Snorkel on our own in St. Kitts or St. Maarten?

Does anyone know if there is any good shore snorkeling in St. Kitts or St. Maarten where we could grab a taxi, or walk to get to?

You could check out the St. Kitts Marriott. We got a $35 day pass. The facility is nice and the snorkeling wasn't half bad off their beach. Easy to grab a cab from the port - its a short ride. You might want to email to see if its still offered though; we went in 2013.

You can get an idea of the snorkel area from this aerial (its the third pic in their slideshow.)

http://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/skbrb-st-kitts-marriott-resort-and-the-royal-beach-casino/

I just wanted to bring this up in case you didn't find a place that you could grab a cab and head to the beach for snorkeling.

Honestly, check out a tour with Spencer Ambrose to Jalousie Beach between the pitons. It is amazing snorkeling there! I was so impressed with that place and so much to see. My daughter (who has been snorkeling since she was 3 years old and is now 8 and been on 16 cruises now I believe) swears this is the best snorkeling she has ever done as well. For a kid to brag about it...it's just that good.

The tour itself is amazing as well and....they feed you! Plus all the drinks you want.

Check out my full review with hundreds of pictures from when we went last August. It's in my signature line (hit expand) and see what you think. :)

Thank you so much for recommending Spencer Ambrose: I just booked DH and me!

In St Kitts, there is some decent, not great but decent snorkeling from the beach by Carambola Beach Club. Facing the water, the snorkeling area runs parallel to the beach to the left. It's a great place for us as my husband could snorkel all day where as I get worn out so he can explore while I catch some rays. It doesn't cost to get into Carambola but you can rent loungers and umbrellas (I think it was $10 each for loungers and $10 for umbrella. They have decent prices (bucket of drinks...beer, soda or mixture for $19ish). The loungers are nice wood with a 4 inch pad on them, nice and comfy!

Just beyond Carambola is a more rustic spot on the same strip of beach. Shipwreck bar and beach. The cab will drop you off there and return for you when you tell them to. Black sand volcanic beach, free beach loungers and shade (but they do hope you buy a drink or lunch there), and the snorkeling is right out front. Looks like something out of Gilligans Island. Monkeys and Mongoose are fed scraps right by the bar, so they come down in the afternoon and you can get some good photos of them. We love snorkeling and did it at almost every Caribbean stop on our cruises for the last few years and found the snorkeling here at Shipwreck to be fine. The water clarity is not as sharp as some of the other islands, but good mixture of fish to see. We were happy with it.

Don

On St. Kitts, I second Shipwreck.

On St. Maarteen, the off the beach snorkeling is poor. Check out the Robinson Speed Boat Tour which offers snorkeling at 2 locations (and other fun things) or the boat rides to snorkel amid turtles.