Labadee vs CocoCay

Has anyone been to both?

I was at Labadee this past April and loved it. My Mom researched a good spot to go to, which we took a tram to, and we got seats, brought our own floats and just hung in the water, snorkeled with our own gear, had lunch/drinks and then explored some shops on our way out. It was a wonderful day.

Is CocoCay just as nice? Do they have shops? Any recommended beach area to go to? I'm not finding as much info on it as my Mom did for Labadee.

Coco Cay is similar, but much smaller...no amusement rides, or zip lines, etc..

There are some "local" shops, but not as extensive as on Labadee.

There are several beach areas....just walk till you find your perfect spot...quick and easy to do. I think I actually prefer Coco Cay to Labadee....

and

Cocoa is reached by a 'tender' ... no pier

shore DIY snorkeling is better at Cocoa ... there is a marked dedicated snorkel area

weather wise be aware that Cocoa is over 400 miles north of Labadee so depending on the time of the year there can be differences. Cocoa is about as far north as Miami while Labadee is roughly as far south as Grand Cayman.

We have been to both Labadee and Coco Cay many times, though Labadee even more than Coco Cay.

I prefer Labadee but Coco Cay is plenty good enough. The disadvantage of Coco Cay is that because you must use a tender boat to go and return, you may not even be able to get to Coco Cay if the current is too strong. Labadee now has a sturdy pier but I remember when we used to tender into Labadee. However, we never missed Labadee due to weather or currents, only once due to political unrest.

Labadee has much more to do in terms of attractions such as jet ski tours, Dragon Coaster ( my Hubby's favorite), Zip Line, a large water slide, interesting paths to hike, Dragon's Breath feature, water excursions to other areas, etc. It has a much larger number of crafts stores. It also features a few free trams that will atke you from one end of Labadee to the other.

Coco Cay is a tropical island. Labadee is a penninsula that backs up to a high mountain.

Labadee is usually pretty hot, even in winter. Coco Cay can get quite windy and even chilly in the winter or early spring.

Oh, you can get to Coco Cay on short cruises, but Labadee usually takes a longer cruise to reach. When Oasis was brand new, we did do a special three nighter to Labadee, but such itineraries are rare.

I think you can have a relaxing, lovely time at either place. I hope that one day you will be able to visit both, so you can compare them for yourself.