Snorkeling in Aruba: Antilla Wreck, Mangel Halto and More

Snorkeling in Aruba is not snorkeling in Bonaire. The reef is patchier, the visibility is a little lower, and the two famous beaches have no fish at all. But the west coast is in the lee of the trade wind, which makes it calm almost every day, and the island has one thing Bonaire does not: a 120 metre German freighter in snorkel depth. Here is where Ghislaine sends guests with a mask, north to south.

The Antilla shipwreck

The SS Antilla was a German cargo ship, 398 feet long, that was in Aruban waters when Germany invaded the Netherlands on 10 May 1940. Dutch marines came to seize her; the German crew opened the seacocks and set her on fire instead. She has lain on her port side in Malmok Bay ever since, in up to 18 metres of water, the largest wreck in the southern Caribbean.

For snorkelers the attraction is that parts of the hull and superstructure come close to the surface. On a calm day with 20 metres of visibility you see the whole shape of the ship below you, covered in coral and sponges, with angelfish, snapper and the occasional barracuda. Divers go inside; you look from above.

Getting there: by boat. The snorkel catamarans and smaller boats from the Palm Beach piers all stop here, usually as the second stop after Boca Catalina or Malmok. Half day trips run about $60 to $100 per person depending on the boat and whether lunch and open bar are included; the morning sailings have the calmest water. The wreck is several hundred metres offshore with boat traffic between it and the beach, so swimming out from Malmok is not something we recommend to anyone.

Conditions: best December through May. In summer and autumn a north swell can cut visibility, and some operators skip the wreck on rough days.

The Malmok coast: Boca Catalina, Tres Trapi, Arashi

Ten minutes north of Palm Beach, the road to the California Lighthouse passes three shore entries that between them cover most of what you want.

Boca Catalina. Steps down from a roadside car park into a cove 2 to 4 metres deep with coral heads and the friendliest fish on the island: sergeant majors, blue tangs, parrotfish, trumpetfish. Enter from the sand on the right; the better coral is to the left. Catamarans drop forty people here at around 10 am and again early afternoon, so go at 8.

Tres Trapi. Three steps cut in the limestone a few hundred metres north. Seagrass at 2 to 3 metres where green turtles graze most mornings, starfish on the sand, sometimes an eagle ray further out. Keep three metres from the turtles and leave the starfish in the water.

Arashi. The last proper beach before the lighthouse. Snorkel the rocks on the left as you face the sea; the middle is sandy and good for kids. Beach bar, huts, toilets, parking. The easiest of the three for families.

Full detail in our north west beaches guide.

Mangel Halto

On the south coast at Pos Chiquito, twenty minutes from Palm Beach. A small beach in the mangroves with wooden walkways and stairs into shallow, clear water. The inside is 1 to 3 metres, sandy with patches of coral and plenty of fish. Swim out toward the breakers and the reef drops away into real coral with bigger fish; this is where the island’s shore divers go.

The reef edge has a current. Strong swimmers only beyond the inner lagoon, and never alone. No facilities, no shade for rent, no lifeguard. Weekday mornings are empty.

Many people who know the island rate this the best shore snorkel on Aruba. We agree, with the current caveat.

Baby Beach

At the southern tip. The lagoon is shallow and calm and the snorkeling along the rocks on either side is beginner level: small reef fish, the odd parrotfish, very clear water. Good for a first time with children. Do not go out through the mouth of the bay where the current runs.

Catalina Cove and De Palm Island

Catalina Cove, between Boca Catalina and Malmok, is the catamarans’ other regular stop: a shallow shelf with fish that have learned to expect boats. Fine, not special.

De Palm Island is a private island off the south coast near Balashi, reached by a two minute ferry, sold as an all inclusive day from about $148 per person: snorkeling on a small reef with blue parrotfish, a water park, lunch and open bar. For families with young kids who want everything in one place it works. For snorkelers it is not the reason to go.

Best snorkeling in Aruba: boat or shore?

Shore snorkeling costs nothing, is better in the early morning, and gives you Tres Trapi and Mangel Halto, which no boat visits. A boat gives you the Antilla, which you cannot get otherwise, plus a lazy sail back with rum punch. Most of our guests do one morning of each. If you book a boat, book a morning sailing from the Palm Beach piers and pick the smaller boats over the big party catamarans if you want time in the water.

Conditions, gear, rules

• Wind: the trade wind blows from the east, so the west and south coasts are sheltered nearly every day. The north coast is never for swimming.
• Season: calmest and clearest December through May. The rest of the year is still fine on the west coast most days.
• Gear: our homes have snorkel sets. Fins matter at Mangel Halto and the Antilla, less at Boca Catalina.
• Sun: a rash guard beats sunscreen on your back when you are face down for an hour.
• Reef rules: no touching, no standing on coral, no feeding, no taking shells. Fire coral at the Antilla and Mangel Halto stings.
• Lionfish are present; look, do not touch.

Stay nearby

Oasis Hideaway in Gold Coast is five minutes from Boca Catalina, Tres Trapi and Arashi, and looks out toward Malmok Bay where the Antilla lies. Ocean View 2BR on the Palm Beach strip is a short walk from the catamaran piers. The Hideout Dream Big Suite and Hideout Happiness Suite near Eagle Beach are 15 minutes from the north west beaches and 20 from Mangel Halto. See all four at /stays/.

Questions people ask

Can you snorkel the Antilla wreck from shore?

Not realistically. The wreck lies several hundred metres off Malmok in up to 18 metres of water with boat traffic in between. Every snorkel catamaran from Palm Beach stops there; book one.

What is the best snorkeling in Aruba?

From shore: Mangel Halto in the south and Boca Catalina and Tres Trapi in the north west. By boat: the Antilla wreck. Palm Beach and Eagle Beach are sandy and have almost no fish.

How deep is the Antilla wreck?

The ship lies on its port side in up to 18 metres (60 feet). Parts of the hull come within a few metres of the surface, which is why snorkelers can see it clearly on a calm day.

Do I need to bring my own snorkel gear to Aruba?

Our homes have sets for guests. Boat tours include gear. Dive shops on Palm Beach rent masks and fins for roughly $10 to $15 a day if you want your own.

Are there sharks or dangerous animals when snorkeling in Aruba?

Nothing you need to worry about. The usual advice applies: do not touch coral or fire coral, give sea urchins and lionfish space, and do not chase turtles.