Snorkeling in St. Lucia: Avoid the Crowds
The snorkeling in St. Lucia is fantastic. Besides the pristine beaches and crystal-clear waters, it’s a haven for snorkeling enthusiasts. During our recent visit, we discovered some hidden gems that offered not only breathtaking underwater views but also a sense of calm away from the crowds.
Although I attempted to capture the sea life, please be reminded I am an amateur photographer and have no skill with underwater photography. Please forgive me, Lots of love, Attiya.
This post contains affiliate links.
Where to go snorkeling
If you’re following my 10-day St. Lucia itinerary, then you’ll hit all these beaches throughout your stay. Bonus, they are (almost) all free to visit!
Anse L’Ivrogne beach under the Gros Piton
Getting to Snorkel Spots in St. Lucia
I suggest you rent a car in St. Lucia. Although there are taxis and buses, if you’re going to a site, beach, your accommodation, and then dinner… this can easily add up to about the same cost of getting a rental car for USD 100 a day. Some towns have a taxi service, like Gros Islet, Castries, and Soufriere. You must call ahead to book your taxi and taxis within town can be at a minimum of $15 one way. We used Discover Cars to rent and chose a Hertz SUV.
Renting snorkeling equipment
All the beaches we visited were free and we didn’t rent any snorkeling equipment. I suggest you buy a snorkel set and carry it around rather than rent it at each location. You’ll have a lot more freedom to snorkel where you want. You don’t need the flippers in St. Lucia so leave those at home; you’ll save on luggage space too. The reefs are right off the beaches and not very long, so you’ll be able to swim for an hour and see the best of each.
Top 4 Snorkel Sites in St. Lucia
Pigeon Island National Park: Accessible and popular
Cost: Entrance fee $10
Pigeon Island National Park boasts two beaches next to each other, separated by some rocks. We opted for the second beach for its shade, even though rental chairs are available on the first beach. We enjoyed the freedom of setting up our own spot.
Snorkeling gear can be rented for $50, and there is even diving equipment for $90. There are showers and bathrooms available for free.
There were fish to see but this ended up being the least impressive snorkeling of our stay. However, as you’ll likely be at Pigeon Island during your trip you should still do a little beach day.
Anse Mamin Snorkeling: Hidden Gem Behind A Resort
Cost: Free
Our day at Anse Mamin Beach was nothing short of magical. The beach is accessible through Jade Mountain Beach Resort. Park at the resort guest parking. Then, walk confidently down towards the restaurant. At the tennis court, and before you actually enter the restaurant, take a right on the path. Ignore the signs that say “Guests Only.” Follow the path through the beach and you’ll start seeing signs for Anse Mamin.
Keep going, keep going, and eventually, you’ll see this rock formation. Go past that and you’ll reach the beach.
The snorkeling experience here had clear waters and an abundance of marine life. Forget the crowds too; we enjoyed nearly three hours of uninterrupted snorkeling in this deserted strip.
The snorkeling here was lovely. There were three different reef areas to look about right off the beach. The water is warm and relatively calm with lots of cool fish.
Don’t forget to bring your own snacks and water to make the most of your time here as you may not be able to use the hotel restaurant facilities if they are crowded with resort guests.
Anse L’Ivrogne: Not on Google Maps
Cost: Free
For a truly unique snorkeling experience, head to Anse L’Ivrogne, nestled at the base of the Gros Piton. The beach is not even on Google Maps so you’ll have to trust me.
This beach was listed as a trail on our hiking app, Mapy. We later asked our hotel and they confirmed its existence.
To reach the beach, park at The View Restaurant. Then hike 15-20 minutes down, following the dirt road. Eventually, you’ll keep to your left where some colorful houses are and then you’ll reach the beach.
It does look like there was some sort of parking at the bottom, but depending on your car, you may not want to waste the effort driving down.
This snorkeling spot in St. Lucia is totally off the radar.
The snorkeling was incredible. We saw lots of fish, lobsters, eels, and more. It’s hard to show in all the photos, but just know that it was stunning. We probably snorkeled for about 3 hours on and off, and I just loved the experience. There was no one else there the entire time.
One of the most amazing things about snorkeling here was swimming with 1 million fish. I had never done anything like that before, and I was literally part of the school. I felt like I could touch the fish, but whenever I reached forward, they would swim away! Again, this was so hard to capture on camera…
Dinner tip: if you want to eat at The View (like we did) you must let them know beforehand; so be sure to yell about to get someone’s attention and secure your dinner spot.
Sugar Beach: Immerse Yourself In Luxury (For Free)
Cost: Free if you stay at Fond Doux. An access fee could be charged.
Fond Doux has an arrangement with Sugar Beach Resort, offering free access to their beach. While the beaches in St. Lucia are all technically free from what we read, this collaboration provides a hassle-free experience. We stayed at Fond Doux, so that was easy for us.
Even if you’re not staying at Fond Doux, you can still enter the resort, but you may be charged a fee to access. I think it’s worth it, but I don’t know how much it’ll cost you (not much, I assume though).
Sugar Beach Resort is a luxury experience like no other. It is literally $2,000 a night to spend a night here. This is reflected in the view and amenities. If you want to pretend you’re a guest here and take some photos to fool Instagram, be my guest. The worst I can see happening is they tell you to stop. I used the nice showers in the bathrooms, complete with high-quality shampoo and conditioner.
Set up your belongings on the beach and plunge into the sea, particularly on the right side of the dock where snorkeling is best. We came across squid, so many cool fish, and even an octopus!
Bring your own provisions for a day-long adventure. If the hotel is full, you won’t be able to use Sugar Beach’s restaurant.
I suggest you come in the morning around 9 or 10am to make this an adventure sans crowds; we arrived at 9am. By 11am, there were large tour groups and resort guests entering the snorkeling area. I could feel the fish hide.
If you’re not sure what you’re doing in St. Lucia, be sure to check out my 10-day itinerary.
