Snorkeling in Punta Cana 2011

If you’re a fan of snorkeling, Punta Cana is the place to be. It has the longest coral reef on the island, reaching 30 kilometers in length. From north to south, the main beaches include Uvero Alto, Macao, Arena Gorda, Bavaro and El Cortecito, which are located north of the cape. On the south side, the beaches include Cabeza del Toro, Cabo Engano, Punta Cana and Juanilla. Beauty and relaxation is what you’ll find throughout the area, as Punta Cana features all-inclusive resorts that are geared toward couples and families. The resorts cater to specific groups of people, such as young couples, sports enthusiasts or college students. While this destination has a variety of water sports to enjoy, snorkeling is a favorite for many.

What makes Punta Cana a great place to snorkel?

The Caribbean sea mix with the Atlantic ocean, creating optimal conditions for all types of water sports, snorkeling included. Besides the warm waters and gentle winds, you can expect to find a diverse selection of tropical fish and coral, as well as white, sandy beaches, deserted caves and coconut palms. While snorkeling, you’ll find sunken ships and colorful fish everywhere you turn, as well as crisp, clear water that makes for vivid images.

coral fish, Dominican republic corals in Dominican republic

Snorkeling for Beginners and Experts

It is not only an exciting experience, but it is an affordable activity that families and young couples can enjoy. Every resort offers free equipment that is borrowed out on an as-needed basis. In this way, you can adventure out on your own, swimming right off the shore and getting experience on your own. In addition, most resorts run boats right off the coast on a daily basis. Here, you can join with other people and get a head start on the basics of snorkeling. The drawback is that these boats fill up quickly and take place right in front of the resort. Being overcrowded, you’ll have to deal with a lot of flippers in your face not much tropical fish to see so close to the shore.

Nevertheless, these underwater excursions are the perfect solution for beginners or those that need a quick refresher course. They offer the opportunity to get comfortable underwater and use snorkeling equipment. Once you’re confident navigating the water, it’s time to make the most out of your swimming experience. Locals often solicit customers for fishing and you can ask one of these locals to take you out for a few hours on their private boat. This way, you can adventure out on a deserted beach for several hours and the cost is affordable. If you luck out, the local will be someone who knows where to take you. Some even have the firsthand knowledge needed to catch an octopus or sea scallops.

Punta Cana Snorkeling Tours

If you have more in the budget to work with and feel most comfortable keeping with a structured group, opt for a snorkeling tour. These are generally arranged by resorts that hire their own tour operators. Since they cater to a tourist-like activity, these underwater tours choose some of the hottest spots in the Punta Cana area. They are often an hour to an hour and a half away, so the tour will be a full day or half day event. Although more expensive, the cost also includes transportation and food.

What can you expect during such a trip? A boat or catamaran will anchor you over an exotic reef, giving you access to active marine life and colorful corals. Equipment is free to rent and food and drinks are provided as well. Most departures take place over the Riu area. If you don’t have access to this area, you can take a shuttle bus that runs to Barcelo Bavaro instead. Snorkeling tours often provide entertainment, such as Caribbean dancing and music for the whole family to enjoy.

Hot Spots: El Cortecito, Bavaro Beach, Macao

With all the talk about snorkeling in Punta Cana, you’re probably wondering where the best places are located. Even with 30 kilometers of coral reef, there are certain areas that offer a more vivacious swimming environment. For beginners, you can snorkel right off the beach and rent equipment from your resort. While you won’t see many fish, it’s a great way to take advantage of it on your own, plus be safe in shallow waters. El Cortecito is also a great place for beginners, as the waters are safe and there are no dangerous cliffs or formations to avoid.

In general, the reefs off the south shore are better for snorkeling, as they’re clearer and more protected. Most resorts offer trips to Buccaneer’s Reef, which is located off Bavaro Beach. This is an excellent place for viewing multicolored fish and coral. In fact, some of the fish are so tame, they eat right out of your hands! You will need to take a boat to this reef, as it’s too far to swim out on your own. While this adds a small expense, most snorkelers agree that the tropical life you see is worth it.

Macao is located about 20 minutes west of Bavaro Beach and there are a number of choices for swimming with a mask here as well. This area is for more advanced snorkelers since there are cliffs located off the Punta Macao reef.

Another option is the all-inclusive resort Riu Taino, which has a private beach of its own. You can adventure out by yourself, especially toward the southern end of the resort where you can find coral and fish near the shoreline. The water is shallow in these areas, so it’s important to wear flippers or fins so you don’t cut your feet. Many tours also depart off the Riu area, going out into deeper waters to take advantage of a more colorful marine setting.

