-filled boundaries of Cenote Dos Ojos extend into numerous overhangs that allow snorkelers and divers to venture deep into the shadow-filled recesses of the cavern. Kimberly Sue Walker/iStock

Aruba, Bonaire, Caribbean, Curacao, Play, Trip Ideas

The ABCs of Snorkeling

July 18, 2014

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The Caribbean’s ABC Islands-Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao-lack the lush greenery of the windward chain, and instead offer arid interiors where cacti thrive. This is not only good news for sun worshipers, who seldom have to dodge rain clouds, but also for snorkelers, who will find coastal waters unsullied by runoff from rivers and streams. Combine this clarity with underwater topographies that place coral reefs close to shore, and you have the makings of ideal snorkel destinations.

Aruba

If you just fin out from a resort along Palm Beach, you might not think Aruba has much to offer the snorkeler. Finding the island’s more scenic reefs and clearest water will require a bit of travel, either by car or boat. On the island’s northwest corner, the calm waters just offshore of Arashi Beach and Boca Catalina hold colorful schools of fish and are a favorite destination for tour boats. The shores are accessible by rental car or taxi, though reaching the reefs from shore requires one to negotiate coral rubble and rocks in the shallows. Adjacent Malmok Beach offers similar conditions and fewer people. South of the hotel zone, Renaissance Island provides guests of the namesake resort with access to a private island for snorkeling and sunning. Also worth checking out is De Palm Island, which offers an all- inclusive day at their beach club that includes the use of snorkeling gear, instruction and a lunch buffet. Driving or taxiing towards San Nicolas will yield more sites that are accessible from shore, including Savant Beach, and sheltered Baby Beach, a favorite with families and novices. A stay at the Renaissance Aruba Resort & Casino gives first-timers a protected cove to hone their skills, along with exclusive access to the resort’s private island.

Favorite destinations for snorkel excursions by boat or from the beach are the reefs off Arashi Beach and the California Lighthouse on Aruba’s calm northwest corner. Photo: Aruba Tourist Authority

Bonaire

This quiet island’s nickname is “Diver’s Paradise,” but the same clear waters and nearshore reefs scuba enthusiasts crave are also ideal for snorkeling. Along Bonaire’s sheltered western shore, the reefs begin mere feet from land. Entries can be made directly from one of the waterfront resorts, or at any shoreside parking spot along the coast road where a painted yellow rock marks a dive or snorkeling site. Signature mid-island sites include Karpata and Thousand Steps, where coral growth encroaches on the ironshore. Some of the most colorful and extensive shallows are also found at sites south of the Salt Pier. A number of the dive resorts offer boat trips to more remote reefs to the north and around the desert island of Kline Bonaire. There are several diver-centric resorts perched on low bluffs just north of the town of Kralendijk where one can plunge in from a dockside ladder. If you want a more complete resort experience along with a sand beach, try Harbour Village or the Plaza Beach Resort.

Snorkelers at Bonaire’s Thousand Steps, a site where coral reefs begin just yards from shore and slope gently into the depths. There are actually only 65 stone stairs to descend. Photo: Walt Stearns

Curacao

Curacao’s southern coast creates shelter from the region’s prevailing trade winds, providing calm shallows that nurture colorful arrays of hard and soft corals. One of the island’s most popular snorkeling sites is Caracas Bay, where the remains of a small tugboat sit in shallow water near a coral garden, and the broken pilings of an old pier provide additional opportunities for fish watching. Several charter companies offer boat trips to this site, or you can create a self-guided tour by wading in from the shore. For more snorkeling adventures, rent a car and head to the central and western sections of the coast, which is punctuated by a number of snorkel-worthy bays. Many have beachfront eateries or parks where you can rinse off afterward and enjoy a libation. Stay at one of the waterfront resorts east of Willemstad, such as Sunscape Curacao Resort, Spa & Casino or the Royal Sea Aquarium, and you’ll have walking access to the Curacao Sea Aquarium and the island’s favorite sandy strand, Mambo Beach.

The tugboat wreck sits in the shallow waters of Curacao’s Caracas Bay. This is one of the island’s signature snorkel sites, accessible either by boat or from the shore. Photo: Curacao Tourist Board

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Caribbean, Play, Trip Ideas

Common Reef Fish of the Caribbean

July 10, 2014

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What was that fish? More than 500 species of finned creatures live in the waters of the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Sea. While you may not see them all on your next Caribbean snorkeling vacation, some of these fish are regulars on the reefs and easy to spot. Here’s a quick look at 10 of the fish you are most likely to find swimming about or tucked in rock and coral crevices when you put your head under.

