Best snorkeling in Belize or Roatan

[spaceflower77]

Hi, I'm cruising with my family in October... My son (10) LOVES snorkeling. I'd like to find the best spot/tour for him in either Belize or Roatan and then the other port do a beach day with all the kids (from 4-11), maybe snorkeling from shore. I'd like to keep costs down, all inclusive would be great or somewhere with a bar/grill. For the beach day I'd like a less populated area, similar maybe to Nachi Cocum in Cozumel. Any ideas for a beach day with the kids and/or snorkeling please post! Thanks.

[Will in sunny FL]

Before going to Belize look up Coral Breeze Tours for a super snorkeling trip off of Caye Caulker as well as a great local lunch on Caye Caulker.

We go with them two times each year & highly recommend them.

In Roatan we suggest Taybanna Beach for great off the beach snorkeling.

Bill in FL

[KAandJJ]

Thank you for recommending Coral Breeze. I haven't had any luck finding a company to dive with other than booking directly through the cruise ship. Hopefully they will have enough cruisers the day we will be there, so we can book with them.

 

I second Tabayana for off the land snorkeling in Honduras! When we snorkeled there 6 years ago we felt like we were swimming in someone's fish tank! Fantastic snorkeling! Plus the beach is beautiful, you'll have access to bathroom facilities, bar/restaurant, live calypso music... what more can you ask for!?!? :)

[marshhawk]

In Belize, we did the snorkeling from Goff's Caye. Belize itself does not have beaches, you tender in to town, and have to pick up a tour group. But for the Goff's Caye snorkeling excursion, they pick you up at the ship and take you to the island. It's just beautiful! We had the option of staying on the boat and snorkeling from the reef to the island, or docking, and leaving from the beach. It was quite choppy the day we were there, and there are a lot of people all going in the same direction, splash, kick, splash, but over all you are in pretty shallow water, and see some great fish. After the "excursion" we were given some down time to rest. DH ad I snorkeled on the beach side, and some people went back in with out the crowd to snorkel over the reef. It was a lovely way to spend a day.:)

[spaceflower77]

Thanks for the reply's everyone... I think I am going to go the Mayan Princess route in Roatan... the pictures are gorgeous and the beach is important with the kids... I'm still so unsure about Belize, though!

[Will in sunny FL]

In Roatan, DO NOT miss Tayabana Beach for a beach day with some of the very best snorkeling anywhere, right from the beach ! Check that section of the board for many great comments.

Bill in FL

[cruisingforsix]

In Roatan, DO NOT miss Tayabana Beach for a beach day with some of the very best snorkeling anywhere, right from the beach ! Check that section of the board for many great comments.

Bill in FL

Hi Bill, can you tell me what board to check ,iam a little technologically declined. is there another board for roatan or do you mean the snorkeling board? Thanks

[Will in sunny FL]

Crusinforsix;

The "Rotan" area of this board is where to go for that port.

Bill in FL

[Arlington VA]

We'll be there in two weeks. I've heard great things about Tabayana. Can we get a taxi there from the cruise dock? Do you know the cost? Can we rent snorkel equipment on Tabayana? Thanks!

[jwm3751]

roatans west bay is by far the best for snorkling right off the beach 50 t0 100 ft in the water

[Will in sunny FL]

Arlington VA

You can book this thru your cruise line as only those who did this booking are allowed at this resort. Cruise cost about $35 PP.

Or you can get a cab to say the Mayan Princess hotel which is about 50 yards up the beach from Tabyana Beach & walk down to this beach as the beaches here are all public.

Enjoy !!

[sculder]

Just got back from Roatan and Belize three days ago. We booked independently through Upachaya for snorkeling in Roatan. I had heard nothing but good things about them and we were not disappointed! We apparently were the only two that had booked that day, so we had a private snorkel tour to ourselves. They limit nine to a tour, so it's always a small group. We went out to a reef and our guide led us through the reef. We saw two octopus, moray eels, sea snakes, massive starfish, and countless fish. They snorkel in two spots with fresh, homemade lunch served in between.