Snorkeling Hot Spots: Catalina Island

Located on Catalina Island, the reef off Club Med Beach is also a hot spot, otherwise known as The Aquarium. The locals call this area The Aquarium because you swim through two reef wall formations. Travelers agree that the marine life is active and there are exquisite corals to take pictures of. Also located on Catalina Island is the Wall. A soft slope drops 100 meters in depth from the beach, with two ledges to explore. One ledge drops off at 25 meters, while the other one drops at 40 meters. Here is where you’ll find an extensive garden of corals. In fact, the sea bottom too is covered in sponges and coral, perfect for photographs.

Snorkeling Hot Spots: Saona Island and Catalinita Island

Another place that offers an exceptional snorkeling experience is the Marinarium. It’s an open water aquarium the features such marine life as nurse sharks and sting rays. You can start the day off with a bus ride to the Cabeza del Toro where a platform boat will take you out to the Marinarium. This is a neat experience for divers of all backgrounds, but is most rewarding for beginners and children. You’ll be in close contact with instructors and be able to swim in safe, open waters.

Saona Island is arguably one of the best reefs in the Dominican Republic, as much of this island is part of a Protected Natural Park. This means that there is no construction that deteriorates the natural habitat, leaving this area to be untouched and pristine. Here is where you’ll find some of the more exotic marine life, including green moray eels and trumpet fish. Catalinita Island is also protected and here is where you can find some of the largest marine life, including dolphins, turtles and sharks. In fact, the first session is held off Shark Point!

Keep in mind that while snorkeling opportunities may be abundant, it’s important to be a strong swimmer. There are powerful currents and tides, which means if you get too far away from your boat and the tide changes, you’ll have a difficult swim back. While this may be okay for the advanced fin swimmer, it can be challenging for a beginner or intermediate. If you’re worried about going through a rip-tide, stay close to the boat and only go out onto the water with an instructor nearby.

Marine Life in Punta Cana

With the exceptional clear waters, the Punta Cana area has beautiful fish and colorful coral formations. What types of fish can you expect to find while delving into the waters? Of course, it will depend on where you go snorkeling, as areas closer to the shoreline will have less fish and coral to see. The farther out you go, the more there is to observe. For example, when visiting The Aquarium, you can swim with nurse sharks and stingrays.

No matter where you go, you can count on being able to view vibrant formations of coral reef, as well as large schools of fish. Larger marine life isn’t as common, although that doesn’t mean you can’t spot a shark or dolphin peeking up through the waters. If you happen to dive into a reef with a sunken ship, you can expect to find coral and barracuda fish. This is because the dark hiding spots in the ship allow the barracuda to keep out of sight. That is of course, until you find their hiding spot!

Other types of marine life you can expect to see include flatfish, eels, schools of colorful fish and octopuses. It can be hard to pinpoint the exact species of fish, especially as snorkelers are most interested in capturing photos as quickly as possible. Yet common species include the balloon fish and the trumpet fish, which change colors between the branches of the coral. Don’t be surprised if you see a spotted eagle ray swim past you, as well as green moray eels, lobsters and crabs. Turtles, massive sponges and starfish are other common finds, as well as a variety of ray species that include the Atlantic ray and eagle rays.

Punta Cana Snorkeling for Kids and Families

Snorkeling is a great family activity, as it’s structured and affordable. In most cases, kids pay half price to join and there is junior-sized equipment to fit their smaller faces. However, it’s recommended to bring the gear for your kids, as it can be difficult to find a size that fits them right. If you don’t plan on adjusting your child’s mask during the whole excursion, invest in one before you hit the waters. And, if you do bring along your own mask, your child can have fun practicing swimming in the beaches off the resort. By the time you take part in an excursion or a tour, your budding snorkeler will be that much more comfortable.

Not only are excursions affordable and family-friendly, but they don’t require any planning. Shorter excursions will generally provide you with soft drinks and snacks, while longer ones offer full meals and entertainment. What you will want to bring along is some sunblock, towels and a waterproof camera. You won’t want to go snorkeling without snapping shots of the marine life, so be sure to purchase a camera for everyone in the family – or at least the adults!

Conclusion

Punta Cana continues to be a popular choice for snorkeling, as well as surfing, parasailing and wind surfing. Not only can you expect to find an abundant underwater sea life, but there are reefs for divers of all experience levels. If you choose to stay at one of the resorts, you can enjoy this hobby for free, being able to rent equipment and try it right off the beaches. If you want access to a more energetic marine setting however, be sure to check out the excursions or tours located off one of our recommended hot spots. Punta Cana makes it possible to have an extraordinary vacation with an experience that fits your personal preference and budget.