Cozumel, Mazatlan, Mexico, Play, Trip Ideas

Into the Blue: Best Snorkel Sites in Mexico

July 7, 2014

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Whether it’s the clear waters of the Caribbean or the blue depths of the Pacific calling, visitors to Mexico’s coast feel the call of the sea. Those who want to heed this call would do well to take a mask and snorkel, and venture out from shore. Along any coast where breaking waves don’t hinder, there are discoveries to be made. But not all snorkel sites are created equal, and these favorites offer the best combination of calm water, easy access and abundant marine life.

Cozumel

The western shores of Mexico’s Cozumel Island are home to some fantastic shallow reefs, many of which can be reached with a short swim from shore. But not all these waters are suited for novices, as the same currents that create the island’s dramatic coral and sponge growth can also make self- guided snorkeling a tricky prospect—especially at sites to the north where currents are more likely to push you out to sea than in to shore. Currents tend to be milder near the shore at sites along the central coast, and two favorite spots for shore access are the dock at the Monkey Bar Beach Club and the stone landing at the Fiesta Americana Cozumel. Boat-based tour operators have learned to use currents to their advantage, dropping groups of divers or snorkelers at one end of a reef, and then picking them up after they’ve enjoyed a free ride on the moving waters. One perennial favorite for drift snorkels is Paradise Reef, where the many nooks and crannies of the coral provide shelter for lobster, eels and more than 200 species of tropical fish. For a milder yet still memorable shore snorkel, you’ll want to head to Chankanaab Park, where you’ll find an underwater sculpture garden and swarms of colorful fish. On-island accommodations cover a wide range of options from modest to memorable, both in terms of amenities and pricing. The Cozumel Palace delivers a good combination of pampering and value.

The currents that wash the reefs of Cozumel bring life-giving nutrients. Here, a school of porkfish and grunts takes shelter behind a soft coral growth. Photo: Jodi Jacobson/iStock

Cabo Pulmo

Mexico’s Cabo Pulmo National Marine Park is a haven for fish, sea lions and manta rays, and a playground for divers, sea kayakers and snorkelers, who come to explore the finest protected waters in the Sea of Cortez. It’s a two- hour drive from Cabo San Lucas to the small village of Cabo Pulmo, and several tour services provide daily transport and snorkel equipment— including the wetsuits that may be needed in the cooler months. It’s also possible to create a self-guided adventure by renting a car and driving to Mermaid’s Beach for a shore entry, or signing on with a local boat captain for a trip to Lover’s Beach or out to Frailes Rock to swim with the sea lions. In summer, water temperatures reach into the mid-80s, making wetsuits unnecessary, while sea breezes keep air temperatures significantly cooler than other parts of Baja. For those who want more than a day in the water, nearby Cabo Pulmo Beach Resort offers clean, cost-effective beach bungalows and more luxurious villas, plus an on-site dive shop and twice daily guided snorkel tours.

Of the more than 6,000 species of marine life found at Cabo Pulmo, manta rays are possibly the most exciting. At times, they will leap from the water. Photo: iStock

Mazatlan

The Pacific Coast city of Mazatlan overlooks a group of nearshore islands that offer plenty for snorkelers to discover. The easiest to reach, Stone Island, is actually connected to the mainland by a narrow rocky peninsula, but is best accessed by a short water taxi from South Beach across the navigation channel. Once there, the best place to fish watch is along the small rocky cove on the western tip of the island, where there are also several derelict ships sitting in shallow water. A couple of miles to the north, and directly off the resort area known as the Golden Zone, are a trio of small uninhabited islands, named Deer, Bird and Goat, which are surrounded by clear waters and shallow reefs. Tour operators offer day trips to the islands. Deer Island provides a long, shallow shelf that holds a variety of fish, while Goat Island is the least visited and offers more solitary snorkeling within a reef-sheltered basin. There are a number of prime beachfront resorts on the nearby mainland, and one of our favorites is the El Cid Marina Beach.

The shallow-water crevices around Mazatlan’s outlying islands are home to a population of nurse sharks. Unless severely provoked, these fish are harmless to humans. Photo: Yann Poirier/iStock

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Champagne Reef

Scott’s Head Beach

Solomon Reef

Salisbury Beach

Secret Bay

Douglas Bay

Casa Cenote

Xelhá

Xcaret ParkX

Grand Cenote

Cenote Dos Ojos

Aruba

Bonaire

Curacao

Cozumel

Cabo Pulmo

Mazatlan

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