 

I've been snorkeling in the BVI at Virgin Gorda, St. John, Turks and Caicos, and Jamaica, and this has by far been the best kept reef, and abundance of fish I have ever seen. I'm including a link to some of our pics from the snorkel excursion.

 

Our photos (check out the captions on them because some are a little blurry)

 

http://www.upachaya.com/

[spaceflower77]

Sculder, thanks for the info! I loved the pics... everything looked totally different than what we saw in Hawaii. Both were gorgeous, but I am really looking forward to Belize and Roatan... I hope we see as much as you did! I would love to book a boat snorkel tour, but have three children with me and a friend with her kids, so we are going to do West Bay Beach and shore snorkel from the beach. Hopefully I will get back soon and be able to do that, though, it looks very nice. What did you do in Belize??? It's the only place I'm stuck on. I just don't want to spend $50 per person, as I don't think a 3 year old should cost that much (which is why I love Nachi Cocum in Coz :).

[sculder]

Sculder, thanks for the info! I loved the pics... everything looked totally different than what we saw in Hawaii. Both were gorgeous, but I am really looking forward to Belize and Roatan... I hope we see as much as you did! I would love to book a boat snorkel tour, but have three children with me and a friend with her kids, so we are going to do West Bay Beach and shore snorkel from the beach. Hopefully I will get back soon and be able to do that, though, it looks very nice. What did you do in Belize??? It's the only place I'm stuck on. I just don't want to spend $50 per person, as I don't think a 3 year old should cost that much (which is why I love Nachi Cocum in Coz :).

 

In Belize I desperately wanted to visit the Mayan Lamanai ruins. Carnival doesn't offer this tour, and I really wanted to do it, so we booked through Belizecruiseexcursions.com. We actually started the excursion in the middle of a tropical storm, so the van ride, and boat ride there wasn't very dry or pleasant. Once we arrived however, we ate fried plantains, papaya, stewed chicken, rice and beans, and pepper slaw. The storm passed over, and we enjoyed the ruins. This is the most "Indiana Jones-esqe" ruins you'll find in Belize. Amazing! Here's a link to our pics.

[newmexicoNita]

Thank you for recommending Coral Breeze. I haven't had any luck finding a company to dive with other than booking directly through the cruise ship. Hopefully they will have enough cruisers the day we will be there, so we can book with them.

 

I second Tabayana for off the land snorkeling in Honduras! When we snorkeled there 6 years ago we felt like we were swimming in someone's fish tank! Fantastic snorkeling! Plus the beach is beautiful, you'll have access to bathroom facilities, bar/restaurant, live calypso music... what more can you ask for!?!? :)

 

Boy do I agree with this. I just keep telling everyone about Tabayana. I have snorkeled in Hawaii, all over Mexico and southern plus eastern Caribbean and never had an experience like Tabayana. Add to that, yes, the beautiful beach and the fact that, because you snorkel from shore it is great for new snorkelers, questionable swimmers and there is always the beach for little kids.

NIta

[billie5]

If you are thinking about going snorkeling with Coral Breeze Tours in Belize, you might want to read some more threads about them. It seems they sub-contract in Belize.

 

Bill

[blaze32789]

In Belize, we did the snorkeling from Goff's Caye. Belize itself does not have beaches, you tender in to town, and have to pick up a tour group. But for the Goff's Caye snorkeling excursion, they pick you up at the ship and take you to the island. It's just beautiful! We had the option of staying on the boat and snorkeling from the reef to the island, or docking, and leaving from the beach. It was quite choppy the day we were there, and there are a lot of people all going in the same direction, splash, kick, splash, but over all you are in pretty shallow water, and see some great fish. After the "excursion" we were given some down time to rest. DH ad I snorkeled on the beach side, and some people went back in with out the crowd to snorkel over the reef. It was a lovely way to spend a day.:)

 

 

Hi, I am on the NCL Sun for Oct 16 which is going to Belize. Does Goff's Caye pick up from anyship? Also, how do I find out about there snorkeling packages? Thanks!