I’m a water lover and could easily spend every day of the week snorkeling, diving or just floating. If you’re not a certified scuba diver or if you just want a break from the tanks, there’s certainly enough sites on St Croix to keep you busy. Because 3/4 of our shores are protected by barrier reef, St Croix offers some really stellar snorkeling locations. You can explore beaches on your own or join up with a snorkeling tour at Buck Island or the West End of the island. You’ll find a diverse array of fish and other sea life in the seagrass beds, at rocky outcroppings or along the offshore reefs. You can purchase or rent gear at most of the dive shops on island. If you’re opting for a tour, gear will be included.
Who Do We Love :: Snorkel Tours & St Croix Beaches
Buck Island National Park
Buck Island Snorkel Tours are by far the #1 excursion on St Croix and are not to be missed, so we’ve dedicated a whole page just to Buck Island National Park and Underwater Monument check out options there.
Best Beaches for Snorkeling
Palms at Pelican Cove (Christiansted)
Soon to be the first beach to raise the Blue Flag (an eco designation given to only the best managed beaches), the beach at the Palms at Pelican Cove offers a fantastic coral garden for exploring. There’s an excellent sign located on the beach that offers a map of the snorkeling area, as well as a list of many of the different creatures you may encounter. Its also an active sea turtle nesting beach and its not unusual to meet one while snorkeling there.
Jacks & Isaac’s (East End)
One of the best snorkeling locations on St Croix by far. Meander through the coral gardens and you’ll encounter sting rays, spotted eagle rays, blue tang, trunk fish, trumpet fish, sea turtles and more. To get to the beach requires about a 15 minute hike down for the parking area at Point Udall (there’s a pull off to the left just before you get to the monument) but the trail is well maintained. You’ll want to carry in beverages and a snack or lunch as there are no facilities. Leave valuables back at home or in your hotel room. For more information read my blog post
Cane Bay (North Shore)
A popular beach for locals and tourists alike and also one of the best shore dive locations in the Caribbean. Snorkeling is easy and pretty spectacular right off shore. Cane Bay is a great location to spend the day with beach bars like eat@Cane Bay just across the street. You can rent or purchase snorkeling gear onsite from Cane Bay Dive Shop.
West End Snorkel Tours
St Croix Ultimate Blue Water Adventures (aka SCUBA)
www.stcroixsnorkeltours.com
Tel 877-567-1367
Snorkeling tours of St Croix’s West End take off from SandCastles on the Beach and include stops at a variety of locations including the Butler Bay shallow wrecks, Sandy Point Wildlife Refuge, West end offshore reefs and the Frederiksted Pier.
Tours are typically Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday from 10am to noon or 2pm to 4pm
Adults $50 // Kids 12 and under $25
