Aruba snorkeling: boat or shore?
Aruba snorkeling around Noord brings together different experiences rather than a single route. A boat trip combines sailing and organised stops, while a shore outing starts with choosing a suitable entry at a particular bay. Malmok has rock and limestone between narrow sandy sections; nearby Boca Catalina and Arashi have their own access and setting. Start with how you want to reach the water, then compare the equipment and time aboard.
The trips on this page depart from the Palm Beach area. Their practical differences include a picnic lunch versus snacks, named Antilla stops versus a two-stop sailing programme, and the precise beach or pier where you meet. For other activities from the same district, return to the Noord excursion comparison.
Sailing and snorkeling
Choose the sail with a picnic if lunch matters to you. The Antilla and Boca Catalina trip includes two named snorkeling stops.
Hand-picked tours, booked through GetYourGuide and Viator. Prices are indicative starting prices in US dollars (as of November 2026). Tap a tour for live availability and the current price in your currency.
Cruise with two snorkeling stops
- High-quality snorkeling equipment
- Unlimited open bar
- Sunbathing trampolines
Guides accompany the cruise, with hors d'oeuvres on board.
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Sailing and snorkeling with lunch
- Snorkeling equipment
- Picnic lunch
- Open bar
A sailboat outing with equipment provided for snorkeling.
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Sailing and snorkeling at Antilla and Boca Catalina
- Use of Snorkelling equipment
- Unlimited Open Bar
- Light snacks and fresh fruit
Two snorkeling stops are included, with music and a rope swing on board.
Check availability →Daytime sailing with snorkeling stops
Choose the picnic-lunch sail for a meal aboard, the Antilla and Boca Catalina catamaran for named stops, or the two-stop sail with guides and hors d'oeuvres. Equipment is included in all three.
Antilla wreck and Boca Catalina
The catamaran excursion with snacks and fresh fruit explicitly includes snorkeling stops at Antilla and Boca Catalina. It also includes equipment, music, shaded lounging areas and an open bar. The historical Antilla account describes a German freighter sunk by its own crew during the Second World War. That history helps explain the attraction, but it is not a description of today's visibility or the condition of every part of the wreck.
Use a boat excursion with an explicit wreck stop rather than planning a swim out from the beach. This guide does not provide a shore-to-wreck swimming route. Boca Catalina is a small bay in the Malmok area, with a sandy beach reached by steps from roadside parking. Visiting the bay from a boat and entering from land are different practical plans, even when the destination name is the same.
Catamaran tours from Palm Beach
For an Aruba catamaran outing, decide whether you mainly want sailing space and time aboard or a particular underwater destination. The picnic-lunch sail starts on the beach in front of the Hyatt Regency towel hut and includes snorkeling equipment and an open bar. Its meal makes it a different proposition from a lighter snack-based sail; choose by what you want your time on board to include.
The sailing experience from Pelican Pier includes two snorkeling stops, guides, equipment, hors d'oeuvres and an unlimited open bar. Those inclusions describe the activity without establishing a fixed Antilla route. When comparing Aruba snorkeling tours, a named wreck stop and a general two-stop programme should remain distinct. For sailing focused on the evening instead, use the sunset cruise guide.
Malmok and Arashi from the shore
Malmok's narrow sandy strips sit between rocky sections. Avoid treating the whole coast as an uninterrupted walk-in beach. Arashi lies farther northwest, beyond Malmok on the way to the lighthouse, and is described as a sandy swimming and snorkeling beach. An area's usual character is a starting point for choosing it, not permission to enter regardless of the day's waves and currents.
Public beach access also differs from use of hotel facilities. The government's statement of 24 February 2026 confirms public access to Aruba's beaches; loungers, shade structures and private passages have separate conditions. The Noord overview explains the coastal areas, while the accommodation guide helps you choose a base without assuming every beach is within walking distance.
Equipment and entering the water
All three boat options here include snorkeling equipment. The two-stop sail also lists guides, while the Antilla and Boca Catalina catamaran includes shaded lounging areas alongside its deck space. Equipment and a boat ride do not remove the need to consider your swimming ability and the crew's directions. Keep the actual water entry and the return aboard in mind when choosing an outing.
For dedicated support from land, the private options include a guide starting at Tres Trapi, with equipment, floating aids and an edited video. That activity is separate from the shared sails. Transport is excluded, and life jackets are available on request, so it suits a different plan from arriving at a pier for time aboard.
Lunch or snacks aboard
The picnic-lunch trip includes a meal. The Antilla catamaran includes light snacks and fruit, and the two-stop sail includes hors d'oeuvres. Let that difference guide the rest of your day rather than assuming every open-bar outing also includes lunch. Hotel pickup is excluded from the picnic-lunch sail and the Pelican Pier sail; arrange your way to the chosen departure.
Wildlife and turtle protection
Observe wildlife without touching, feeding or disturbing it. Protected habitats include coral and seagrass as well as the turtles themselves. Leave animals space and avoid pursuing them for a photograph. A possible turtle encounter should remain a bonus rather than the condition on which the outing feels worthwhile. At the shore, leave nesting areas undisturbed too.
Snorkeling questions
Which trip includes Antilla?
The catamaran sail with snacks and fruit explicitly includes Antilla and Boca Catalina. The Pelican Pier sail includes two snorkeling stops without establishing a fixed wreck itinerary.
Does an open bar mean lunch is included?
Food differs: the picnic sail includes lunch, while the other options here list snacks and fruit or hors d'oeuvres. Compare food separately from drinks.
What are conditions like on the west coast?
The west coast is generally calmer than the exposed north and east, but currents and waves still matter. Follow local advice and crew instructions on the day.