Snorkeling at Baby Beach- San Nicolas, Aruba

Baby Beach is a great day-trip to make if you've rented a car in Aruba. It’s located on the southern tip of the island in San Nicolas.  Baby Beach gets its name from the tranquil cove of water that surrounds the beach being so calm that even young children are safe to swim in it.

The drive down from the hotel area takes around 40 minutes. It’s a fun ride down stopping at the shops in Oranjestad or checking out one of the more local restaurants once you get south of the airport. Directions in Aruba are pretty easy to follow. There are only a few highway-type roads and because it’s a small island, you can usually find the water as a point of reference if you get off-route.

Baby beach definitely has a unique look to it, as the rough ocean flows into a protected, horseshoe shaped cove where everyone swims around.  Because there are only a few hotels nearby, the beach has a local flair. However you’ll see plenty of tourists and guided tours as well. There are also a number of restaurants/bars on the beach providing plenty of options for food and drinks.

Aside from the beach being great for relaxing and the water great for swimming, the main attraction that brought us to Baby Beach was the snorkeling. Where the rough ocean meets the Baby Beach cove, there are reefs and deeper water that host an exciting variety of fish species. One of the best parts of the snorkeling experience is the easy access. You don’t need a guided tour or a boat to get you out there. It’s just a short swim from the beach. If you are facing Baby Beach, the best snorkeling is located by the reef on the left side. In addition to the main snorkeling location, further to the left there was also a shallow canal with lots of fish and coral. The canal filters into the cove making for a fun journey through a maze of coral.

You will notice some signs posted in the snorkeling area about swimming warnings and strong currents. When we visited we found the currents to be relatively calm with the water not being very rough. We’d recommend you be a strong swimmer, but either way we did not feel worried about the current at any point during our snorkeling adventure. If you’re visiting Aruba and looking for a fun day trip, be sure to pack/rent a snorkeling set and head out to Baby Beach!

Travel the East ©

Kristy Albano & Matt Pickering                                                      

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