Snorkeling in St. Thomas, Barbados or Dominica?

We are going to be in St. Thomas, Barbados and Dominica on our up coming cruise. We never been to any of these ports before so we are looking for some advice on snorkeling in each of them. Here are the options we are looking at:

-St. Thomas - we are thinking of going to St. John (Trunk Bay)

-Barbados - we are thinking of doing a catamaran tour with Silver Moon or a similar tour company to swim with the turtles and snorkel

-Dominica - we are thinking of snorkeling at Champagne Reef.

So my question is what are your experiences like in these places? We don't think we want to snorkel at all three locations, (likely just two), as we'd like to do some other activities during our time in port. Where would be your two "must snorkels" on this list? Or would it be worth snorkeling in all three?

Are there some other "must dos" at one of the ports mentioned above?

Dominica is an eco-tourist dream. Mountains and rivers and hot springs. :D I would snorkel elsewhere.

I have snorkeled all 3 locations.

Champagne reef in Dominica is a great snorkeling experience. However, depending on the weather on that particular day, the water may be too rough.

The snorkeling at Trunk Bay is nice, but I personally found that snorkeling with the turtles over shipwrecks in Barbados to be more interesting. That's just my opinion. Depending on how many ships are in port, TB can get quite busy...

While it has good diving and snorkeling, Dominica is not a "beach" stop. This island offers more "jungle" type excursions, like visiting Trafalgar Falls, Titou Gorge, Hot Springs, etc.

If you plan on visiting Trunk Bay at your St. Thomas stop, then this is definitely a beach / snorkeling stop. The snorkeling here is pretty good, and they have markers underwater which help you to identify various fish and other creatures...

Barbados has a good mix of beach and non-beach related activities, although the beaches here are absolutely amazing...

Cheers, P:)

Thanks for the advice!

Agree with off the beach snorkeling at St Thomas and the turtle day sail for Barbados. If you have extra time on Barbados the beaches along the west coast are absolutely gorgeous.

Experience the beauty of Dominica from land. Just hooking up with a driver when you arrive is a good way to see the highlights, but you will have a much better experience pre-booking a personal guide. Gorgeous island as noted with beautiful waterfalls and pools, as well as sulfur springs, a private driver will avoid the rest of the crowds.

For snorkeling STT we'd not choose Trunk because it's heavily touted and not the best snorkeling, in our opinion. If you want good off the beach snorkeling look at Waterlemon, or perhaps Francis and Maho bays. Fewer ppl and you'll probably want the driver to return for you. Trunk has the amenities but is more touristy. An island tour is also a good option if you're in port long enough. If you go to STJ go on your own via the Red Hook ferry to optimize your time and flexibility. For the best snorkeling take a daysail with Yacht Nightwind or High Pockets and moor off the cays of STJ.

You can also enjoy great snorkeling right on the East End of STT and save 1.5 - 2 hrs in travel time. Cowpet Bay (Elysian beach) is the least visited if you have your own gear. Secret Harbor and Sapphire are both great options, and Coki is good but more crowded.

 

For snorkeling STT we'd not choose Trunk because it's heavily touted and not the best snorkeling, in our opinion. If you want good off the beach snorkeling look at Waterlemon, or perhaps Francis and Maho bays. Fewer ppl and you'll probably want the driver to return for you. Trunk has the amenities but is more touristy. An island tour is also a good option if you're in port long enough. If you go to STJ go on your own via the Red Hook ferry to optimize your time and flexibility. For the best snorkeling take a daysail with Yacht Nightwind or High Pockets and moor off the cays of STJ.

You can also enjoy great snorkeling right on the East End of STT and save 1.5 - 2 hrs in travel time. Cowpet Bay (Elysian beach) is the least visited if you have your own gear. Secret Harbor and Sapphire are both great options, and Coki is good but more crowded.

Blue Water...you just saved me tons of research. We are going to STT the second week of December and we wanted to snorkel. My husband gets sea sick real easy so we want to avoid snorkeling off a boat. Your above information has come in handy.