Swimming with turtles in Barbados

Where can you swim with turtles in Barbados?

On the calm west and south coasts. Visit Barbados names Carlisle Bay, Holetown (Alleyne's Beach and Paynes Bay), Dover Beach and Drill Hall as top spots.

The Visit Barbados turtle page places green turtles along the west coast, including the Great Ledge barrier reef and around the Stavronikita wreck, and hawksbills on the south and west coasts. Divers find hawksbills at Bright Ledge off Speightstown and at Dottins and Johnson's off Holetown, deeper than a snorkeller goes.

For a swimmer the practical choice is between Carlisle Bay, next to Bridgetown, and the bays further north around Paynes Bay and Holetown. The shorter trips stay in Carlisle Bay. The longer catamaran days and the private boat work along the coast.

Which turtles will you see in Barbados?

Mostly young green turtles, sometimes hawksbills. Leatherbacks nest on the rough east coast and are not part of a snorkel trip.

Three species use the island, according to Visit Barbados. Barbados has the second-largest hawksbill nesting population in the wider Caribbean; the hawksbill is named for its hawk-like beak and eats sponges. The leatherback, the largest sea turtle, nests on the east coast. Juvenile green turtles are the ones commonly seen on swimming tours.

Species, places and seasons from Visit Barbados.

Are turtle sightings guaranteed on a Barbados boat trip?

No. Turtles are wild animals. The private catamaran listing says plainly that sightings are not guaranteed, and the others speak of a turtle stop or a chance of turtles.

Read the wording. The El Tigre catamaran lists a first stop to snorkel with sea turtles; the Oceanluxx luxury cruise says a chance to swim with turtles; the glass-bottom boat says you swim with turtles in Carlisle Bay. Guests on that last trip write things like "lucky enough to see the turtles", which is the honest framing for any of them.

Bad visibility, a choppy day or a bay full of boats can all cost you the sighting. Visit Barbados adds that snorkelling is safer when few boats are around. If turtles are the point of your holiday, book early in your stay so a second trip is possible.

Is it OK to touch or feed turtles in Barbados?

No touching and no feeding. Visit Barbados advises against both, and a 2016 study by Barbados researchers found that feeding harms the turtles.

The study, led with Professor Julia Horrocks of the Barbados Sea Turtle Project and published in the Journal of Wildlife Diseases, looked at west-coast tours that fed green turtles. The food was mostly raw whole fish, plus fillets and leftovers such as hot dogs, chicken and bread. Fed turtles grew bigger and heavier, but their blood showed markers the authors linked to possible early liver disease. They also spent more time at the surface, where boats hit them, and learned to link people with food.

The authors recommended fewer sites and boats, a code of conduct and food closer to a turtle's natural diet. We found no Barbados law against feeding, and we do not suggest that any operator on this site does it. Ask your crew directly before you book, and choose the boat that says no. What is illegal, since 1998, is harvesting turtles or owning turtle products: skip anything sold as tortoiseshell.

Which boat trip is best for swimming with turtles?

The private catamaran for a small group and a slower pace; the glass-bottom boat for 90 minutes in Carlisle Bay; the five-hour catamaran for a turtle stop inside a full day.

Each of these lists turtles as part of the trip. Match the format to your group:

Reef and wreck snorkelling with a certified instructor, life jackets and gear, for your group alone. The listing asks guests not to touch marine life, which is the right rule.

3 hours · Private 30 ft catamaran

Book this Tour details

Can you swim with turtles from the beach in Barbados?

Strong swimmers can snorkel Carlisle Bay from the shore, following the buoys. Most people are better off on a boat with a crew watching the traffic.

Visit Barbados says strong swimmers who know how to snorkel can follow the buoys at Carlisle Bay to explore the reefs, and Barbados Blue notes the wrecks are reachable from shore. The risk is the traffic. The UK Foreign Office warns that catamarans and dive boats may operate close to shore, and the State Department tells swimmers to watch for boats and jet skis.

If you do go from the beach, take a buddy, wear something bright and stay inside the marked area. Carlisle Bay Beach has lifeguards, according to Barbados.org. A boat gives you a crew, a ladder and a lookout, which is worth more than it sounds.

How should you behave in the water with turtles?

Keep your distance, move slowly, do not chase, touch, ride or feed them, and leave a resting turtle alone.

• Give them space. The Coral Reef Alliance turtle-watching guidelines say to keep your distance and avoid startling them.
• Do not hover above one. A turtle has to surface to breathe, so stay to the side.
• Leave resting or feeding turtles alone and move away if one shows signs of stress.
• Hands to yourself. No touching, no riding, no feeding, per the same guidelines and Visit Barbados.
• Take your litter home. Turtles mistake plastic for food.
• Know your limits. Snorkel only if you are a confident swimmer or wear a vest, and come out if you feel dizzy in a full-face mask, per the Hawaii ocean safety service.

When is turtle nesting season in Barbados?

Hawksbills nest from 1 June to 31 October and leatherbacks from 1 March to 31 July, according to Visit Barbados.

Hawksbills nest on the calmer west and south coast beaches, leatherbacks on the rough north-east. Beach lights can turn hatchlings the wrong way, so let them find the sea on their own and keep your torch off. The Barbados Sea Turtle Project, now a programme of the Wild Isle Trust, runs a hotline for anyone who sees nesting or hatching; the number is on its website.

Nesting season does not change much on a daytime snorkel trip, which visits feeding turtles in the water. For dates and what to do if you meet a nesting turtle on the beach, see our post on the hawksbill nesting season.

Frequently asked questions