Baby Beach Snorkeling

Baby Beach snorkeling, in short

Baby Beach snorkeling is the easiest in Aruba, and it is the one to bring children to. The cove sits at the southeastern tip of the island, near San Nicolas. A natural coral barrier protects it.

Inside there is almost no current. You can stand up nearly anywhere. Also, you can see a child from one side of the lagoon to the other. No other site on the island offers that combination.

The three zones

First, the inner lagoon. It runs half a metre to a metre and a half over sand. Wrasse, sergeant majors, juvenile snapper and reef squid live here, so it is the right place for a first mask.

Second, the middle. At one and a half to two and a half metres, this is where the coral patches are. As a result the snorkeling is genuinely good: parrotfish, blue tangs, stingrays and angelfish.

Finally, the outer barrier. It runs two and a half to four metres, and it is for confident swimmers. The coral heads are bigger, and turtles pass through.

Practicalities

The entry is wide, sandy and gradual. There is a large free car park, restrooms, and a food truck at weekends.

However, there is no gear rental on site. Rent in Palm Beach before you drive down, because turning up without a mask means an hour back up the island.

It is about 30 kilometres from Palm Beach, or 35 minutes on Route 1 through San Nicolas. At weekends, arrive by nine if you want a shaded palapa.

The one Baby Beach snorkeling rule that matters

Do not swim outside the barrier. The lagoon is calm because the barrier holds back open-ocean current, and that current is strong.

Visibility inside runs 5 to 15 metres. That is lower than the northwest sites. Still, it is the trade you make for a place where nobody has to be a strong swimmer.

Nearby

Further up the coast, Mangel Halto has the healthiest coral in Aruba. Family boat trips are listed under snorkeling tours. The Aruba Tourism Authority covers the rest of the island.

Can you reach Baby Beach on a tour?

No. Baby Beach is an enclosed lagoon at the far south-eastern tip of the island, roughly an hour from where the snorkel fleet operates. The barrier that makes it calm enough for children is also the reason no boat comes in.

If you want a boat trip as well as this reef, the tours leave from the west coast and snorkel there instead. Malmok Beach and Boca Catalina are the reefs they actually visit, and the snorkeling tours page lists every one of them.