Brewers Bay Sea Turtle Snorkel Tour (St. Thomas): Review

Green sea turtles feed on seagrass, and Brewers Bay has wide, shallow seagrass beds right off the sand — which is why turtles graze here almost every day. There's no boat ride and no deep water: you wade in from the beach and the turtles are often just a short swim out, toward the left side of the bay.

A guide makes the difference between hoping and seeing. They know the day's feeding patterns, keep the group a respectful distance from the turtles, and point out rays and reef fish you'd miss on your own. The crew provides gear and a quick briefing before you get in.

Brewers Bay is calm and shallow, so it's gentle snorkeling with a good chance of:

• Green sea turtles grazing the seagrass
• Southern stingrays on the sandy bottom
• Schools of small reef fish and the occasional tarpon
• Starfish and sea cucumbers in the shallows

It's not a coral-wall site like Coki Point — the draw here is turtles and calm, easy water, which makes it perfect for nervous or first-time snorkelers.

A simple, gear-included guided shore snorkel:

• A local guide for the full 2 hours
• Snorkel gear (mask, snorkel, fins) and a flotation vest
• A safety and turtle-etiquette briefing

Not included

Food and drinks aren't included — Brewers Bay has food trucks and restrooms but few other facilities, so bring water and a little cash. Transfers, gratuities and reef-safe sunscreen are also on you.

Because it's shore-based, there's no boarding or boat schedule. You meet the guide at Brewers Bay, get fitted with gear and a short briefing, then snorkel the seagrass beds and shallows for around 90 minutes with the guide leading the way to the turtles.

The whole thing runs about 2 hours door-to-door at the beach, which is why it fits so neatly into a cruise port day — Brewers Bay is only about 4 miles from the cruise port.

Ideal for first-timers, families, budget travelers and anyone whose main goal is turtles. Less ideal for:

• Snorkelers after vibrant coral walls (try Coki Point or a boat trip)
• Anyone wanting food, drinks or a boat ride included
• Travelers hoping for a guaranteed turtle (sightings are common but never certain)

Two planning notes worth a minute before you book. If you are visiting by ship, this is the tour we point cruise passengers to first, and our cruise port day snorkeling plan shows exactly how the two hours fit an 8-hour call. And because the swim starts from a beach rather than a boat ladder, it is also the gentlest first snorkel for children; the family snorkeling guide covers ages and readiness in depth.