Terminal to Catalina Boca to Eagle Beach to Terminal

We're in port on the Breeze from 8-4. Can you tell me if this plan is feasible?

1. Leave the terminal on a bus heading to Catalina Boca for snorkeling (with our own gear). Maybe snorkel and chill there for a couple hours. There are no facilities there so I don't want to spend all day.

2. Hop a bus to Eagle Beach for swimming, beach, and drinks for the rest of the afternoon.

3. Back to terminal.

I've looked at the map, so I'm assuming that this hypothetical plan would work.

Also, I've found the bus schedule, and I believe that we want route 10A. Is this correct? There were no fare prices listed on the schedule. Anyone know the fare rates or where to find them?

Thanks!

Sorry I just realized I switched the name around. Boca Catalina:)

Yes, this is a very feasible plan. You have the correct bus number. The price is $2.30 per person, each way.

Be sure to verify the times--I printed out the bus schedule and it was not accurate. The bus that goes to Catalina Cove (Arashi bus) only runs once an hour so make sure you have an idea of when it will come. If you watch, you can see it going north to Arashi and know it will be coming back a few minutes later. If you just miss that, you can walk back toward town and possibly catch a Malmok bus sooner than another Arashi bus will come. It's less than 1/2 mile. There is very frequent bus service between the hotel area and town.

We had excellent snorkeling at Catalina Cove on our recent cruise. Conditions were ideal and we saw more fish than in Bonaire.

Be sure to verify the times--I printed out the bus schedule and it was not accurate. The bus that goes to Catalina Cove (Arashi bus) only runs once an hour so make sure you have an idea of when it will come. If you watch, you can see it going north to Arashi and know it will be coming back a few minutes later. If you just miss that, you can walk back toward town and possibly catch a Malmok bus sooner than another Arashi bus will come. It's less than 1/2 mile. There is very frequent bus service between the hotel area and town.

 

We had excellent snorkeling at Catalina Cove on our recent cruise. Conditions were ideal and we saw more fish than in Bonaire.

The Arashi bus is the one that drops off at Catalina, right?

yes :)

As soon as we walked off the ship and found the bus terminal (you need to walk straight off the pier unless you cross the busy main road, and terminal is on your right), we hopped the 10 and asked the driver to let us off at Boca Catalina. The beach entrance was much easier because there aren't as many rocks. We snorkeled out and right to Catalina Cove.

I noticed as soon as we started our gentle swim that we were heading NW with the current and told the other couple we were with to take it slow out since we'd be swimming against the current back to the beach. It was the perfect strategy. Although the current wasn't awful or unsafe, I could see how inexperienced snorkelers might extend too much energy in a hurry to get to the reefs. We saw a lot of really cool little critters, including starfish, and I was very happy we decided to do this on our own!

As we were getting ready to leave, the tours were all starting to drop off their snorkelers. It was about 10:30 or a little after. We waited about 20 mins or so for the 10 bus to turn around at Arashi and waved the driver down.

Our next stop was Eagle Beach, beautiful but really busy. We stayed for just under an hour...just long enough to float around and dig our toes into the powdery sand. Catching the bus back the port was easy.

Reiterating a great piece of advice given on this board - bring exact change for each one-way trip ($2.30 per person, per ride). You can use US$, but if it isn't exact, change is given in their currency. For us as a couple we spent a total of $13.80 (port to Boca Catalina / BC to Eagle Beach / EB to port). The bus has AC and is very clean.