One of our favourite things to do is go snorkelling in St Kitts. With beautiful warm waters all year-round and a vast array of sea life even along the shores it’s easy to see why. There’s nothing better than spending a relaxing morning or afternoon lolling around in the sea and best of all its free to do!

One thing to note is there are very few places on St Kitts to rent snorkelling gear from. If snorkelling is your jam, you may want to buy your own gear and bring it with you. After 4 years living in St Kitts we have explored a lot of the shoreline by snorkelling so here are our top picks for the best places for off the beach snorkelling in St Kitts.

Snorkelling in St Kitts- The Caribbean Sea

White House bay

This secluded bay is the home to Salt Plage restaurant on the south east peninsula. The beach is rocky, and we would recommend water shoes to get in and out as there are sea urchins and fire coral on and around the rocks here. Once in the water, the snorkelling is easy and the bay is not very deep. Being on the Caribbean side of the island there are very little waves or current.

South Friars Bay

There are a couple of places to get in the water here and it is a good starting snorkel for nervous swimmers and beginners. Get in at Shipwreck beach bar and the reef is directly in front of you marked out by buoys. Follow the reef with the shore on the right-hand side it’s impossible to get lost. Alternatively get in further down the beach at Discovery beach bar and snorkel with the shore on the left. It is very shallow and has lots of fish to see. You can also rent snorkelling equipment from Shipwreck beach bar for a small fee.

Carambola Beach Club

For more advanced snorkellers or confident swimmers get in the water on the right-hand side of the dock. If you swim around to the right into the bay there is a good chance you will see spotted eagle rays and turtles. If you continue along here, you will eventually get to Frigate Bay South Beach. For less confident snorkellers get in anywhere on the beach and swim left along the reef.

Frigate Bay South Beach

Also known as Timothy Beach, it is situated walking distance from the Marriott hotel. Frigate Bay South beach is an easy snorkel as there are steps down into the water from the Timothy Beach hotel dock. The snorkelling is easy with very shallow water you can stand in most places. Go around the dock to the left of the beach and snorkel along the coast to see octopus, lobsters, urchins and lots of fish.

Shitten Bay

It is a common misconception that Shitten Bay can only be accessed by boat. There is a short hike that takes you from Majors Bay over the hill to Shitten bay with a trail clearly marked out following an old riverbed. The hike itself takes under an hour and you can enjoy great views of Nevis along the way. The snorkelling around the wreck at Shitten bay is worth the hike, one of the best snorkelling spots in St Kitts where the catamaran tours stop. With this in mind it can be a little crowded especially on weekends.

Nags Head reef

If you are at Shitten Bay, the Nags head reef is further round to the left at the very southern tip of the island. It is rumoured to be the best spot on St Kitts for snorkelling. If you are a confident swimmer and the thought of hiking after a long swim isn’t too daunting, then you can swim around from Shitten Bay. This reef is mostly reached by boat as part of a St Kitts snorkelling tour.

Sandy Point Marine Park

This reef is protected by the St Kitts government to prevent over fishing on the island. It is not uncommon to see dive boats moored nearby however the reef is accessible from the shore. Situated just outside the village of Sandy Point is the beach at Pump Bay. To get here take the first left turn down towards Fig Tree follow the road to the end and then take the footpath down to the beach. Enter the water on the left side of the beach and snorkel around to the reef.

Snorkelling in St Kitts- The Atlantic Ocean

Half Moon Bay

Only for experienced swimmers this beautiful bay is right next to the St Kitts Golf course. Half Moon bay is on the Atlantic side so there can be large waves and an under current here at certain times. There are multiple reefs to see and they are huge and beautiful with lots of life. The main reef which forms the ‘wall’ of the bay is only suitable for snorkellers on a very calm day as the waves crash right over the reef when its choppy. Inside the bay there are several smaller reefs which are easy to access from the beach. On the Half Moon Bay reef you might encounter turtles and reef sharks.

Dieppe Bay

This reef is in the far north of the island where the Caribbean Sea meets to Atlantic Ocean. Snorkelling conditions here can be choppy when the waves meet. The reef protects the bay and the amount of life here is evident by the local fishermen that anchor around the reef for their daily catches.

Turtle Beach

A little off the beaten track Turtle Beach is off the South East Peninsula on the Atlantic side. The bay is protected by the reef and lots of fish and turtles can be spotted here. Be aware that this beach is also popular with kite surfing so we recommend bringing a float so that you are easily visible. Usually when the kite surfers are out the sea is likely to have more waves.

So there you have it the 10 best snorkelling spots on St Kitts. However, if lazy beach days are more your thing check out this post on the best beaches in St Kitts. Or if you want to get under the sea and give scuba diving a try check our guide on finding a great dive centre!

Have you been snorkelling in St Kitts? Any other places you would recommend? Let us know in the comments!

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