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Best Snorkeling: Caribbean

For many scuba divers residing in the Americas and Europe, a Caribbean snorkeling vacation provides the premier underwater and beach holiday experience.

This section of our website (Best Snorkeling Caribbean) presents practical information on our choices for the best coral reef snorkeling vacation destinations in the region.

The Caribbean Snorkeling Environment

For coral reef snorkelers wishing to get the best "bang for the buck" from their Caribbean snorkeling vacations, the Caribbean Sea proper is the place to be.

Map of Caribbean Sea proper, with our best snorkeling (Caribbean) picks labeled in dark blue.

The Caribbean Sea is the central portion of the the biogeographic region of coral reef development known as the "Greater Caribbean" or Tropical Western Atlantic. It is blessed with the the warmest average water temperature and greatest coral reef biodiversity of the entire Tropical Western Atlantic region.

The Caribbean Sea is bounded to the north by The Greater Antilles (Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico), and so does not include the waters and reefs of South Florida, The Bahamas, Turks and Caicos, or Bermuda.

Shallow Caribbean reef. © Fotolia.com

Most Caribbean snorkeling (by far) takes place within coral reef environments, and with good reason. Coral reefs are by far the most interesting and colorful underwater environments for snorkelers to explore and observe a great variety of marine life "up close and personal".

Less experienced snorkelers often prefer (and should begin) their reef explorations on shallow reefs (pictured left) found within the back reef zone.

As snorkelers gain experience and confidence they may wish to move further offshore to the upper reef face.

This is the portion of the coral reef biome where the greatest variety of corals and reef fishes may be observed in waters less than 30 ft. in depth.

Best Snorkeling Destination Selection Criteria

Selecting the very best snorkeling in the Caribbean is not such an easy task, for the Caribbean Sea spans thousands of square miles of ocean and contains many beautiful islands ringed by coral reefs.

Our selections for the best places to visit in order to explore the region's coral reefs were made using the following main criteria, all of which must be "good to outstanding" for a destination to be included in our list:

• Quality and accessibility of coral reef snorkeling sites: The condition (i.e., "health") of the coral reefs, average underwater visibility, water quality, and diversity of shallow sites readily accessible from shore or by a short boat trip.

• Diversity of reef life: The number of fish, coral, and other invertebrate species you are likely to see while snorkeling at this destination.

• Active coral reef ecosystem management: The referred destination has designated reasonably sized portions of its coral reef ecosystem(s) and adjacent waters as Marine Protected Areas (MPAs), and requires / enforces environmentally responsible snorkeling and diving practices

• Ready accessibility by international visitors: Access available from most major airports with no more than 2 changeover flights

• Acceptable accommodations and local transportation available at reasonable cost: Variety of accommodation / local transportation options available at equivalent rates to other towns/cities in the general area

Additionally, we consider the quality and "crowdedness" (for want of a better term) of the beaches and other tourism amenities at our chosen destinations. Why? Because most people going on a Caribbean snorkeling holiday are not going only to snorkel; they also want to experience the other many charms of island life - long stretches of deserted beaches, hospitality, vibrant night life, and other such pleasures.

For all these reasons, you may well notice that the "best snorkeling in the Caribbean" destination selections presented below differ from many other such recommendations you are likely to find online. This is by no means to say that other islands of the Caribbean do not offer good snorkeling opportunities; in fact, many do. The selections we present here are simply our personal picks of "the best of the best" for a complete Caribbean snorkeling vacation.

Best Snorkeling Caribbean: Top Destinations

Based upon the criteria described above, our destination picks for the "Best Snorkeling in the Caribbean" are (in no particular order) the following:

Aruba has some of the best beaches and one of the most hospitable climates of all Caribbean islands. Aruba snorkeling is deservedly considered excellent as well. There is easy beach access to many excellent sites and great snorkeling opportunities for all levels of snorkelers. A beautiful fringing reef borders most of the island's west coast.

Cayman Islands snorkeling is one of the very best ways to explore Caribbean coral reefs. A superb Marine Park system protects all coral reefs and marine life, and a healthy fringing reef surrounds each of the three islands. Underwater visibility is generally 100 feet or better, and ocean termperatures average a very comfortable 79-83 F.

Antigua snorkeling is ideal for children or the inexperienced. The island is bathed by the warm, pure waters of the open Atlantic, and much of the coast is surrounded by shallow fringing reefs and beaches that rival the finest in the entire Caribbean. Currents at many snorkeling sites are minimal, and underwater visibility generally ranges from 50-140 feet.

We have devoted a separate page of our website to each of these destinations (use links below to access), the locations of which are shown in our Caribbean Sea map (top of page).

Visit our page devoted to Caribbean Coral Reefs for more in-depth general information on reefs of the region.