Snorkeling enthusiasts will find much to keep them in the turquoise waters that surround Paradise Island. Home to the famous Atlantis resort complex and located a short boat ride away from the capital city of Nassau, Paradise Island offers sun-kissed beaches and easy access to some of the best snorkeling sites in the Bahamas.
Reef Snorkeling
Snorkeling opportunities abound in the waters that surround Paradise Island. The Rose Island Reefs are a series of shallow reefs along nearby Rose Island that boast a beautiful array of coral and tropical fish. Unfortunately, as this is one of the most visited reefs in the area, it is beginning to show sings of damage.
Other popular snorkel sites include the Gambier Deep Reef, so named because it reaches a depth of 80 feet, the Goulding Cay reef, which has a reef so shallow it approaches the surface during low tide, and the Booby Rock Channel.
There are numerous tour operators offering snorkeling excursions to some or all of these sites. The price of half-day snorkel trips, including equipment and refreshments, start at approximately $50. These tours can usually be booked directly from your hotel.
If you prefer to do your snorkeling right from shore, bring your own snorkel gear or rent it from your hotel. Guests and visitors to the Atlantis resort can snorkel in the hotel's 7-acre Paradise Lagoon or right off of Cove Beach, as well as participate in their coral reef research project, which seeks to monitor, protect, and study local reefs.
Wreck Snorkeling
There are more than a dozen wrecks near the island, and several of them are suitable for snorkeling. The tip of the mast of the wrecked ship Carib Breeze is a mere 8 feet below the surface. Check with your tour operator to see if snorkeling excursions include wreck sites. You can also catch a glimpse of a few wrecks while snorkeling in the Rose Island reefs.
Tags: Paradise Island, Rose Island, Atlantis resort, from your, from your hotel